Are you in love with a traditional Thanksgiving feast almost as much as you’re in love with your fiancé? Don’t be shy about admitting it. All across America, bellies are rumbling in anticipation of one of the best dinners they’ll get all year. It’s time to harness the deliciousness of the Thanksgiving table for your wedding reception!
Don’t worry–you don’t have to burden your guests with so much turkey and stuffing that they spend the rest of the evening in a food coma. Serve bite-sized versions of Thanksgiving classics instead, and your party will be hitting the dance floor with enthusiasm.
Turkey Fingers
Why should chickens get all the fun? Serve strips of lightly-battered, fried turkey (separate light and dark meat so everyone can choose their favorite) in classic finger-food style. Arranged in all their golden-brown glory, these delicious bites are a popular nod to traditional Thanksgiving turkey.
Don’t forget the dipping sauces! Serve turkey fingers alongside small bowls of sweet-and-sour cranberry sauce, creamy brown gravy, and spicy apple chutney. Put a Thanksgiving-inspired twist on plain old dipping sauces, too: puréed butternut squash gives aioli a full-bodied accent while fresh-grated ginger spices up ketchup and mustard.
Twice-Baked New Potatoes
Truly decadent mashed potatoes rarely survive the Thanksgiving feeding frenzy, but there’s no reason your guests have to fill up on large, starchy tubers. Serve new potatoes instead of classic russets–the tiny, round potatoes can be hand-picked to exactly the right diameter for a bite-sized treat.
Treat them like their twice-baked larger cousins: scoop them out, mix the innards with cream cheese, sour cream, and cheese, and fill them back up again. Drizzle the result with olive oil, fresh chives, and bacon crumbles, then throw them back into the oven to bake again. Since they’re so small, plan on each guest grabbing several.
Roasted Veggie Skewers
Roasted vegetables are a fall staple. Skewer roast cubes of sweet potato and acorn squash with Brussels sprouts, onions, and cloves of garlic. Drizzle the skewers with rosemary-infused olive oil and sprinkle them with sea salt for an even more irresistible appetizer.
Mashed Potato Nuggets
These bite-sized pieces of Thanksgiving instantly evoke the feeling of a hearty feast. Surround small spoonfuls of mashed potatoes with light coatings of bread crumbs and pop them into a deep fryer. The resulting balls are crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle. Dip them in gravy for the perfect accompaniment.
Mini Pies
From fruit classics like apple and cherry to creamy pumpkin and sweet potato pastries, pies are an enduring symbol of Thanksgiving. Everyone has a favorite type of Thanksgiving pie, so serve up a tray with several options. Chocolate bourbon pecan, blackberry-pear, and ginger-yam pies will have most guests reaching for several. Keep the pies small (no more than two inches across is ideal) so everyone can try a few.
Accompany pies with a tureen of fresh-whipped cream for folks who want to indulge their sweet tooth that much more. A dollop of cream on a mini-pie turns each bite into a completely decadent experience.
Have a few servers circulate with trays of bite-sized Thanksgiving goodies as your guests stand and mingle. Your wedding reception will get all the flavor of a home-cooked feast with none of the heavy, “just ate a whole table” feeling. Serve a wide variety of hors d’oeuvres and everyone will get to sample to their hearts’ (and bellies’) content.
Meet Lisa, the talented and dedicated editor of our wedding, health, relationship, and lifestyle blog. With her keen eye for detail and her passion for all things related to love and wellness, Lisa is an essential part of our team.
As an expert in all things wedding, Lisa knows how to help couples navigate the often-overwhelming process of planning their big day. From choosing the perfect dress to selecting the ideal venue, she understands that every detail matters when it comes to creating a memorable and magical wedding experience.
But Lisa’s expertise doesn’t stop at weddings. She’s also a health and wellness enthusiast, always on the lookout for the latest tips and trends in self-care and mindfulness. Whether it is advice on healthy eating, fitness routines, or ways to reduce stress, Lisa knows how to help readers live their best lives.
