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Putting together a holiday menu is the highlight of the year! Combine the delicious, amazing tastes with all of the beautiful spreads and colors and you have yourself a meal to remember!

A wide variety of options is key to making your holiday menu stand out! I absolutely love packing all of my options in to make it more a feast than a meal! My favorite recipes to include are roasted chicken, this punch and these amazing carrots

How to Put Together a Holiday Menu

I loooooove the holidays for the fact that the FOOD is always incredible! I know that most people have a tradition and cook the same thing every year. But… I love to switch things up and add more every holiday. Creating a feast is probably a more accurate description of holidays around here! So, the way to make the best holiday menu ever is to first come up with your main dish. I love using a roast, ham, or turkey because they are easy to make and feed a lot of people! Next, I make sure to fix up at least a few different sides. A cooked vegetable, a salad and some bread are a great place to start!

Once you pick out your main course and some sides, you should look everything over and make sure that there is a wide variety of options! When it comes to a holiday menu, I say more is always better! I definitely don’t want my guests to be taking small portions and leaving hungry because they are worried there isn’t enough food! Last but not least, you need a mouthwatering dessert to finish it off. You can do cookies, cakes or pies and they will all leave your guests full and satisfied! I have rounded up my very favorite, tried and true holiday menu ideas below to make this super easy for you!

Holiday Menu Tips

Don’t let your holiday menu stress you out! I have put together a few tips to make this process as easy and enjoyable as possible! It will be a hit!

  • Grocery shopping: Don’t let the preparation scare you. You can do a lot of your shopping weeks ahead of time! Make your menu and list of non-perishables that you need for your meal. Buy those items a few weeks in advance. That way, when the time comes to cook, you don’t have to grocery shop too!
  • Prep some recipes in advance: Another thing to do is find a few meals that you can cook a fews days (or weeks!) in advance and store them in your freezer or fridge. You’ll already be halfway done if you do things this way!
  • Delegate: If you have a large group coming to your meal, have everyone bring something. Assign them a category (and even refer them back to this page for ideas!). This takes a bit of the load off of you and it makes your holiday menu that much better!
  • Pre-wash your dishes: If you have special dishes that come out only at holiday parties, prepare those by gettting them out and washing them before you need them. Preparation is really the key to success!

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

4.88 from 8 votes
Amazing juicy and perfectly tender turkey breast that slow cooks all day in the crockpot!
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Spiced Rub Brown Sugar Pineapple Glazed Ham

5 from 1 vote
Spiced Rub Brown Sugar Pineapple Glazed Ham is coated with a sweet and tangy spiced glaze that caramelizes on the edge of the ham. This will be the star at your holiday dinner table!
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The Easiest Cranberry Sauce

5 from 1 vote
This cranberry sauce is the perfect mixture of sweet and tart! It's made with fresh cranberries and topped with orange zest to really set it apart! 
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Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts

5 from 3 votes
These Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts are crunchy sweet chestnuts, that are enveloped in a savory bacon and marinated in a sweet spicy sauce for the perfect flavor combination.
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Garlic Butter Herb Prime Rib Recipe

4.80 from 143 votes
Garlic butter herb prime rib is melt in your mouth tender, cooked to medium-rare perfection, and marbled with fat. The seared garlic butter herb crust is incredible!
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World’s Best Green Bean Casserole

4.94 from 16 votes
Green bean casserole is a classic, tried and true side dish that everyone loves! It's so delicious and creamy that it just might steal the turkey's spot as the star of the show! 
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Caramel Apple Pie

5 from 1 vote
Caramel apple pie is the traditional American dessert, but totally elevated. Sour tart apples are smothered in caramel, it's insanely delicious.
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Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

4.80 from 25 votes
Slow cooker Swedish meatballs braised in a rich and flavorful cream sauce. A combination of ground beef, pork, and warm spices make for a comforting and satisfying dish. Serve as an easy appetizer or hearty meal paired with mashed potatoes or egg noodles!
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Autumn Chopped Salad with Creamy Poppyseed Dressing

4.91 from 11 votes
Autumn Chopped Salad with Creamy Poppyseed Dressing is all of your fall salad dreams come true! Crisp chopped apples, pears, romaine lettuce, crunchy pecans, bacon, cranberries and feta cheese combine in a creamy dressing to bring you one unforgettable salad!
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Melt in Your Mouth Pot Roast Recipe

