What to Buy for a Giant Thanksgiving for a Crowd

Thanksgiving should be spent relaxing with family but it often ends up being a day of stress, especially if you’re hosting Thanksgiving for a crowd. Whether you have a big family or you’re having a massive Friendsgiving, making a big Thanksgiving dinner can be exhausting. Let Sporked help!

I’m sure you’ve done the calculations and know what size turkey to buy, so let us recommend the apps and sides you should buy at the grocery store if you’re hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner or lunch. All the foods listed below taste delicious and are super affordable. They’ll cut down on your cooking time and allow you to actually enjoy your day off work.

Thanksgiving for a crowd

THE APPETIZER

Kirkland Signature Shrimp Tray

Seafood might not currently be part of your big Thanksgiving dinner menu, but it should be! This shrimp cocktail tray from Costco is perfect for a crowd. It’s huge (about 1.59 pounds!) and comes with cocktail sauce and fresh lemon wedges. Not only is it big, it’s delicious! It even made our list of the best things we ate in the office a few weeks ago. Set this out as an appetizer while you finish cooking and everyone will stay full, happy, and out of your kitchen.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

big Thanksgiving dinner

THE APPETIZER

Stonemill Kitchen Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip

You can buy this bad boy in a massive two pack at Costco. In fact, it’s one of our favorite Costco dips! Set it out (warm or cold) on the table with some crudité for a scrumptious vegetarian appetizer that’ll feed the masses.

Read the full ranking of the best Costco dips

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

instant potatoes

THE SIDE

Betty Crocker Homestyle Creamy Butter Mashed Potatoes

Homemade mashed potatoes are obviously great, but they take forever. Frozen mashed potatoes and premade mashed potatoes can be delicious, but the portions are so small. If you’re cooking Thanksgiving for a crowd, you need instant mashed potatoes. These are so quick and taste delicious. All you need is hot water, so they’re also affordable. That being said, you can add other toppings to customize this simple mashed potato base. Each pouch makes six servings and costs around $1. That means you can make mashed potatoes for 12 people for around $2. Not bad, Betty Crocker!

Read the full ranking of the best instant mashed potatoes

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Thanksgiving for a crowd

THE SIDE

Velveeta Value Size Shells & Cheese Original Mac and Cheese Dinner

Mac and cheese is a tasty and filling side for a big Thanksgiving dinner that will please anyone. But if you want the best value, you must go big. This value size box of Velveeta mac and cheese serves six people. Get two or three boxes and you’re set to make Thanksgiving for a crowd. And if you think you’re too good for Velveeta, you’re not. It tastes incredibly good.

Read the full ranking of the best boxed mac n’ cheese

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Thanksgiving for a crowd

THE SALAD

Good & Gather Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit

This salad kit has a hearty base of kale, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli. It’ll fill you up fast. Each bag serves about three to four people and it costs less than $5. Not only will you love how much bang you get for your buck with this one, but you’ll also love the seasonal vibe you get from the fall greens, dried cranberries, and toasted pumpkin seeds. This is one of the best buys when making Thanksgiving for a crowd.

Read the full ranking of the best Target salad kits

Credit: Liv Averett / Target


About the Author

Jordan Myrick

Jordan is an L.A.-based writer and comedian who believes all food should come with extra sauce. When they're not writing for Sporked, Jordan is at the movies or sharing an order of french fries with their elderly chihuahua.

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