Dear Life Section,

I need ideas. My friends invited me to a Friendsgiving potluck next week, but I am not sure what to bring. I live in an off-campus apartment with a small, shared kitchen and I do not want to break the bank by cooking an expensive dish. Do you have any suggestions?

Sincerely, 

Dish-Ideas-Needed

Dear Dish-Ideas-Needed,

As a fellow college student, I totally get the importance of convenience and cost-efficiency. A good thing to remember is that the host should provide the mains like turkey or ham, so as a guest you will only be responsible for bringing a side.

That being said, here are some suggestions for simple, budget-friendly dishes that you can take to your Friendsgiving potluck.

Stuffing is a classic Thanksgiving dish and something that can be pretty easy to make in just a few minutes. A box of premade stuffing mix is only about $2–4, and all you need to add is water and butter. Another benefit of this side: if you do not have a stovetop, there should be microwave instructions on the box to simplify it even more.

Mashed potatoes are another Thanksgiving side that cost little and take almost no time to make. Instant mashed potato packets are around $2, and you only need hot water to make them. If you want to spice it up a bit, most brands also offer a variety of flavors such as roasted garlic or cheesy mashed potatoes.

A box of cornbread can cost less than a dollar, and all you need is one egg and some milk to make this side. However, it does require you to bake it, which may be inconvenient depending on your oven situation. If you are able to bake it, in around 20 minutes you can have a warm, sweet dish that you can bring either in one pan or as individual cornbread muffins.

If you want to opt for a dessert, a frozen pie is a great way to go. At around $5, pie is one of the more expensive dishes on this list but comes with plenty of options, from pumpkin pie to apple pie. Depending on which one you choose, it may not even require baking, as you can leave some freezer pies out to thaw and then serve.

The meaning of Friendsgiving events is to spend time with the people close to you and show your friends how thankful you are for them. If none of these dishes work for you, try bringing a dish from your own cultural or ethnic background that you are familiar with making and use it as an opportunity to deepen your friendships.

Regardless of what dish you end up bringing, I am sure you will have an amazing time.

Sincerely,

The Life Section