My Anti-Traditional Thanksgiving Era...
Thanksgiving Doesn’t Need to Be Basic
A little over ten years ago, I moved to LA and couldn’t get home for Thanksgiving. So my boyfriend and I started building our own traditions. That first year, I went full classic: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce—the whole lineup. And honestly? I realized real quick…I don’t even like half of those traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
So from then on, we made a new rule: only cook what we love. One year it was duck breast. Another year, lamb chops. Our must-have sides are simple—mac and cheese, braised collard greens, and mashed potatoes. That’s it. For me, Thanksgiving is about good company and good food, and good food tastes so much better when you actually enjoy making it.
So here’s my challenge to you: if you’re hosting this year, ditch the pressure of “tradition” and build your own version of Thanksgiving. Choose dishes that your family truly loves. Try something new. Make it yours.
Need some fun main-dish ideas? Here you go:
Crispy duck breast with blueberry–fig glaze (recipe linked!)
Rosemary balsamic lamb chops
Mustard-crusted lamb roast
Horseradish-garlic beef tenderloin
Roasted salmon with cranberry, pomegranate & almond salsa
Now I’m curious — do you have any non-traditional Thanksgiving dishes or rituals you love? Drop them in the comments!