Turkey Day – The Tiny House Way

It is 2020, and America is poised on the brink of another Thanksgiving. 

Be it a stroke of situational luck for tiny homeowners (if you choose to look at it this way), we have been told to keep the numbers down as we celebrate the holidays this year due to the Coronavirus.  We have been advised to keep our guest list minimal during our festive gatherings, which may give some tiny-house dwellers a good excuse to host Thanksgiving, or at least think about it this year.  

So, how does one hold Thanksgiving in a tiny house which has limited space?  Firstly, by believing it can be done, and it has been done by hoards of other tiny-housers already!  Secondly, by planning and keeping it real, so let’s check this out.

  Before you make the stock, take some stock 

 Every tiny-house kitchen is different, depending on the needs and the desires of its dwellers.  Do you have big or small appliances?  How large is your oven (if you have one), and how many burners does it have?  How large is your refrigerator?  Do you own a turkey fryer, a crock pot, or a grill?  Are you abounding in cookware and Tupperware to store leftovers or with which to serve the dinner?  Think about all of this. 

  What’s on the menu? 

 Depending on the size and amount of your kitchen resources which you have just analyzed, think about what you are going to serve, next.  Consider quality over quantity.  A satisfying Thanksgiving meal can consist of just an appetizer, a turkey or other protein source, a couple of side dishes, some type of bread, a dessert, and a drink of your choosing.  Even if all you have is a toaster oven, fear not, you can use it to cook all the bakeables in it.

See the link below to learn exactly how to do this!  The internet is also chock-full of Thanksgiving culinary delights which can be made on the grill, in a crockpot, and more! 

Check this out >>

How to toaster bake your entire Thanksgiving meal

Don’t feel like cooking or don’t have space or inventory to do so?  No problem!  Many local and online food stores and supermarkets offer complete Thanksgiving dinners or side dishes that you can pre-order and have delivered or be ready for pick-up.  Even people who live in traditionally-sized houses go this stress-free route – just know it’s available to you.   

A lot of family and friends also ask their guests to bring a dish to Thanksgiving dinner.  Let them know what you are cooking, decide what you need them to bring, write a list of these items, and give everyone a choice of what they’d like to bring from the list. 

Who’s on the guest list? 

Again, as in the food selection, think quality over quantity.  If you live in a warmer area of the country, hold your dinner outside, and ask your guests, if necessary, to bring a chair and a blanket if it starts to get colder.  If you hold your dinner in your tiny house, not a lot of them have room for a big dining table.  Consider holding the dinner around a low table – such as a coffee table – and situate the guests on comfy cushions that you can provide, or go BYOC (Bring Your Own Cushion)!  

  It’s dinnertime! 

The logistical consideration of how to serve your feast will now be tackled.  If you do live in that temperate climate, and all can eat outside, say on a picnic table or on outdoor furniture, these logistics are not as big of an issue as when the dinner is held inside.  A good method of serving food is buffet style; let the troops choose what they want to fill their plates with.  Speaking of plates, save clean-up time and effort and serve the dinner on paper or Styrofoam disposable plates; decorated or not, they are convenient and serve a purpose, and don’t forget disposable utensils and cups, too!  If you have a folding table and chairs, utilize these, and if you don’t, it may not be a bad idea to invest in a set.

  Miscellaneous Tips 

 In the aftermath of Thanksgiving dinner, leftovers are almost a certainty.  If you don’t have, or want to find space, for said leftovers, ask everyone to bring a storage container so you can share the extras with them.

• In the aftermath of Thanksgiving dinner, leftovers are almost a certainty.  If you don’t have, or want to find space, for said leftovers, ask everyone to bring a storage container so you can share the extras with them.   
   
• Put a large trashcan outside your tiny house in an accessible area, where guests can dispose of their plates, plastic utensils, napkins, and cups.  This saves mess and clutter from building up in your tiny home. 
   
• A cooler can go a long way in helping to store extra drinks or desserts; leave the covered cooler outside, to keep beverages cold.