Ideas for Thanksgiving Potluck Dinners
Need some ideas for Thanksgiving potluck dinners? Get the Thanksgiving potluck sign-up sheet ready to go!
If you are hosting a Thanksgiving potluck this year, these dinner ideas will be a hit with everyone who attends.
Why You Should Host a Thanksgiving Potluck
Because it is so much easier on the host AND these ideas for Thanksgiving potluck dinners make it easy! Not only does everyone get to help make the food, but the host can focus more on spending time with the family. Plus, it can help us save a lot of money on Thanksgiving dinner!
Most of the time our busy schedules do not allow us to be in the kitchen all day long. We have family to see and Thanksgiving activities to do! Hosting a Thanksgiving potluck can take a lot of weight off everyone’s shoulders and make it a more enjoyable holiday.
We will be able to worry less about cooking food and cleaning up as we focus more on visiting and celebrating with friends and family. The hardest part will be finding ideas for Thanksgiving potluck dishes.
How to Have a Stress Free Thanksgiving Potluck
In order to have a stress-free Thanksgiving potluck dinner, there are a few things that you can do.
TIPS
- Figure out how much food you will need for Thanksgiving. Base this on how many people you expect to come and how much you think they might eat.
- Make a sign up sheet. This way you know what everyone is bringing and what needs to be made. Have a section for appetizers, desserts, the main dish, sides, etc. Then, let everyone sign the sheet with what they will bring.
- Set the time for your Thanksgiving potluck dinner.
- Send reminders. Once it starts getting closer to the date, sending reminders to friends and family can be helpful so that they don’t forget what they are bringing.
- Don’t expect everything to be homemade. We aren’t all chefs and that’s ok. For those who don’t enjoy cooking or can’t cook anything to save their life, let them bring in the store-bought desserts and other goodies.
- Ask for help cleaning up. It is so much easier when everyone pitches in to help with the duties of cleaning up.
Hopefully, everyone brings what they signed up for and there are no problems since you are prepared. If there are hiccups in the plan, don’t fret, just work with what you have and focus on the more important things… like family.
Fun family activities to do after Thanksgiving dinner:
- Thanksgiving Bingo for the Kids
- Make a disguise a turkey craft.
- Games to Play on Thanksgiving Day
- Have the kids read a fun Thanksgiving book.
- Complete a printable Thanksgiving games packet.
Things to bring to Thanksgiving potluck
If you are looking for some ideas or things to bring to the Thanksgiving potluck, this list is for you! This list of Thanksgiving potluck recipes includes a variety of different ideas and recipes.
Green Beans with Brown Sugar and Dijon Mustard
Change up the side dish routine with this green bean recipe. The green beans are cooked and coated in a brown sugar and Dijon mustard sauce.
Get the Recipe: Green Beans with Brown Sugar and Dijon Mustard
Easy BLT Pasta Salad
A cold side for Thanksgiving potlucks, this BLT pasta salad is easy to make. It’s perfect for serving a crowd!
Get the recipe: Easy BLT Pasta Salad
Oven Baked Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes are a cheesy and delicious Thanksgiving side dish you can make for a Thanksgiving potluck. Guests will love it!
Get the recipe: Oven Baked Scalloped Potatoes
Cajun Roasted Carrots
Add a little spice to the Thanksgiving potluck with these Cajun roasted carrots. The easy to make side dish is unique and fun.
Get the recipe: Cajun Roasted Carrots
Loaded Cheeseball Bites with Apricots
A tasty appetizer guests will love, these loaded cheeseball bites are flavored with apricots and an everything bagel seasoning.
Get the recipe: Loaded Cheeseball Bites with Apricots
Spiced Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Spiced pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies will be a great addition to your dessert ideas for Thanksgiving potluck dinners. They bring in the warm and cozy spices of pumpkin with the flavor of snickerdoodles.
Get the recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie
Walnut Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
This cheese ball will certainly be a hit for Thanksgiving. A cream cheese and cranberry mixture that’s covered in bits of walnuts and pecans makes this appetizer worth serving for your Thanksgiving potluck.
Get the Recipe: Walnut Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Chocolate Acorn Cookies Recipe
A fun treat for your Thanksgiving potluck, these acorn cookies are perfect or fall. Candy kisses, vanilla wafers, and butterscotch chips are all you need.
