Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas should be based on your personal preference. The tradition of Thanksgiving has roots that go back hundreds of years to the time of the Pilgrims. The early settlers would spend the night in their tents and eat turkey dinners as part of their communal ritual. There are many different types of turkey to choose from today. You can create a meal from scratch or purchase a catered product that will fit your needs perfectly. If you are hosting your Thanksgiving dinner this year and are looking for some extra menu options, these simple suggestions will get you started:
Thanksgiving Dinner Options
A traditional Thanksgiving dinner consists of a turkey with all the fixings served on an array of different table-tops. When you are creating your own Thanksgiving dinner you will want to follow a few basic rules of decorating your home. First, you will need to determine which table-top gets the longest reception. This is usually the one on which you serve the main course and the dessert. You can still switch around tables after the meal but remember that you need to keep the center of the room constant.
You may want to offer another type of meal to go along with the turkey. Something like leftover ham, salad, or another meat such as venison can make a nice change of pace for the meal. If you want to get into the spirit of things, why not offer ribs? They are not only a great source of protein but they also taste wonderful. Just remember that you should serve these foods at room temperature unless you are in the mood to keep things warm.
What to Do If You Have Large Amount of People At Dinner?
If you are having a large number of people at your Thanksgiving dinner, consider serving finger foods instead of the main course and a snack to go along with it. You can set out trays of finger foods on each table or have them rolled up and tied to each dish. You can also ask your guests to bring some of their favorite snacks and make them available to be served during the main meal.
If you are going with an all turkey dinner, you will want to pick out the best part of the turkey and will most likely want to have it served warm. A common way to do this is to have a cracker or slice of cheese on the side. A nice addition to the side would be a baked potato or something else that could be served with the turkey.
What About the Dessert?
Some people serve a dessert to go along with the meal they are eating. Whether or not you decide to include a dessert is up to you and your taste buds. It can be something simple like a pumpkin pie or something more elaborate such as an apple pie. Again, you will want to make sure it is warm and if you plan to add nuts, it should be the unsalted kind. Sometimes people avoid nuts in desserts because of the length of time they take to prepare them.
Another option for a Thanksgiving dinner is a cake. You do have many options but a traditional cake is always welcome. One thing you will want to be careful about is having too many cakes on the menu. You do not want everyone to turn up for the dinner and then realize that you have to go find another restaurant for dessert. The traditional cake can be made in many different styles including ones with cream cheese frosting. You could even bake the cake yourself and let your kids help you put it in the oven.
Finally
Thanksgiving dinner menus can vary from person to person. It depends on what you as a person like. What you serve is completely up to you. Of course, you will want to make sure that everything is prepared the right way. If you mess up anything, it could ruin your night and even the holiday itself.