5 alternative Thanksgiving meal ideas

Most people celebrate Thanksgiving with a festive dinner party that features a bird as the main course, whether it be a turkey, Cornish hen, or something else. If you're interested in changing things up a little this year, here are some ideas for alternative meal ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner.

Instead of the traditional turkey or hen, you can serve a delicious spiral ham for your Thanksgiving main course.

Hams are easy to cook and require less maintenance than a turkey so you can free up your hands for other delicious side dishes. Hams also pair well with most vegetables and last for a long time after the meal so you can look forward to leftovers after the big day.

If you're interested in doing a vegetarian Thanksgiving, consider a wild mushroom lasagna.

You can use store-bought fresh pasta along with wild mushrooms and a creamy red wine sauce to make a rich, delicious Italian dish that both vegetarians and meat lovers will adore.

Turkey doesn't have to be the star of the meal.

Chicken makes a nice alternative to turkey because it's even more versatile, and the addition of butternut squash is great for an autumnal feast.

You can roast chicken quarters with golden squash and sage sprinkled with brown sugar for a meal your guests will remember.

Instead of featuring a bird on Thanksgiving, go for a rib roast. These roasts are fairly easy to make and can even be cooked the day before to save you precious time while preparing a meal on Thanksgiving Day.

You can season the meat with a rosemary-pepper mix beforehand and prepare a savoury Porcini Jus to drizzle over it. Be sure to shave it extra thin so every bite is tender and delicious.

If you want a meal that packs in all the Thanksgiving flavours but adds a little variety, try making cranberry pecan pork chops.

Just use thick, juicy pork chops with the bone still in and bake them with a covering of cranberries, pecans, and a sprinkling of brown sugar and butter. It's a simple dish that will delight your guests, and it pairs well with all the regular Thanksgiving side dishes.

So, if you're thinking of changing up your Thanksgiving dinner this year and serving something other than turkey or cornish hen, consider one of these five alternatives.

Each one has its own unique, flavour and could become your new favourite Thanksgiving dish.