Planning a Thanksgiving menu can be a little stressful- but hopefully also fun! There’s always the typical dishes- The Best Pumpkin Pie, salad, stuffing, rolls- but sometimes it’s nice to change it up and have something a little different! I love tradition- but I also love trying new things! Whether you’re able to gather with a group, or you’re having your own small Thanksgiving at home, changing up the sides can be really fun and make for a spectacular meal!

Here are some simple ideas to get you thinking!

Mashed potatoes. These are definitely a staple. But they’re also so easy to spruce up! Try some different add-ins such as bacon, green onions, shredded cheese, or cubed ham. You can also add different flavors such as garlic, thyme, or rosemary for a fresh twist!

Sweet potatoes. These are probably my favorite dish at Thanksgiving. There’s your typical sweet potato with marshmallows, but have you tried them with toasted coconut?? AMAZING. You can also go the savory route and top baked sweet potatoes with buffalo sauce or ranch. You can make mashed sweet potatoes with chives and garlic- it’s hard to go wrong with sweet potatoes!

Rolls. What is Thanksgiving without our comforting carbs? Bread is definitely a must- and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with your classic dinner roll, it would be so easy to change this up as well! Try serving a copycat recipe of breadsticks from your favorite restaurant. Wheat or rye rolls are hearty, delicious, and different. Biscuits are another classic, but not always one we think of with Thanksgiving. And cheesy rolls are just super delicious- and an easy way to spruce things up!

Stuffing. There are already so many variations of this classic Thanksgiving dish, but one way to change things up is to make individual servings using muffin tins! Everything is cuter when served in muffin shape- and this would be an easy way to serve them as well!

Pie. Oh how I love Thanksgiving pie! Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with just sticking to the originals, but sometimes it’s fun to switch things up! Mini pies are absolutely adorable, and a fun way to try a greater variety of pies. Mini pies served in a mason jar are trendy and beautiful, and again, a great way to try more than one variety! Pie shakes are such a fun way to take the flavor of pie and eat it in a completely different form! (Pumpkin pie shakes for the win!). You can make cheesecake (key lime, pumpkin, really anything!) for a very different variation, but holding true to the shape. And of course, there’s always pie-flavored cakes! I love decorating cakes, and this would be a fun way to “have my cake and eat it too”- decorate a cake AND have the delicious flavor of pie!

You can eat all the traditional Thanksgiving food with some small new twists to keep things fresh! Whatever you plan to eat- make sure you’re having fun with it!

What are you planning on serving this Thanksgiving? I’d love to hear your menus!