Get the recipe: Chocolate Acorn Cookies Recipe
Apple Pear Cheese Charcuterie Board
A platter filled with goodies. From meats and cheeses to fruits and dipping sauce. This fall charcuterie board will be great for Thanksgiving potlucks.
Get the recipe: Apple Pear Cheese Charcuterie Board
Apple Pecan Bacon Salad
A salad worthy of Thanksgiving, this apple pecan and bacon salad is sure to be a potluck hit. You can easily make a enough to feed a crowd.
Get the recipe: Apple Pecan Bacon Salad
Thanksgiving charcuterie boards are always a great option when it comes to appetizer ideas for Thanksgiving potluck dishes.
Roast Turkey with Maple Glaze
This roast turkey is brined for flavor, roasted, and then finished off with a sweet maple glaze to give it a hint of sweetness.
Get the recipe: Roast Turkey with Maple Glaze
Keto Glazed Ham
Simple, sweet, and delicious, this glazed ham is a tasty Thanksgiving dish that guests will love.
Get the recipe: Keto Glazed Ham
Slow Cooker Apple Brined Turkey Breast from XOXO Bella. Slow-cooked until tender and juicy, this apple brined turkey breast is delicious and easy to make.
Roasted Chicken from Strength and Sunshine. Add some extra flavor to your Thanksgiving potluck with this roasted chicken recipe.
Smoked Ham with Cranberry Honey Compound Butter from Recipes Worth Repeating. Full of flavor, this ham dish is sure to be a hit with friends and family.
Instant Pot Turkey Breast from Recipes from a Pantry. Made in an instant pot, this turkey is quick and easy.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast from Whole Lotta Yum. If you’re looking for an air fryer turkey recipe, this one is worth a shot.
Cranberry Apple Fluff Salad from Accidental Happy Baker. Super easy to make and flavorful, this cranberry apple fluff salad is delicious.
Twice Baked Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole from The Sassy Foodie. Friends and family will love this delicious twice-baked potato casserole dish.
Green Bean Casserole from Two Kids and a Coupon. No Thanksgiving potluck dinner would be complete without a delicious green bean casserole!
Instant Pot Stuffing from The Recipe Well. Homemade and delicious, this holiday stuffing is made in the instant pot for a quick and easy side dish.
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn with Bacon from Spice and Sugar Mama. A no worry slow cooker recipe that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Corn Pudding Casserole from Becky’s Recipe Box. This corn pudding casserole side dish only needs 5 ingredients to make!
Sauteed Carrots from Salty Side Dish. A quick and easy 15-minute recipe, these carrots are sauteed in butter for a tasty side dish.
Homemade Yeast Rolls from Smart Savvy Living. There is nothing better than homemade rolls when it comes to a Thanksgiving potluck!
Bourbon and Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash from Accidental Happy Baker. Roasted peanut butter squash is always a hit on Thanksgiving which means this flavorful dish will be the perfect side to take.
Candied Sweet Potatoes from Simply Stacie. You can never go wrong with choosing candied sweet potatoes when it comes to ideas for Thanksgiving potluck!
Roasted Pumpkin and Beet Salad from Just Beet It. Roasted pumpkin, arugula, beets, and feta cheese come together to create this delicious salad.
Persimmon Salad from This Healthy Table. Pears, kale, and persimmons come together to create this colorful Thanksgiving salad.
Fall Salad with Delicata Squash, Kale, and Apple from The Family Food Kitchen. Definitely a crowd-pleaser, this Thanksgiving salad is easy to make and delicious.
Caramel Pecan Pie Cheesecake from Sour and Sweets. Mouthwatering and full of flavor, this is a delicious dessert to add to the Thanksgiving potluck table.
Apple Cranberry Crisp from Christina’s Cucina. Sweet and flavorful, this apple cranberry crisp will be a crowd-pleaser.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars from Sweet and Savory Meals. Yum! These cheesecake bars are sure to be a hit.
Wide Eyed Turkey Cupcakes from Bitz n Giggles. A fun treat for Thanksgiving, these turkey cupcakes are cute and delicious.
Cookie Treats That Work Well For Thanksgiving Potlucks
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoyed these recipe ideas for Thanksgiving potluck dinners. May you have a blessed day with friends and family as you enjoy some delicious food.
