Thanksgiving Menu Ideas for Every Type of Thanksgiving Dinner

Across the internet, Thanksgiving menu ideas all seem like they cater to one type of Thanksgiving dinner. But not here at Sporked! We’ve put together a Thanksgiving dinner menu for every type of Thanksgiving, whether you’re having your turkey and dressing solo or hosting a massive feast for family or hosting a Friendsgiving to remember. Check our list. There’s a Thanksgiving menu for you.

What to Buy for a Solo Thanksgiving

Being alone on Thanksgiving kind of rules. You get to choose the Thanksgiving menu and you get to eat all the leftovers. But if you want a little help curating, we’re here for you (and only you).

What to Buy for a Cozy Thanksgiving for Two

Two’s company, baby, especially for Thanksgiving dinner. Here’s a Thanksgiving menu that’s perf for just you and your boo (or roommate or bestie or…).

What to Buy for Thanksgiving for a Giant Crowd

giant thanksgiving dinner — Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Welp, you’ve done it. You’ve committed to hosting Thanksgiving dinner for your family and friends and in-aws and a few randos you’re not sure how you know at this point. Here’s a Thanksgiving menu that will feed (and please) the masses.

What to Buy for a Cheap Thanksgiving

cheap thanksgiving dinner — Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart / Target / Trader Joe’s / Walmart

Thanksgiving? IN THIS ECONOMY? Yes. Here’s a Thanksgiving dinner menu for peeps who want to do it on the cheap.

What to Buy for a Fancy Thanksgiving

Hosting folks you actually want to impress (i.e. not your immediate family)? We put together all the elements of a fancy feast (not the cat food) for your esteemed guests.

About the Author

Howdy! I’m Gwynedd, Sporked’s managing editor. I live in Los Angeles and have access to the best tacos the U.S. has to offer—but I’m a sucker for a crunchy Old El Paso taco night every now and then. I’ve been at Sporked since 2022 and I’m still searching frozen mozzarella sticks that can hold a candle to restaurant sticks. Why you should trust me: I’ve been a journalist for 20 years (yikes), a consumer of food for 40-plus years, and I’m truly hard pressed to think of foods I don’t like (or that I can’t tolerate at the very least). Oh and one time I cooked my way through Guy Fieri’s cookbook and wrote about the journey through Flavortown. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins. Fat free plain yogurt (usually Fage or Nancy’s). Honeycrisp apples. Sweet cream coffee creamer for my at-home Americanos. A frozen cauliflower crust pizza and some jarred mushrooms to top it with. Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco shells and Gardein Ground Be’f, even though I think “be’f” is a nightmarish contraction. Favorite ranking: Stouffer’s frozen dinners. I don’t own a microwave (I get my cancers the old fashioned way!), so I love taste testing things that I don’t really buy to eat at home. Least favorite ranking: Soy sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love soy sauce—but consuming that much sodium in one sitting is probably illegal in some countries. Our frozen enchilada taste test was a close second; the smell of microwaved corn tortillas still haunts me.