Can’t travel this year? Never fear! You and your sweetie can have a romantic Thanksgiving for two. With our planning tips and menu, you’ll be cooking (or ordering out) in a breeze. Make memories for just the two of you this year!

How to Host a Perfect Thanksgiving for Two

Thanksgiving is one of the best celebrations of the year. It’s a time when everyone gathers with their loved ones or with family to be grateful and give thanks. If you’ve ever looked around at the internet for Thanksgiving inspiration, it may be discouraging when planning a meal for two. 

You’ll find that most of the ultimate Thanksgiving guides tend to focus on Thanksgiving for a crowd or larger families. But what if you aren’t spending Thanksgiving with your family this year or you only have two people? If you’re only eating for two this year, here is a complete guide. And don’t be discouraged! Spending a day together being thankful is a wonderful way to spend the holiday.

Make a simple menu for you and your partner.

When planning your Thanksgiving meal, don’t overcomplicate things. Keep things simple and stick with simple dishes that won’t overwhelm anyone who has to make them. 

A good rule of thumb to use when planning your meal is this: one main course, two sides, and one dessert. This will make things simple and give you some direction as to what to make. Your diminutive menu shouldn’t be overwhelming. 

Create a simple holiday menu that you can handle with ease.

Create your shopping list.

Just because you won’t be hosting a crowd of people doesn’t mean you won’t need a shopping list. Most stores close on Thanksgiving Day, so it’s important to do your shopping ahead of time. 

Even if you need a simple pumpkin pie, don’t wait until the last minute to buy it! Instead, plan out your menu and your shopping list and get started ASAP.

Also, when it comes to meat, be sure that you get a Thanksgiving turkey for two. Sure, you want a few leftovers, but maybe buy a breast instead of a whole bird. 

Consider portion sizes when you are shopping, especially for your turkey.

Set a schedule for Thanksgiving Day.

You may be only making a few simple things. However, you still need to create a schedule for when things need to go in the oven. Especially if this is your first time, your head is swimming with ideas on how to make a Thanksgiving dinner.

Start by setting your mealtime and work backward. What time does each item need to be prepared and can you make anything ahead of time? When do you need to start cooking something and when does it have to be in the oven?

These will help you set your schedule, so you know what to expect on Thanksgiving. Tackle the day armed with your Thanksgiving dinner for two recipes, and get ready to cook.

Creating a cooking schedule can help the day run smoothly.

Make sure you have everything you need.

If you’re not used to hosting Thanksgiving, you may not have a lot of the supplies you need, such as a turkey baster. You may not need all of the traditional cooking supplies based on what you set up for your menu.

For example, if you are making a Thanksgiving turkey for two, you might need things like a roasting pan. However, if you’re making a few turkey breasts, you won’t need all of these supplies. 

Buy supplies, like a roasting pan and baster, if you need those for your meal.

Consider your portion sizes.

Portion sizes are usually the biggest difference between a huge Thanksgiving dinner and dinner for two. What can you and the other person eating with you be able to eat?

If you want any leftovers, you still don’t want to cook an entire turkey just for the two of you. Instead of making a huge green bean casserole, consider making half of one or choosing another side that won’t yield so many portions.

Portion sizes are key when considering your holiday meals.

Bonus: Order Thanksgiving dinner online.

Yes, this may not be as romantic as cooking side by side all day. However, you are cooking side by side all day! If you want a truly relaxing day without the hassle use a local restaurant and order Thanksgiving dinner to go. 

You can also meet halfway by roasting a turkey and a pumpkin pie and having Thanksgiving side dishes delivered. That way you can have the experience of cooking without having to do it all yourself. 

Final Thoughts on Planning Thanksgiving for Two

As you can see, it’s very easy to plan a fun and festive Thanksgiving meal for only two people! You don’t have to worry about making too much food or giving up your favorites just because you don’t have a large group of people coming to your Thanksgiving dinner.

All images are by Karolina Grabowska.