Thanksgiving has evolved from a one day celebration with immediate loved ones and home-cooked meals centered around gigantic poultry to a nearly monthlong celebration. As part of that, “Friendsgiving” has become the unofficial day of recognizing those close to you that aren’t relatives.
As a true millennial, I have participated in this holiday many times over the past few years, and the biggest obstacle always is the food.
To truly embrace this unholiday and make the most of time spent with friends, the caterers below have got you covered. No burned turkeys or oven fires to ruin the occasion, just delicious cooking without all the mess and worry.
These five suppliers have all the essentials from appetizers, dinner, desserts and even drinks; no one in your friend group will have any complaints.
Brewed and Frothy Coffee Co.
Schedules don’t always line up, so making plans for a Friendsgiving event can seem nearly impossible. Sometimes it’s a two hour window on Tuesday morning that the entire crew is free. Traditional Thanksgiving food isn’t quite as appealing at 10 a.m., so brunch is the perfect solution. And what’s Thanksgiving brunch without a pumpkin spice latte?
Brewed and Frothy Coffee is a mobile coffee cart with all the coffee essentials and, best of all, a barista. You and your friends won’t have to worry about butchering their PSLs; they’re hand crafted for you when you book the coffee cart.
The coffee services are fully customizable, from menu to decor to custom latte stencils for a picture perfect cup of coffee. Beside coffee, Brewed and Frothy also offers tea, mocktails, lemonade and more. It works with guests to create a menu customized exactly to their needs.
Those with a smaller space or a trained barista already in the group may not need the full catering cart. Those guests can still order coffee – either as beans or bottled cold brew – along with house-made syrups.
This woman-owned business is popular for weddings, graduations and corporate events, but who says you can’t celebrate friendships with the same level of enthusiasm … and caffeine.
Lucky Kentucky BBQ
Nothing says casual Friendsgiving better than barbecue. Lucky Kentucky serves authentic homemade BBQ and all the comforting sides to pair with it.
Pork, chicken, turkey, brisket and salmon are just some of their BBQ choices. Your friends will be extra thankful when they show up to a smoked turkey and creamy mac and cheese instead of a boring dry grocery store turkey.
Lucky Kentucky offers full service catering, take away catering as well as cold kits, ensuring you’re covered whether it’s for a small gathering of close friends or a full fledged Friendsgiving frenzy.
Cold kits/warm ups serve between 10-15 guests and come with trays of chopped pork, mac and cheese, spoon bread and coleslaw, in addition to house-made sauces and buns.
Friendsgiving is meant to spend time with those that we choose to be in our lives. If someone’s stuck in the kitchen all day, it takes away from the experience. The ease of these cold kits ensures everyone has a chance to celebrate and chat.
In the true spirit of Friendsgiving, it should also be casual and fun, and nothing says that better than a little KY BBQ.
RoRo’s Cookies Co.
No party is complete without dessert. Pie’s tend to get all the recognition this time of year, but for large groups, they’re not always practical. For a dessert that will be a crowd pleaser while still giving the option of variety, RoRo’s cookies is the dessert destination for your friendsgiving.
This family owned business offers monster gourmet cookies in every flavor imaginable. Each cookie is adorably named after family members, with a brief description of the flavor.
RoRo’s namesake chocolate chip cookie is named after the owners’ son, Rowan. As a chocolate chip cookie connoisseur, this is in my top three of all time. Moist, chewy with a little crunch, the exact formula every cookie should be.
There are seven core flavors and often additional seasonal ones as well. The Dad, a rainbow sprinkle cookie, can be swapped with any color of sprinkles to match the ambiance of your Friendsgiving theme. If you’d prefer traditional fall colors, RoRo’s has leafy orange, green and brown hues to go with it.
The cookies can be ordered in normal and mini sizes and in a variety of quantities from three up to 48 cookies. RoRo’s offers pickup for all NKY residents and delivery within 10 miles of Union for an additional charge. These cookies also make for yummy goodie bags to send home with friends after a get-together.
Social Grazer
I once read that millennials like charcuterie because they grew up on Lunchables, and charcuterie is its adult counterpart. I’m not saying they’re right, but I’m also not saying they’re wrong. Charcuterie always feels like an easier idea than it actually is. After failing at making a salami flower for the 13th time, you start to question if a Friendsgiving is worth it.
Social Grazer takes away all the stress of charcuterie while still delivering delicious and stunning results. Its grazer boards are the perfect solution to a variety of finger foods that easily serves a crowd.
Each board comes with a variety of meats, cheese, crackers, fruit, jams and seasonal accouterments. Their other options include crudite boards, which feature fresh veggies and hummus, as well as cone-cuterie. Their cone-cuterie is handheld charcuterie with a bite of everything in a convenient cone. Pair these boards with a few bottles of wine, and no friend will have any room to complain. Literally. They’ll be too full.
Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts
Eat Well’s catering services cover the gamut for any gathering from a large corporate function to an at-home Friendsgiving feast. From appetizers to a full four-course dining experience, Eat Well has countless choices with a seasonal menu to pair with it. Its menus include choices for all meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner while also having ample options that cover all diets.
There’s a takeaway shop, ideal for smaller gatherings that don’t need a full catering service but still want the ease of not cooking.
The takeaway for Thanksgiving features classic dishes: an herb roasted turkey, stuffing, potatoes and a pumpkin cheesecake that is delectable. There are also options outside of the traditional favorites, like lasagna and quiche. The takeaway shop has pickup and delivery options to suit your party’s needs. It can be found on Eat Well’s website and, like its other services, can book quickly.
The almond flour and chocolate chip cookies are personal favorite desserts and rank in the cookie hall of fame. If you’re wanting an easy, no-cook Friendsgiving meal with choices everyone in the group can enjoy, Eat Well has your gathering covered.
Additional Information
Brewed and Frothy Coffee
Phone: 859-287-4515
Website: brewedfrothycoffee.com
Facebook: Brewed and Frothy Coffee Co
Instagram: brewed.frothy.coffee
Lucky Kentucky BBQ
Phone: 859-866-4523
Website: luckykentuckybbq.com
Facebook: Lucky Kentucky BBQ
Instagram: lucky_kentucky_bbq
RoRo’s Cookies
Phone: 859-466-4046
Facebook: RoRo’s Cookie Co
Instagram: roroscookieco
Social Grazer
Phone: 859-307-8493
Website: social-grazer.com
Facebook/Instagram: Social Grazer
Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts
Phone: 859-291-9355
Website: eatwellonline.com
Facebook: Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts
Instagram: eatwellcincinnati