Worried about cooking a juicy, delicious turkey and all the trimmings after enduring Houston’s bumper-to-bumper traffic on Thanksgiving Eve? Don’t fret!

Consider doing what more Americans are doing each year — purchasing their holiday meals from a grocery store, restaurant or club. That’s just one of the many new Thanksgiving dinner traditions, according to Nancy Graves, associate professor in the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

“The path to enjoying the Thanksgiving meal may mean less work today compared to the way holiday dinners were once prepared 30 or 40 years ago,” Graves said.

Many people opt to buy their meals so they can socialize with family members and enjoy the food at their leisure, she noted.

“There are various meal combinations. Some people purchase the roast turkey. Others select an entire meal of roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole and some type of cranberry relish and dessert,” Graves said.

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) supports Graves’ observations.

Fifty-three percent of Americans supplement their Thanksgiving meals with catered food, according to NRA. Additionally, 11 percent of Americans had their Thanksgiving Day meal at a restaurant in 2003.

Those living in smaller households and households without children are more likely to dine out on Thanksgiving. Males are more likely than females to eat at a restaurant on the holiday. Generally, younger adults are more likely to use restaurant takeout items as part of their Thanksgiving meal at home, the NRA research indicates.

Another trend affecting Thanksgiving dinners is the increase in the accessibility of fresh produce over the past several decades, Graves said.

“Grocery stores fly produce in from all parts of the world, which allows consumers to serve very exotic or tropical food during the holidays,” she said.

Graves also pointed out that a larger number of partially and fully prepared food items are available to consumers today.

“Each family member may want a different dessert, so the person arranging the meal may purchase frozen pumpkin, apple, cherry or pecan pies, and bake them at home,” she said. “This is a convenience and a time saving idea for those trying to satisfy many different palates.”

Francine Parker
fparker@central.uh.edu