This One Thanksgiving Rule Is Meant to Be Broken, According to Chefs

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Pumpkin pie. A little football and a lot of gratitude. Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without certain traditions. That being said, doing and serving the same thing year after year can feel stale than the bread you transformed into stuffing.

“Thanksgiving is about eating delicious food and being accompanied by people that you are thankful for,” says Kyle Perkins, chef de cuisine at the Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia. “As time progresses, we can eat what we are comfortable with. Food can change, but the meaning of Thanksgiving will always remain the same.”

So go ahead, sprinkle in a Thanksgiving trend or two, add a dash of your own personality, and feel free to break one of the Thanksgiving “rules” below. Some of the best chefs from coast to coast confirm that you’ll be thankful if you do.

The No. 1 Thanksgiving "Rule" to Break This Year

Here's the one thing experts agree you can skip for Thanksgiving.

Thinking Turkey Is Your Only Option

Although these days, the image of a turkey has been cemented in our imaginations as an essential part of Thanksgiving, it hasn’t always been on the holiday menu. As we mentioned in our deep dive into why turkey is a symbol of Thanksgiving, this type of poultry definitely wasn’t on the table at the first Thanksgiving. Food historians confirm that turkey wasn’t even linked with this autumnal feast until at least the 1800s.

With that in mind—and since not everyone is wild about turkey—the majority of the chefs we spoke to agree that you shouldn’t feel forced to feature turkey as the centerpiece.

“Some people are Thanksgiving turkey die-hards. But if your entire party is folks who can take it or leave it, it can be fun to make another protein instead; ideally, something less time-consuming too,” says Ann Ziata, chef at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. “It’s important to have some protein on the table, but for me, the stars of the menu are always the sides.”

Alternative Options

One way to bend this rule rather than break it would be to cook a small turkey and then offer an alternative protein as well. This way, you don’t have to deal with the challenging task of having to lift and attempt to evenly cook a massive turkey (which is not an easy task, even for professional chefs). Plus, “you won’t pigeon-hole yourself with leftovers for the rest of the week,” adds Verlord Laguatan, executive chef of Viceroy Chicago.

“It’s perfectly OK to have more than just turkey on the table! Adding another main course option can make Thanksgiving more inclusive for guests,” explains Kyle St. John, executive chef of Harvest at The Ranch at Laguna Beach in Laguna Beach, California.

Consider these chef-approved options instead of or in addition to your turkey this year:

6 More Thanksgiving "Rules" to Break

Now that we’ve eliminated the loudest “should” of all, the chefs have a few more customs they recommend calibrating.

1. Stuffing and Cooking Your Turkey Whole

If you opt to still include turkey on the menu, “Skip the showpiece of a whole bird and opt instead to roast your bird in pieces! You’ll end up with a juicer and more well-seasoned bird because you can roast each component to the exact right amount of time,” and have more surface area to coat with herbs and spices, suggests Rodger Bowser, partner and head chef at Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Cooking turkey in pieces or roasting a spatchcocked turkey (removing the backbone and flattening the bird) reduces the risk of dry breast meat and also shortens your total cooking time, according to Michael Manoocheri, director of food and beverage at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego.

This is also a perfect opportunity to discuss stuffing. Sam Lesniak, executive chef at Cru Uncorked in Moreland Hills, Ohio, is a firm believer that when it comes to stuffing that’s made inside the bird, "nobody wants to eat that kind of stuffing. Keeping it as a separate side dish is the way to go,” since it leads to pleasant textural variety. Plus, to get the stuffing up to a food-safe temperature of 165°, you’ll often have to overcook the turkey meat.

This year, spatchcock your turkey and try our Million Dollar Stuffing or Pull-Apart Stuffing Ring.

2. Making Everything from Scratch

Carrying on certain traditions, say, grandma’s mashed potatoes or your uncle’s pecan pie, is important. But if you’re hosting, there’s no need to sacrifice your mental, physical, and emotional well-being to whip up every last element of the Thanksgiving menu from scratch.

“Skip the all-day cooking marathon. Consider outsourcing or simplifying a few elements. Try focusing on one or two ‘wow’ dishes rather than exhausting yourself with a huge lineup,” recommends Derek Piva, executive chef at Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, Oregon.

Delegate dishes so the menu is a potluck, or outsource to a local restaurant, grocer, or caterer. From sides to pies to main dish, you can call in professional reinforcements to act as your “sous chef.”

