Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and with that comes a slew of traditions like family gatherings, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and, of course, a huge turkey dinner.  

However, as college students, many of us may not have much time to grocery shop, prep or even know how to make specialty dishes. 

The thought of missing out on such a big part of this event is saddening to some, but there is a silver lining. Here are some simple and unique Thanksgiving Day dishes that are easy to make, and that everyone can enjoy.  

1. Friendly fruit punch  

To make this drink, all it takes is apple cider, pumpkin pie spice, a few sliced apples, a few cranberries and a can of ginger ale. The prep time only takes 5 minutes as you need to wash the fruit before cutting.  

Pour the apple cider into a bowl and whisk in the pumpkin pie spice in small amounts. This will make sure the spice is thin so that nobody gets clumps in their drink. Next all you need to do is add the ginger ale. If you want to make this punch a cocktail, use ginger beer instead. Then feel free to cut up your fruits to mix them in. Set in the fridge for about 3 hours before serving, and you’re done. It’s very simple and delicious.  

1. Three bean salad  

Who doesn’t love an easy three bean salad, perfect for large gatherings? This classic American salad has kidney beans, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, celery, red onion and olive oil.  

To start, you need to prep the onion. Soak the chopped onion in a small bowl of water to take the edge off while you prep the other ingredients. Get a larger bowl and pour in one can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained. Repeat that for the other two beans. Then chop up two stalks of celery and add it to the bowl. Drain the onions and mix all your ingredients together. Lastly, add some olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the beans to soak up the flavor, and it’s ready to serve. 

3. 3. Mac & cheese  

Mac & cheese makes everything better. It’s a dish that goes fast, as does the time it takes to prepare it. All it takes is macaroni or pasta of your choice, shredded cheese, butter and milk.  

In a small pot boil some macaroni pasta or whatever pasta shapes you have on hand. While cooking, in a separate pot, stir together a little butter and cheese. Then slowly whisk in some milk until the sauce thickens.  Maybe add a bit of cayenne and nutmeg if you’d like and then pour the sauce over the drained pasta and it’s done! This quick dish is super tasty.  

When you’re sharing the holiday with loved ones, you need to remember you don’t have to pull out all the stops. Sharing a meal with friends also means sharing your love. Not only are these recipes simple and easy, but they’re wonderful to do year after year.