No-Cook Thanksgiving Meals

Dine-in for Your Holiday Feast or Take it To Go!

Nov 4, 2009

Sometimes Thanksgiving comes when the usual family cook isn't feeling well or has other pressing issues. That is the time for a no-cook Thanksgiving day meal!

When circumstances make holiday cooking inconvenient or impossible there are alternatives! First of all, everyone needs to remember what Thanksgiving Day is all about. It’s about spending time with family and friends and being thankful for the blessings in their lives. Everything else is secondary.

Thanksgiving Meals to Go

There are many places to purchase a holiday meal that is fully or partially prepared. Three examples:

Marie Callendars

Marie will prepare a holiday turkey dinner that feeds 6-8 people for $119 or a ham feast for $109 or a combo for $149. As listed on their website, the trimmings include Apple-Sage Stuffing, Sweet Yam Casserole (with streusel topping), Cranberry Sauce, Fresh Mashed Potatoes, Turkey Gravy, Chef's Vegetables, Fresh Baked Cornbread, Whole Pumpkin or Apple Pie, Marie's Special Blend Coffee.

If the family wants to bring the trimmings potluck style, a whole oven roasted turkey can be purchased for $49. Two hours reheating time is all that is required.

AJ’s Thanksgiving Catering

AJ’s Fine Foods offers catering for all occasions, including Thanksgiving dinners. They offer a 12 to 14 pound turkey or spiral ham dinner estimated to serve 6-8 that includes dressing, candied yams, green beans amandine, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes, gravy, a dozen rolls and a pie. The cost is $129.00, approximately $16 per person.

If a whole turkey is preferred, AJ’s offers that as a choice also at $3.99 per pound. To serve more people, use AJ’s catering service to provide the core dinner or just the turkey and supplement it by having family members bring their holiday specialty sides.

Luby’s

Luby’s offers several fully cooked, take out family feasts for Thanksgiving that feed 10-12 people from $79.99 to $109.99. They offer prime rib, turkey, or spiral ham dinners. Holiday hosts can pick from one meat or a combo and sides are included such as dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, pie etc. They have an add-on side option of 3 quarts of holidays sides, a gallon of Luby’s tea and a dozen dinner rolls for $6.99.

Dining out on Thanksgiving Day

As families grow, it is sometimes necessary to find a large gathering spot to feast and spend time together.The whole family can meet at a restaurant of their liking for the big Thanksgiving meal, and head to a local park afterward or even someone’s home for games and snacks later.

According to the Fun Times Guide.com article, “Thanksgiving Dinner Restaurant Style, Are You Eating Out this Thanksgiving?” by Lynette, half of all Americans use a restaurant for all or part of their Thanksgiving dinner. In doing so, no one person will have to dedicate two to three days of shopping, planning, preparing, cooking and cleaning up after a large family for one meal. Plan for Thanksgiving to be a family event, not a demonstration of culinary talent.

HomeTown Buffet

This buffet style restaurant has lots of seating space and also banquet rooms. If the family will total more than 20 people, no problem. Their website states, “If you’re planning a gathering for 20 or more people, we’ll help make planning easier. Our large and inviting restaurants can accommodate a gathering of any size and many locations have a banquet room for your use at no additional charge.”

It is best to check with the local restaurant for details, but in Phoenix, the Banquet room can be reserved for a minimum of 30 people after 4 PM on Thanksgiving. They serve Thanksgiving dinner until 6 PM, which gives a two hour window for families to eat and enjoy the banquet room.

The price for the Thanksgiving feast is approximately $12 per adult and $1.99 for kids twelve and under. Family members can be seated in the banquet room as they arrive and if one person wants to pay for the entire group, a head count is taken once everyone arrives.

TGI Friday’s

Who says Thanksgiving dinner can only be turkey and dressing? TGI Fridays is open on Thanksgiving Day and they do have a banquet room that can be reserved. (Call in advance to reserve) Standard menu choices are available.

Furr’s Family Dining

Check with the local restaurant, but most likely a Furrs Cafeteria will be open on Thanksgiving day. In Phoenix, they will be open on the holiday from 11 to 8. They do not have a banquet room, so seating is first come, first serve, therefore early arrival will improve odds for seating a large group together.

This Thanksgiving, if the situation requires it, families might need to think outside the box. Or, maybe this year might be a good time to give the usual host or hostess a break and suggest that the family take a different approach to this holiday meal every year!. Taking advantage of restaurant catering or dining out will make this Thanksgiving Day one that everyone will enjoy without all the fuss and stress!

The copyright of the article No-Cook Thanksgiving Meals in Holiday Entertaining is owned by Jan Peterson. Permission to republish No-Cook Thanksgiving Meals in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.