“You might be surprised that Thanksgiving is one of the most popular menus for the takeout catering side of our business. Some people just want us to make the gravy, and other families rely on us for the entire meal. There’s no reason to be so stressed out on a holiday! If any component of the meal isn’t in your comfort zone, then don’t do it,” Bowser says.

Not only will you take some of the pressure off, but you’ll also save time, precious kitchen space, and support a small business all at once.

3. Neglecting Diverse Dishes

One of the biggest food trends this year and for Thanksgiving 2025? A celebration of global flavors. Once upon a time, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme were the main seasonings invited to the party, and the featured ingredients were pretty locked in.

These days, Piva says that you shouldn’t feel bound to stick to the standard flavors and ingredients. Spice up your sweet potatoes with chipotles in adobo, or jazz up your green beans with za’atar, he suggests.

Rather than feeling restricted by the old canon, welcome a dish to the Thanksgiving menu that celebrates your heritage or the culture of a guest of yours, says Hsing Chen, co-founder, pastry chef, and communications director of Eat Well Hospitality in Chicago. She is looking forward to her mom’s Chinese sticky rice instead of traditional cornbread or bread stuffing this year. Laguatan, who has Filipino roots, is counting down to snacking on lumpia before his family’s feast.

“My daughter, who loves to cook (wonder where she got that from!), loves to do themed Thanksgivings for my grandkids,” reminisces Michael Garcia, executive chef at Cavallo Point in Sausalito, California. “It isn’t a ‘traditional’ Thanksgiving, but they are so much fun, and the meaning of Thanksgiving is all about bringing the family together over wonderful food, celebrating and giving thanks for your family and friends, and this certainly does just that.”

A few flavor tours Garcia and his family have relished on Thanksgivings past:

Mexico: Turkey mole with roasted squash with pepitas and arroz verde
Morocco: Curried turkey with squash and vegetable tagine
Greece: Rosemary-lemon turkey with flatbread plus orzo with olives and squash

4. Assembling a Beige Table

Although bursts of cranberries and green beans often join the canvas, the vast majority of the Thanksgiving essentials (stuffing, potatoes, rolls, turkey, and pie) are quite monotone. Traditional Thanksgiving menus are almost always extremely heavy, too, says Jacob Jasinski, executive chef and food and beverage director at The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island.

“Break up the lineup with a fresh salad, like something featuring local cranberries, fennel, or lightly charred squash, to add brightness and keep the meal lively. Having these lighter and more colorful options on the table enhances the enjoyment of richer, heartier dishes, lending better balance and allowing people to go back for seconds without feeling too stuffed,” Jasinski explains.

Ziata sets a goal to introduce “something completely new each year to keep the menu fresh and interesting.” She’s fond of bright swaps, such as:

Roasted root vegetables instead of mashed potatoes
Mushroom and kale gratin instead of a traditional stuffing
Pomegranate-Orange Cream Tart instead of pecan pie

5. Thinking Wine Is Your Only Drink Option

Thanksgiving wine pairings can elevate the overall experience, but not everyone drinks—or prefers to drink wine.

Manoocheri is sweet on welcoming guests with a signature drink like a chai-infused bourbon hot toddy: “This warm, spiced drink adds a unique twist to Thanksgiving and complements traditional dishes. The chai adds warmth and complexity, balancing the bourbon’s richness. This sets the cozy, festive tone right away,” he says.

Jasinski is keen on offering a beyond-soda seasonal, non-alcoholic drink. Fresh rosemary, cranberry, ginger, and orange all exude autumnal energy and can perk up the base beverage. A recipe like pumpkin eggnog, brown sugar and orange latte, or a lemon ginger spritz “brings in festive flavors without the intensity of a traditional cocktail, and it’s a kind alternative for those who prefer not to drink,” Jasinski says. “This rounds out the meal with a refreshing finish and lets everyone join in the holiday toast.”

6. Committing to Classic Pies Alone

“For desserts, have one apple or pumpkin pie, always with vanilla ice cream, and keep the other desserts more nontraditional,” Ziata proposes.

Manoocheri votes for pavlova to “add a light, airy option that contrasts with heavier pies,” and Jeremy Shigekane, executive chef at Prince Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii, likes to surprise his guests with bacon-studded cupcake brownies.

Or hit the “easy” button and set out some “dark chocolate truffles for all to enjoy with a cup of tea, coffee, or after-dinner drink,” Ziata says.