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This isn't they typical type of threads on this forum, but I thought it might be fun to find out and share.
I always thought of Thanksgiving as turkey dinner at home, with all the fixins. (My wife is a good cook and enjoys putting on a good meal.) What I've notice in the last few years though, is that more and more people seem to be dispensing with cooking their own meal. My wife has a friend that's going to a cafeteria type restaurant tomorrow. We have other friends that go to a big Thanksgiving meal that is put on by a local church every year. We have another friend that works at a country club. They are putting on Thanksgiving at the club. We have a local grocery chain that precooks the traditional meal, you pick up the whole thing all pre-made and warm it up the next day.
So that's the question. How many of you all gave up the home cooked meal and manage to have found someone else to do the cooking? Is this part of a trend? People too busy or too lazy to cook, so they figure out some other way to get a cooked meal,(TV dinners, frozen pizza or lasagne, etc) or just eat out every meal.
For the record, we're pretty cheap AND, would usually prefer our own meal preparation to eating out and that will certainly be true tomorrow.
We eat out a lot but Thanksgiving in Las Vegas is a zoo and the lines go on forever!
We like to cook and we love turkey. We actually have 2 because we want the leftovers and those carcasses for turkey soup. One is in the brine bucket, the stuffing is made, and the sweet potato casserole is in the fridge. In the morning, we rinse the turkey, stuff it, and pop it in the oven. Pies are done and the gravy will be made when the turkey is finished off with a maple bourbon glaze. Will probably cook the other turkey Friday or Saturday. We will eat whenever the turkey is done...
Last year we went to a Lost Souls Potluck and had a ball. But we decided we missed the leftovers too much. I already have the freezer bags for the lovely leftover turkey, etc.
It's just the two of us, so instead of a whole bird I usually roast a turkey breast. I serve it with all the usual side dishes and bake a pumpkin pie. But this year a single friend of ours proposed going out to a neighborhood French bistro. They are serving a special Thanksgiving prix fixe roast turkey meal with squash soup as a starter, pumpkin pie with ice cream for dessert and a complimentary glass of champagne. I'll miss the leftovers, but it will be fun not to have to spend half the day in the kitchen cooking and the other half cleaning up. I'll make up for it at Christmas, though.
Going out later with another couple. There will be tons of food and an ocean view. I'm not crazy about turkey, especially leftovers. Can't stand the smell. So ill be happy for the choices, a little taste of turkey for the sake of tradition and lots of ham and sides. Nobody gets stressed, just a nice afternoon out.
Even though there were only two of us last year, there non-cooking half of the couple was the one that most wanted all the fixings complete with leftovers. This year, there is no longer a need to cater (no pun intended) to him.
There's a large traditional cooperative dinner at our clubhouse which I will attend.
I did pick up both a turkey and ham to take advantage of the sale prices but they won't be cooked with any thought given to presentation, rather for future meals and for sandwich meat.
I may even boil the turkey rather than roast it, allowing for more moist meat for slicing and better base for soup.
i haven't cooked a thanksgiving dinner in 12 years, and have to say i don't miss doing so. we are going to a thanksgiving buffet, as we've done for several years- some years with friends, and some years, just us. the restaurant is in an old historic house, overlooking the river, with beautiful sunset views across the water. i have been to a number of restaurant thanksgivings in the last 15 years, and this one is ,by far, the best, as far as quality and variety of foods, relaxed atmosphere, and setting.
turkey has never been a huge favorite of mine, so having left-overs is not a major concern. i'll have some turkey , i'm sure, but will probably enjoy the oysters and crab dishes more.
however you spend the day,best wishes to all for a happy thanksgiving!
We live in a development (not Senior) in Florida and don't go up to NY for Thanksgiving where we are from and our family is. We drive up for Christmas, and I cook then. We have a clubhouse restaurant and they have a Thanksgiving all you can eat Buffet. Besides turkey and all the traditional sides, they also have baked ham, prime rib,soup, salads bar, shrimp cocktail, seafood creole. Dessert station also.
We would prefer to be with family, but it is a nice, reasonably priced dinner.
This isn't they typical type of threads on this forum, but I thought it might be fun to find out and share.
I always thought of Thanksgiving as turkey dinner at home, with all the fixins. (My wife is a good cook and enjoys putting on a good meal.) What I've notice in the last few years though, is that more and more people seem to be dispensing with cooking their own meal. My wife has a friend that's going to a cafeteria type restaurant tomorrow. We have other friends that go to a big Thanksgiving meal that is put on by a local church every year. We have another friend that works at a country club. They are putting on Thanksgiving at the club. We have a local grocery chain that precooks the traditional meal, you pick up the whole thing all pre-made and warm it up the next day.
So that's the question. How many of you all gave up the home cooked meal and manage to have found someone else to do the cooking? Is this part of a trend? People too busy or too lazy to cook, so they figure out some other way to get a cooked meal,(TV dinners, frozen pizza or lasagne, etc) or just eat out every meal.
For the record, we're pretty cheap AND, would usually prefer our own meal preparation to eating out and that will certainly be true tomorrow.
I think that, after enough years of planning, cooking, serving and cleaning up, some of us just decide "enough is enough". Working in restaurants for so many years it always amazed me how many people actually eat out on Thanksgiving and Christmas. For me, even living alone, I still love doing that dinner but not so into it this year. I did buy half a ham and cooked it yesterday. Made some dressing and all that good stuff but won't be eating it today.
I'll be working today and I hope it's not TOO dead or I'll be bored and wishing I was home. lol I'm working a split shift, 9:30 AM to 2 PM, come home for a few hours and go back 5-9 PM for the first 'rush' of Black Friday. Those second hours are voluntary but who turns down time and a half?? We will be having a big buffet dinner at work so nobody is going to miss out on that! My mom will be going to younger brother's house so she won't have to be home alone.
Whatever everyone does I wish ALL of you a Happy Thanksgiving and a fun day!
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We will be having a big buffet dinner at work so nobody is going to miss out on that! My mom will be going to younger brother's house so she won't have to be home alone. 
