Let the Wheel Plan Thanksgiving Dinner
Every Thanksgiving has the same three arguments: what's on the menu, who's bringing what, and whether anyone actually likes the green bean casserole. This Thanksgiving wheel settles them before they start. Pick a course from the buttons above the wheel (Mains, Sides, Appetizers, or Desserts), or spin the Full menu to let fate pick your dish from anywhere on the table.
It works just as well for Friendsgiving potlucks, where the risk isn't too few ideas but five people showing up with mashed potatoes. Spin once per guest, remove each dish as it's claimed, and you'll end up with a balanced table without a group chat that runs for three days.
How to Use It for a Thanksgiving Potluck
- Pick the course you need covered. Usually that's Sides. Most potlucks run short on vegetables and long on starch.
- Edit the list for your crowd. Delete anything your host is already making, and add family favorites that aren't on the wheel.
- Each guest spins once. Click Remove in the winner pop-up so that dish comes off the wheel and nobody else lands on it.
- Share the wheel. The Share button packs the whole wheel into a link. Drop it in the group chat so remote guests can spin for their own dish.
What's on the Wheel
- 🦃 Mains: Classic roast, smoked, deep-fried, or spatchcocked turkey, plus ham, prime rib, Cornish hens, and two vegetarian centerpieces (Mushroom Wellington and stuffed acorn squash).
- 🥔 Sides: The full classic lineup: mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, rolls, and a few greens to balance the starch.
- 🧀 Appetizers: Make-ahead things that keep people out of the kitchen while the turkey rests: charcuterie, deviled eggs, baked brie with cranberry, spinach artichoke dip.
- 🥧 Desserts: Pumpkin, pecan, apple, and sweet potato pie, plus pumpkin cheesecake, apple crisp, a pumpkin roll, and bar desserts that travel well to a potluck.
Thanksgiving Planning Tips
- Turkey size: Plan on roughly 1 to 1½ pounds of whole turkey per guest. Go with the higher number if you want leftovers.
- Thawing: A frozen turkey needs about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4–5 pounds, so a 16-pound bird needs to come out of the freezer three to four days ahead.
- Oven space: The oven is the bottleneck on Thanksgiving Day. Favor sides that can be made ahead, cooked on the stovetop, or served cold when you're filling out the menu.
- Desserts: One pie serves about eight people. For a crowd, a mix of pie and bar desserts goes further.
Thanksgiving Wheel FAQ
What should I bring to Thanksgiving dinner?
Ask the host what's covered, then fill the gap. Sides and desserts are the safest bets because they travel well and the host is almost always making the turkey. Load the Sides or Desserts list on the wheel, cross off what's already claimed, and spin.
What are the most traditional Thanksgiving side dishes?
The classics are mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing or dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, and mac and cheese, which is especially popular in the South. All of them are on the Sides list.
How do I stop everyone bringing the same dish to a Friendsgiving potluck?
Have each guest spin the wheel for their dish, and click Remove in the winner pop-up after each spin so that dish comes off the wheel. Share the wheel link in your group chat so people who aren't in the room can spin too.
Is there a vegetarian main dish on the wheel?
Yes. The Mains list includes Mushroom Wellington and stuffed acorn squash. You can add your own vegetarian or vegan dishes, or delete the meat options if you're planning a fully plant-based Thanksgiving.
Can I spin for a whole Thanksgiving menu?
Yes. Choose Full menu to put every dish on one wheel, or spin each course in turn (one main, three or four sides, an appetizer, and two desserts) for a balanced, randomly chosen dinner.
Can I add my family's dishes to the wheel?
Yes. Type them into the entries panel or paste a list with Bulk Add. Your wheel saves in your browser automatically, so it'll be waiting next November.