Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch on Thanksgiving Day?

Parent Cafe
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We are having a small TG this year, as we do on occasion, with just us and our college age kids. We still make a straight forward but pretty full spread of traditional dishes. As much as I try to prep ahead, things always end up a little crazy in our fairly small kitchen and dinner is served around 4pm.

I never know what to do about food earlier in the day. Given the timing, maybe some sort of brunch or lite lunch? On one hand I would like something that will tide us over until dinner, on the other, we don’t want to feel like we already had a heavy meal. And since its just us, I try to avoid appetizers and such because we have too much food as it is.

What do you do? Any ideas? I also don’t want anything that is a lot of work/very involved day of.

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I think “fin for yourselves” until dinner is fine.
If someone is hungry, I’m sure they can find something to eat. If someone wants to starve until dinner, so they can eat more, that’s OK too.

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Kids live about 90 minutes away so to beat traffic we generally meet early (10- 11) on Thanksgiving. I get either mini-bagels or muffins for a morning snack, put out appetizers around noon, and we eat around 2 or 3. Not looking for more to cook on Thanksgiving.

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4

I put out a charcuterie or a baked brie with crackers around 11:30 to snack on since our meal is at 3:00 to 3:30.

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5

I used to make a breakfast casserole that goes together the night before and pop it in the oven early in the morning. People would snack on that as desired.

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Was thinking of something along those lines could work…do you have a recipe you like? Maybe I will just check if the bagel store is open that morning. Kids would be happy with bagel breakfast sandwich.

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@TonyGrace here is one I have made. Really, you can substitute any veggies and you can leave out the meat altogether. Easy peasy!

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8

You are already cooking a big involved meal.

Give yourself permission to buy some cinnamon rolls from the local bakery, throw a package of sausage links in the oven or air fryer, and toss some chopped fruit in a bowl and call it breakfast/brunch/lunch! 15
Mins involvement tops - better yet, delegate to the first person awake or who arrives to do!

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9

Like how you are thinking.

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I was thinking of a casserole until I read your post. That sounds simple and tasty. I’ll add a cranberry/orange mimosa, too, since it will just be H and me.

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We do a fend for yourself breakfast and then put out apps mid day. It keeps everyone out of the kitchen and out of my way.

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Found it online … It’s from the Junior League of Austin. As the directions say, you can make it tonight and freeze it.

BRUNCH EGG CASSEROLE

6 slices white bread, crust removed
1 pound ground sausage
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
2 cups half and half

  1. Lightly butter each slice of bread.
  2. Place bread in a 9x13" buttered glass baking dish.
  3. Brown sausage. Drain and pat with paper towels. Sprinkle sausage over bread.
  4. Sprinkle cheese over sausage.
  5. Beat eggs. Add salt, dry mustard, and half and half. Beat again.
  6. Pour egg mixture over bread, sausage and cheese.
  7. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. At this point, it may be frozen until ready to use. Remove from freezer and thaw overnight in refrigerator.
  8. Remove foil. Bake 45 minutes at 350F or until the casserole is bubbly and lightly browned on top. This dish reheats easily.

This casserole is best when it stands 30 minutes after baking.

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Very very similar to the one I linked above! So easy.

But not nearly as easy as getting bagels or pastries from a bakery!!

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But easier than cutting up fruit, IMO!

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15

For fruit, put a bowl with bananas and clementines and maybe another bowl with a mix of blueberries and raspberries. No cutting up anything! :slight_smile:

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I’m taking mixed berries to DDs for brunch the day before Thanksgiving. She is making waffles and bacon. That will be our holiday with them, because if work and inlaw obligations.

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17

That would most definitely be the family vote, but I will leave it for Sunday. The mom in me wants to make all their favorites.

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18

I’ve done a variety of holiday breakfasts, including egg casserole or pancakes. Bread Braids (school fundraiser) were a hit. My kids really loved pillsbury danish from refrigerator section (then bake at home). Alas, the favorite orange flavor seems hard to find in recent years.

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I’m also a fan of getting berries instead of chopping up fruit!

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I am doing a “bad” thing (well my s and DIL know and they’ll be ok with it for the special occasion of a visit…) we usually get up with the grandkids and let them (s and DIL) sleep in, so this year I am bringing a package of high protein pancake mix and a bag of mini m&ms. So the kids will be just a tad wired by 9 am :slight_smile:

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