Im going to my first American Thanksgiving potluck. I'm a college student so my budget is really tight and I also do not have time to cook with school, clinical rotations, and work. I don't know what to bring. Someone said on another reddit post to bring pretzel rolls from Costco? Is that a normal thing to do? What is something you buy frozen from the store that you would reccomend for thanksgiving? thanks.

edit: potluck with friends
I posted this 10 mins ago and i keep getting so many comments eveytime I refresh thank you everyone!!


32 comments

  4. My father for some reason prefers canned cranberry sauce. Nobody in our family understands why but we buy it just for him

  5. Have they asked you to bring a dish? If not, I would probably just default to a bottle of inexpensive wine or cider.

  6. With a pot luck you should ask to see who is bringing what. Otherwise many people could be bring the same item. Also not everyone needs to bring an item if enough people have items.

    Items that would be at thanksgiving that are store bought are soda, wine, sometimes desserts(most people prefer home made that day), cranberry sauce(but some people make home made).

  7. You could get a box of corn bread mix, bake it, and bring that. It’ll be on theme for thanksgiving and won’t be expensive at all

    Alternatively, you could just bring a bottle of something demographic appropriate.

    Like if it’s friends, then maybe tequila, or if it’s colleagues/a family, then wine or beer

  8. Pumpkin Pie

    Since you mentioned Costco, they make great pumpkin pies at a pretty good cost.

  9. If you are a Costco member, they have really good pumpkin pies for $6. They are huge too.

    I disagree about pretzel rolls. There is nothing Thanksgiving about that.

  10. Aldi sweet potato casserole. It’s like $3 and better than any homemade sweet potato casserole I’ve ever had

  11. pillsbury crescent rolls, can get 3 tubes for around $10. only takes ~20min to unroll and bake, they make a bunch and reheat quickly so you can do it ahead of time

    if you got an extra $2 get a bunch of fresh parsley or thyme or garlic and chop that up and roll it in with em and pretend like you actually made a secret family recipe dish.

  13. The easy go to for people who don’t cook is pie or drinks. My friends and I do Thanksgiving together and I always bring in some wine and some sprite and juice to mix together

  16. So I always go to two different big thanksgiving dinners every year. And the general “rule” at both is, if you can’t for any reason make or bake something at home and can’t afford to spend a lot on something pre-made, there’s never enough drinks and everyone always wants more dessert. So like, a 12 pack or two of a couple different sodas, or a bottle or two of juice, maybe a package of cookies or pastries from the grocery bakery department. There have been years where I’ve spent a lot of time and money making things from scratch, there have been years where I couldn’t and just showed up with a 12 pack of sprite, a 12 pack of coke, and some cookies.

    Also I am bored and waiting to leave to somewhere, sorry I just wrote a whole autobiography.

  17. pie(s), i know costco has the pumpkin ones. i almost always buy a chocolate pecan pie from cracker barrel. they’re about $15.

  19. Is this a literal potluck, as in it’s a complete roll of the dice what food will be there and it could end up being 18 bags of dinner rolls and nothing else? Or is someone coordinating what is being brought to make sure that the main dishes will be there, or assigning different categories of food for guests to bring?

    Usually for a meal that’s this specific culturally, you’d be given at least some kind of guidance, such as “we’ll provide turkey and potatoes, but bring any other sides or desserts you’d like to share,” or “please bring an appetizer.” Did you get anything like that as part of the invitation?

  20. Ask the host what he/she needs.

    Making mashed potatoes isn’t too hard. You could do all the work in like an hour.

  23. A Turkey 😀

    Seriously, people..families..get ALL bent out of shape about the “perfect Thanksgiving” (or Christmas or whatever event)…and forgot the good part is being together.

    Now, if I were you, and had the time or money or whatever, I’d bring something from my “culture” to share the experience. (I would often bring a cajun dish to potlucks). Obviously if you don’t have time for that or the money, that can be a no go.

    Honestly drinks…sodas…never go amiss..or plates and plastic utinsils…or even ice. These are often things people forget about.

    Someone at an office I’d work at would make a punch..a drink.. with like Orange soda and just vanilla icecream in it..was nice and tasty.

    I’d ask the coordinator…if there is one in your group…if there’s anything in particular.

  25. If there are vegetarians/vegans in the crowd, I recommend a Field Roast Celebration Roast. My favorite is the cranberry hazelnut that is wrapped in puff pastry and seems more festive, but the original is good too.

  26. If you’ve not been asked to bring something specific then all of the mains/traditional sides are probably covered. I’d bring a dessert (+1 for a pumpkin pie) or a fruit/veggie tray for snacking.

  27. It isn’t as traditional as pecan pie or pumpkin pie, but if you show up with a key lime pie, That is what I am having for desert.

  30. Volunteer to bring a pie. Find out from the host what types people are bringing. Pumpkin, sweet potato & pecan are popular for holiday meals, but fruit pies, (apple, cherry, blueberrry, peach) are also beloved. Strawberry-rhubarb rocks!

    If the pies are covered, offer to bring whipped topping!

    I have, in the past, provided real cider (w/ or w/o alcohol.)

  31. Store bought

    – ocean spray cranberry sauce

    – green bean casserole

    – stove top stuffing

    – Hawaiian rolls

    Homemade

    – Turkey & gravy

    – garlic mashed potatoes

    – sweet potato casserole

    – macaroni and cheese

    – salad

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