Dorm Room Feasts Tips and Secrets to Having an Away-from-Home Thanksgiving

By Katie Miller, Staff Writer

Thanksgiving is a day for spending quality time with loved ones and of course, eating an inordinate amount of comfort food. Between yams, turkey and stuffing, many take great pride in how many servings they can push down or who can get the drum sticks.

For those who are looking for a less-fattening Thanksgiving, you should try avoiding foods high in carbohydrates, fats and sugars. Instead of going for the sugary and dense pecan pie, try pumpkin instead. Not only does it have less calories and fat, but its sweet taste and smooth texture fulfill your sweet tooth without filling out your belt line.

For many college students, however, going home for Thanksgiving can be more of a hindrance than a benefit. Such a short weekend home doesn’t always outweigh the cost of an expensive ticket or a long car ride.

Sadly, this may mean sacrificing your mom’s famous stuffing or your uncle’s delectable pumpkin pie. Luckily, the joys of Thanksgiving goodies don’t have to be forsaken.

For those of you stuck at Liberty or the Student Apartments or in areas off campus, there are many cheap and easy alternatives to the traditional Thanksgiving extravaganza. Safeway provides an “Exclusive 2-Hour Turkey Recipe,” including an explanation video of how to make a once-complicated dish into something easy, but still delicious.

Although families can’t always come to us, Thanksgiving does not have to be a solo affair. Planning a pot-luck with apartment friends could be both fun and tasty.
While many love Thanksgiving meals but don’t like to cook or can’t prepare complex foods, recreating the essence of Thanksgiving day is possible without the complication of extreme cooking.

A harvest salad full of green apples, cranberries, walnuts and blue cheese with cranberry vinaigrette is both healthy and packed with the tangy cranberry and apple flavor – true Thanksgiving favorites.

Also, doctoring up a pre-made box of mashed potatoes with garlic powder or parsley can make even the simplest of dishes creative and delicious. So, those of you stuck in dorms or apartments miles away from family, don’t fret, Thanksgiving can come to you. It’s just a matter of the company you keep and how creative you make your cooking.