8 Tips For A Downsized Thanksgiving Without Skipping Your Faves

For many families, Thanksgiving offers the start of the festive season and the beginning of a month of big warm gatherings—but in 2020, many are staying local and cooking for smaller groups this season. And that's the thing: Thanksgiving (at least for me) has always been a holiday with a multitude of options spread across a massive family table. So how do you plan such a food-centric holiday for a small group (or even for one?).

"We're just going back to basics," shares cookbook author Danielle Walker. Since you're not catering to a larger group, you can hand-select your favorite dishes from the mix and skip the ones you know you won't miss. For me, that means skipping stuffing and turkey in favor of sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts—but it's up to you (and perhaps your small group) what you go for.

Perhaps the most iconic component of a Thanksgiving table is the turkey, and you might assume it's the hardest thing to downsize—but you can turn to another type of protein. "A great alternative to a large turkey would be a whole roasted chicken," shares recipe developer Sarah Thomas-Drawbaugh. "A 6-pound roasted chicken will look beautiful on the table and is very easy to prepare."

Love sweet potato casserole? If you think of this classic a little differently, ways to make a smaller version become easier to imagine. "Prepare baked sweet potatoes filled with all your favorite ingredients," says Thomas-Drawbaugh, "instead of making an entire casserole."

This is the year for mini desserts—no need for a whole pumpkin pie (unless you want one!). Instead, consider something simple that also allows you to skip the oven: No-bake desserts might be the perfect thing. Some of our favorites are a salted vanilla fudge, an easy tahini bark, or these hazelnut chocolate brownies.

If cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner is ever a point of stress for you, this year is the perfect year to just skip it! But again: That doesn't necessarily mean skipping the whole dinner. Plenty of brands and restaurants might be offering takeaway Thanksgiving dinners this year. "I'll also say Whole Foods Market does a great Thanksgiving dinner, if you're not wanting to cook," says Walker.

Fewer people (and less food) on the table means more space for joyful seasonal decor. "One thing I plan to do is to get creative with my table-scape," shares Thomas-Drawbaugh. "Since it's a smaller group, I will have more room for Thanksgiving decorations. Mini pumpkins, gourds, or fresh flowers are always a great way to make any table look more festive and special for the holidays."

With all the stress of this year, it may be easy to get lost in the downer of being separate from family and friends. As much as possible, finding the joy in the simplicity of the smaller celebration is worth focusing on. "I always say, food made with love tastes best," says Thomas-Drawbaugh. "So, enjoy your day. Don't rush into your recipes, and add a little extra love when you're making your meal."