Hosting a Friendsgiving is one of the most rewarding ways to share the Thanksgiving spirit with your community. At its best, it’s a casual, low-stakes way to gather the people you love most. But we also know that taking on another hosting gig can make an already stressful, wasteful season feel even more overwhelming.

At Stasher, we’re proudly pro-Friendsgiving and anti-waste. Here are our top tips for hosting a gathering that maximizes quality time and minimizes stress and single-use everything:

• Have a Plan: Before you hit the store, create a shared digital menu and invite guests to contribute. Coordinating dishes ahead of time prevents the dreaded five mac-and-cheeses scenario and helps reduce food waste. One of the hardest parts of holiday cooking is figuring out how much food to make. This comes from a good place; no one wants to be the host who runs out of mashed potatoes or pie. To make this easier, check out the Guestimator from SaveTheFood, which helps you plan perfect portions for your guest count. 

• Get Everyone Involved: Friendsgiving needs many things to go well, but a martyr isn’t one of them. Letting everyone pitch in makes the day more fun for everyone and far less stressful for you. Assign roles ahead of time, and remember, not every role needs to involve cooking. You might ask one friend to come early to help set up and another to be on beverage duty (bonus points for bringing NA options). Then, after the meal is over, let the friend who enjoys doing dishes put on a banging playlist of their choosing and have a dance party by the sink. Everyone wins when you divide up roles! 

• Prep and Cook Ahead of Time: The best way to be relaxed on the big day is to get a few key things done ahead of time. Check your recipes and see what can be made or prepped 1–2 days early. Even something as simple as pre-chopping veggies helps. Bonus: anything braised, stewed, or slow-cooked usually tastes better the next day. Once prepped, store dishes in Stasher Bags or Bowls to keep your fridge and counters organized and your cleanup minimal on the big day. With our new stretch lids, you can even store food in the same pot you cooked it in– just let it cool, put a lid on it, and you’re good to go. 

• Thrift Mismatched Plates & Silverware: Single-use dishes might seem easy, but nothing beats the charm of a real (and reusable) table setting. Before reaching for paper plates, head to your local thrift store or vintage market. You’ll find endless options for plates, bowls, and silverware that can be mixed and matched for an effortlessly eclectic table. Every piece has a story, and you’ll cut down on waste while building a collection you’ll use for years of gatherings to come.

• Decorate Once, Reuse Often: Skip the plastic streamers and one-night-only décor. Instead, layer your table with items that can be reused or composted afterward. Think cloth napkins, linen runners, dried citrus slices, pinecones, or sprigs of herbs like rosemary or lavender. For a longer-lasting setup, invest in a few neutral, reusable staples like glass candle holders, ceramic vases, or fabric garlands that would work for any event. When in doubt, remember: it just feels better to reuse a few classic pieces than to buy new ones every year. 

• Prepare a Leftovers Station: Let’s be real. Leftovers can be either the best or worst part of Thanksgiving. Some years it’s a joyful creative buffet that keeps on giving and others its a guilty, stressful chore to clean out the fridge. The difference often comes down to how prepared you are not just to have leftovers, but to truly share and enjoy them. To get ahead of this, set up a leftovers station at your party complete with your favorite Stasher bags, bowls, and lids. That way you can easily send guests home with exactly the mains, sides, and desserts they want to eat, in quantities they’ll actually finish. As an extra perk, Stasher bags and bowls make excellent holiday gifts for your guests, a fun memento from your Friendsgiving that they can use and reuse for years afterwards. 

The truth is, whether you’re hosting or just showing up, the best thing you can bring to Friendsgiving is your calm, your generosity, your laughter, and your presence. Tips like these can help you and your crew relax, connect, and enjoy the day, which is what this celebration is all about.

Happy Friendsgiving from all of us at Stasher!