Get creative this Thursday

URBANA – University of Illinois Extension encourages you to get creative with that Thanksgiving meal this week.

Some new ideas can help you focus on family in a year that is forcing families to rethink everything. You can put a spin on that holiday meal as food serves as the center for many celebrations. Fewer guests on hand means fewer picky eaters and preferences to accommodate.

Extension says to mix up the meal by including local food products. This supports economic growth, promotes a safer supply and food and benefits the environment, according to Kelly Allsup, U of I Extension horticulture educator. Also, locally grown foods have more nutrients since they have a shorter time between being harvested and reaching consumers.

Doing a meal exchange allows family and friends to each prepare one item which can be dropped off at the different homes, creating a socially-distanced version of a progressive dinner. Menus should be divided up between family members. Each person’s dish can be divided into storage containers.

Or, just skip the cooking altogether by taking advantage of a meal deal this year at grocery stores and restaurants. Ordering and purchasing early supports local businesses in these tough times.