With stay at home celebrations and fewer extended family commitments, consider making new traditions for Thanksgiving this year! Here are some ideas to get you thinking about how you can plan for a new Thanksgiving gathering.
- Start the day with a special breakfast or have a Thanksgiving brunch instead.
- Try some non-traditional Thanksgiving food or some side dish from another culture. Below are some international cookbooks that you may want to try!
- Have everyone participate in cooking! Kids especially like to create new recipes with you. Investigate some of the following cookbooks specializing in cooking with children.
- Try some new recipes! Vegan, sides, and dessert cookbooks are included in the list below.
Cookbook Cover |
Title and Author |
Description |
 |
Heirloom Kitchen
Anna Francese Gass |
INTERNATIONAL-Includes recipes from immigrant women from different parts of the world. |
 |
International Night
Mark Kurlansky |
INTERNATIONAL and COOK WITH KIDS-Features 52 special meals from around the world. |
 |
Jikoni
Ravinder Bhogal |
INTERNATIONAL-Provides recipes from an immigrant of Kenya with an Indian heritage. |
 |
Family Meals
Maria Helm Sinskey |
COOK WITH KIDS-Presents a collection of recipes that families may prepare together. |
 |
Cooking Class Global Feast Deanna Cook E-book link |
INTERNATIONAL and COOK WITH KIDS-Leads young chefs on a tasty tour of global cultures and cuisines. |
 |
Vegan Holiday Cookbook Katie Culpin |
VEGAN-Provides delicious recipes everyone will enjoy. |
 |
The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook Isa Moskowitz |
VEGAN-Covers holidays throughout the year. |
 |
The Big Book of Sides Rick Rodgers E-book link |
SIDES-Contains more than 450 delicious recipes to complement any dish. |
 |
The Side Dish Bible | SIDES-Provides 1,001 side dish recipes! |
 |
Choosing Sides Tara Desmond |
SIDES-Presents recipes to make the meal. |
 |
Illustrated Step-by-Step Baking
Caroline Bretherton |
DESSERTS-Bake sweets and savory classics with this book. |
 |
The Perfect Pie | DESSERTS-Make the flakiest pie crusts and delicious fillings. |
- Decorate some cookies to look like turkeys
- Make a turkey appetizers.
- To reach out to older family members who might feel lonely during the holiday, have your child call and brainstorm the holiday menu. Ask for a favorite recipe and video chat while your child tests out the recipe.
- Plan a specific time for your extended family to gather on Thanksgiving through a Zoom call. Gather photos and make a PowerPoint to show during the call using "Share Screen". Or, ask everyone to share a family photo and/or story. Do an online cooking demonstration of a family favorite dish.
- Send someone festive flowers or a specially food to let them know you are thinking about them.
- Order a new board game or movie as a special activity on Thanksgiving.
- Get a head start decorating for December holidays!
Have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving celebration! Put holds on books, DVDs, Bluray, and CDs to enjoy over the holiday!