4.92 from 12 votes
Fork-tender, melt-in-your-mouth pot roast with delicate potatoes and sweet carrots in a perfectly seasoned broth. This recipe is super simple but will make you feel like you've spent all day cooking.
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Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Shortbread Cookies

5 from 1 vote
Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Shortbread Cookies are buttery, melt in your mouth shortbread cookies that get dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with crushed peppermint. These cookies make the perfect holiday treat!
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Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes

5 from 2 votes
Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes, made with roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and gold potatoes, are an easy side dish recipe perfect for dinner!
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Winter Pomegranate Orange Quinoa Salad with Creamy Lemon Greek Yogurt Dressing

5 from 1 vote
A mouthwatering winter salad with quinoa, spinach, mandarine oranges, and crunchy pistachios. Topped with a creamy lemon greek yogurt dressing and feta cheese this makes one unforgettable salad!
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4 Ingredient Christmas Punch

5 from 1 vote
This easy Christmas punch is delicious and so festive! It's the perfect punch to serve at your next gathering… It's for all ages, young and old!
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Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies

5 from 6 votes
Soft and chewy cookies that are coated in powdered sugar to make them extra special.



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Creamy Parmesan Garlic Brussels Sprouts

4.78 from 9 votes
Creamy parmesan garlic Brussels sprouts sauteed and smothered in a rich and cheesy parmesan garlic sauce. Elevate your Brussels sprouts with this easy and delicious side dish!
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Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast

4.87 from 15 votes
Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast is a savory, sweet and spicy pork roast that is tender to the touch and falls apart with ease. 
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Classic Honey Glazed Ham

4.50 from 4 votes
This honey-glazed ham is coated with delicious brown sugar and sweet honey glaze! It’s tender and juicy and goes with everything which makes it ideal for any holiday meal!
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The Best Funeral Potatoes

5 from 7 votes
A cheesy potato casserole full of melted cheese, sour cream, onions, and garlic with a crunchy top. This is full of amazing flavor and will be the star of the dinner table!
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Easiest Bruschetta Recipe

5 from 4 votes
This bruschetta is easy to make with fresh, ripe Roma tomatoes, shredded mozzarella cheese and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette over top of a French baguette. Bruschetta comes together quickly and easily! 
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Homemade Milano Cookies

Homemade Milano Cookies have tender cookies with a nice crunch sandwiched around a layer of rich dark chocolate in the center! They taste even better than the store bought version!
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Best Ever Glazed Carrots

5 from 6 votes
Best Ever Glazed Carrots have the most amazing brown sugar glaze and caramelize as they roast!  These carrots are so irresistible and are going to be the star of the table! 
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Raspberry Baked Brie

5 from 4 votes
Raspberry Baked Brie is the perfect holiday appetizer with just FOUR ingredients. Perfect for Christmas and New Years Eve!
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Roasted Cranberry Orange Pork Loin with Green Beans

4.50 from 2 votes
Roasted Cranberry Orange Pork Tenderloin with Green Beans is such a flavorful and easy meal. The cranberry orange glaze is perfect on top of the pork and green beans. This will be the star of your holiday dinner table!
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Candied Sweet Potatoes

Candied Sweet Potatoes are just that, sweet and tender, juicy, bright orange sweet potatoes that will warm your home and melt in your mouth! Only 3 ingredients is all you need!
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pinwheels

5 from 5 votes
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pinwheels are and easy wrap your party guests will love with chicken, bacon, cheese and ranch seasoning. They're delicious hot and cold!
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Christmas Fruit Salad

5 from 4 votes
This easy Christmas fruit salad recipe is loaded with red and green fruit making it the perfect light and healthy addition to your holiday table! With a super simple dressing, it comes together quickly and is sure to be a hit!
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French Onion Soup

5 from 4 votes
French Onion Soup is such a classic and SO easy to make! Onions are slowly caramelized until soft and sweet, simmered with beef broth, thyme, sherry, and white wine. It's topped with a crispy crouton, loads of shredded gruyere cheese and broiled into a crispy, cheesy oblivion. So good!
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Honey Chipotle Pork Roast

Honey Chipotle Pork Roast offers sweet heat along with ease and comfort.
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Sparkling Pomegranate Lemonade

Sparkling pomegranate lemonade is the perfect sweet and tangy holiday beverage!
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About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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