While our Thanksgiving celebrations will look smaller this year with social distancing and limiting social gatherings, you can still have a delicious meal and celebration with your family in the comfort of your home.
In the next week, we’ll see shoppers head to the grocery store to start planning for each dish and building their stock for their meal, but as it is with the start of every holiday season, it’s important to remember to shop small.
The Fishers Fall Farmers Market, presented by IU Health Saxony, is your way to shop small and local without leaving home. Each week, the ordering window opens at 9 a.m. Saturday and closes at noon Wednesday for delivery to your door from the Fishers Parks team on Friday (check out Fishers Ambassador Kelly Yale’s experience with Fall Farmers’ Market Delivery for more info!).
In my own effort to shop local, I’ve been spending time building my “menu,” thinking about what’s unique to the fall market that I could implement to give my family some variety. Here’s what I saw and liked:
But First…Breakfast
In college, my husband and I would secure a roll of orange cinnamon rolls from the grocery store, our thrifty way of making the morning yummy before heading to several houses for too many meals.
Now that we have a family of our own, we always gets up early to get the day rolling and try to still have something different and delicious to quickly eat while we’re prepping for the big meal.
- Açaí Bowl from Twenty Two Juicery
- Apple Crumb Bread from Generations Pie Company
- Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive Scones from Le Petit Gateau
- Brown Molasses Rolls from Gluten Free Creations
- Pumpkin or Vanilla Cinnamon Donuts from Gluten Free Creations
Traditional & Classic
My family’s Thanksgiving has always been extremely casual. Like, paper plate casual. My mom and grandma never worried too much about the finishing details or presentation, and the sole focus was always on the quality and taste of the food.
With my family’s southern background, we didn’t stray from the classics – turkey, ham, potatoes, veggies, and pie.
- Pumpkin, Apple, or Sugar Cream Pie from Generations Pie Company
- Butternut Squash from Hidden Acres
- Staple vegetables – onions, broccoli, tomatoes, garlic, and more from Hidden Acres
- Gerber Amish Farm Whole Chicken from Kincaid’s Meat Market
- Pork Shoulder/Butt from Kincaid’s Meat Market
Something Different
These items are for the more ambitious. While in the same vein, they take a turn from the more traditional dishes and desserts and have the potential to bring something unique into the mix of what’s being served.
- Lemon Drop Brownies from Gluten Free Creations
- Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie or Salted Caramel Apple Pie from Generations Pie Company
- French Rack of Lamb or Boneless Leg of Lamb from Viking Lamb
- House-Made Saint Thomas Aquinas Sausages from Kincaid’s Meat Market
Pre- and post-meal snacks and treats
A huge highlight of Thanksgiving in my family is the time after the meal where we clear the table to play board games and card games, taking leftovers to the kitchen and, for me, accepting that my kitchen looks like a warzone.
We have a large trunk that sits in a corner of our dining room filled with board games. Here are a few things I would personally be sure to have on my table to snack on:
- Caramel Corn from Groomsville Popcorn
- Chocolate Raspberry Cookie Pops from Louise’s Sweets
- Coffee – If you’re making a big pot, go with the Riacho das Varas whole-bean coffee from Indie Coffee Roasters – a medium/dark roast with undertones of chocolate malt and a deep, nutty taste. If you’re busting out the Keurig for just a few mugs, try these Java House Pods.
Don’t forget your fur kids!
Each year, my sweet lab Maggie inevitably gets ignored on Thanksgiving. Between the hustle and bustle and her nose going haywire from the day-long stream of delicious smells, she gets stressed and jealous watching everyone else chow down. We try to find a way for her to indulge without getting too many unhealthy table scraps. Here are a few of Maggie’s favorites from the market’s dog treat vendors:
- Specialty Bone Cake from Lazy Labs Bakery
- Peanut Butter and Blueberry Treats from Wesson’s Canine Bakery
- Pumpkin Lazy Bones from Lazy Labs Bakery
- Pupcakes from Wesson’s Canine Bakery
Start your order and learn more about the Fishers Fall Farmers Market at playfishers.com/farmersmarket.
Sadie Hunter started as a marketing assistant with Fishers Parks in February. Her favorite thing to do in Fishers is creek stomp at Brooks School Park with her two sons, Ben and Henry, and dog, Maggie. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, pottery, and kayaking with her husband, Zach.