Five Tips for Hosting the Perfect Thanksgiving Day Feast

Food has the power to bring people together — something our founder wholeheartedly believed in when he opened the first Bob Evans restaurant many years ago. While the power of food to unite friends and families is present every day, it’s never more powerful than during the holidays. This year, we’re giving you some of our best tips for welcoming family and friends back into your homes.

When you’re considering this year’s Thanksgiving Day celebration, many things come to mind - from choosing and mastering recipes that will make everyone around your table happy, to creating the perfect ambiance and mood for the ultimate holiday celebration. But if you’re feeling a little rusty after a year of virtual celebrations, we’re here to help! Here are our favorite tips for hosting the perfect Thanksgiving Day feast – let’s dig in!

1. Plan ahead

Start with the first thing on everyone’s mind: what’s on the menu? While this can be the most challenging part of the Thanksgiving Day feast, Bob Evans can make your holiday meal prep simple with the return of our classic Farmhouse Feasts, which is complete with your favorite Thanksgiving entrees like our signature slow-roasted turkey and handcrafted sides. Farmhouse Feasts come in various sizes, serving 4, 8 or up to 10 people and can be ordered online, or by visiting or calling any Bob Evans location. With just a little bit of prep, you can get time back in your day on Thanksgiving to do what matters most – spending time with those you love.

Pro tip: Beat the crowd this year by picking up your Farmhouse Feast via curbside pickup, carryout or delivery early on Tuesday, November 23.

2. Decide on a dinner time

Next up? Decide what time to dine. No one should be hangry on Thanksgiving, so tell guests what time you plan to sit down to eat. This gives them the option to eat a snack ahead of time, if necessary.

This is also a good time to take into consideration the order in which to heat your menu items, so everything is ready at the same time. Our Bob Evans Farmhouse Feast is a great way to simplify dinner during the holidays, but you do need a little bit of time to prepare. Click here for detailed instructions on how to prepare your Farmhouse Feast, including what cookware to have on hand and a detailed timeline of when to prepare each item (we also include a hard copy of these instructions when you pick up your order!).

3. Craft the tablescape

Now that we’ve got the food covered, it’s time to lift the tablescape to a higher level. While there are endless ways to create your ideal tablescape, we have some best practices. First, use place cards to ensure everyone has a seat before arriving, and you can be thoughtful about where to seat people ahead of time. Second, seasonal décor is key but not too much. Use your favorite fall decorations to create the perfect Thanksgiving ambience but leave enough room for serving platters. Consider the height of your décor – you want to make sure you have enough room to pass dishes, and that decorations aren’t covering the faces of any of your guests. Lastly, you can distribute custom note cards for guests to write down what they’re most thankful for this year, and read the cards throughout dinner.

4. Set an ambience

The food is handled and your table is set but what kind of mood are you creating? This step is a little tricky and varies from family to family. Does your family love music? Create a custom playlist with songs inspired by the mood you want to create. Is your family the football-watching kind? Use broadcasted football games as background noise throughout the day. Or, do they like to DIY to pass the time? Set up a side table with turkey-inspired crafts and activities for family members to unwind before and after dinner.

5. Don’t forget the finale: Dessert!

The main course is over and it’s time for the cherry on top (literally!). First, this is a good opportunity to clear the table, which will simplify clean-up at the end of the day, and give guests a few minutes to digest their food. Second, consider a pie platter with multiple options to feed all palettes – and don’t forget, nobody does pie better than Bob Evans! In addition to our everyday classics (Apple, Cherry, Chocolate Peanut Butter), this year, seasonal favorites are coming back for the holiday season, including Pumpkin, Pecan and Triple Berry.

Show us your Thanksgiving Day spread to share how you’re celebrating this year by tagging @bobevans on Facebook or @bobevansfarms on Instagram or Twitter.