Thanksgiving dinner can be a very laid-back affair—no one’s gonna stop Uncle Roy from watching football in his athletic socks, that’s for sure. Uncle Roy aside, Thanksgiving dinner can be fancy as all get out. Did you shine all the crystal and then go nuts buying seasonal cloth napkins and turkey-shaped trivets at World Market? Well, then you need a meal to match. If you’re in the mood to treat your friends and family to a fancy Thanksgiving feast, we can help. We rounded up the classiest, most elegant drinks, appetizers, and sides from our taste tests. This list is proof that a fancy Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be an expensive Thanksgiving.
- Martinelli’s Gold Medal Sparkling Cider
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Call me juvenile, but I think that alcohol is overrated in a world where you can buy a bottle of apple cider that basically looks like a bottle of champagne. Everyone can enjoy this appley delight for a fancy Thanksgiving. It’s sometimes tempting to grab one of the more unusual flavors on the shelf, but out of all of Martinelli ciders, the OG is the best—nostalgic and so flavorful. And, hey, you can even have a toast with your nieces and nephews.
Read the full ranking of the best sparkling apple cider
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Trader Joe’s Portuguese Bacalhau Tartelettes
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In a pigs-in-a-blanket world, be a tiny, delicate salt cod tart. These miniature pies, which are filled with a delicious, fish-rich custard, are like fancy passed appetizers at a wedding at someone’s beachside Malibu mansion. Throw a box of these in the oven, bust out that silver tray your great aunt left you and you never touched, and you have a majorly fancy Thanksgiving appetizer.
Read the full ranking of the best Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers
Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joes
- Creminelli Prosciutto & Honeydew
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Melon wrapped in prosciutto is an Italian staple. Creminelli Prosciutto is good for wrapping because it is sliced so wonderfully thin. This prosciutto is so delicate that it just feels fancy, but it’s less than seven bucks a pack. No one can resist this sweet-savory combo. (Bonus: the tray the tray in which the ham is packaged is made from 80% recycled material and the pigs are raised humanely.)
Read the full ranking of the best prosciutto
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- La Brea Bakery Take & Bake French Dinner Rolls
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Dinner rolls are a Thanksgiving dinner must—all that savory gravy isn’t going to sop up itself. If you’re not going to bake a batch from scratch, these heat-and-eat rolls from La Brea Bakery are the next best thing. They crisp on the outside and fluffy and chewy on the inside, just like freshly baked rolls from a fancy bakery. And they’re vegan! This is the correct bread for a fancy Thanksgiving.
Read the full ranking of the best dinner rolls
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Green Giant Simply Steam Creamed Spinach Sauced
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I’m not a huge fan of spinach, but I do like creamed spinach. This stuff doesn’t look fancy, but put it in a casserole dish with some nice shredded parm and pop it under the broiler for a min, and you have yourself a side that’s worth of a fancy steakhouse—or a fancy Thanksgiving, as it were.
Read the full ranking of the best creamed spinach
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart
- Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac & Cheese
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Macaroni and cheese rules, but you know what’s fancier? Penne and cheese—especially when it’s made with extremely fancy cheddar cheese. If you’ve never had Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac & Cheese, you (and your Thanksgiving guests) are in for a major treat. It’s creamy. It’s super savory. It browns up beautifully and gets that good, cheesy crust in the corners of the tray. This is restaurant-quality mac and cheese for a fancy Thanksgiving.
Read the full ranking of the best frozen mac and cheese
Credit: Merc / Vons
- Marie Callender’s Dutch Apple Pie
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The streusel topping on this frozen pie is enough reason for you to stop whatever you are doing and run a red light to get Marie Callender’s Dutch Apple Pie for your fancy Thanksgiving feast. (I formally absolve myself from any liability, though.) This pie doesn’t rest on its streusel laurels either—the cinnamon-tinged filling is also breathtaking. This is much swankier than your average store bought pie.
Read the full ranking of the best store bought apple pie
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
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We all know that vanilla bean ice cream is fancier than regular vanilla ice cream. It’s not rocket science. And Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream is the best. It’s so creamy and so flavorful—Häagen-Dazs might be one of the most ubiquitous brands of ice cream, but it’s also one of the best. If you’re serving desserts a la mode at your fancy Thanksgiving dinner, this is the ice cream to buy.
Read the full ranking of the best vanilla ice cream
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
The Drink
Rating:
10/10
Sporks
The Appetizer
Rating:
9/10
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The Appetizer
Rating:
9/10
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The Bread
Rating:
10/10
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The Side
Rating:
9.5/10
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The Side
Rating:
10/10
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The Dessert
Rating:
9.5/10
Sporks
The Dessert
Rating:
10/10
Sporks
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!