Thanksgiving food crafts let you get crafty for the holiday without adding a ton of junk to the waste stream.
There is so much going on, food-wise, for Thanksgiving that adding a whole other component of holiday decorating–much less the crafting required to make those decorations!–can sometimes just be too much.
In that case, why not make the food part of the crafting and the decorating?
Below, check out some of my favorite Thanksgiving treats and decorations that incorporate the groceries I’ve already bought and the dishes I already know I need to make. Making cute novelty Thanksgiving foods that we can display and eat saves time AND resources!
Food Crafts to Eat
turkey bread image via Jo and Sue
turkey bread. Sculpting fun bread is a delicious holiday tradition that my teenagers have engaged in since they were preschoolers… and they still love it!
chocolate caramel turkey legs. It’s a dessert AND a decoration!
apple cider slushie. You can make this with nothing but the apple cider that’s already in your fridge!
chocolate-covered strawberry turkeys. I don’t actually like turkey that’s made of turkey. I DO, however, like turkey that’s made of strawberries, chocolate, marshmallows, and pretzels!
candy wishbones image via The Decorated Cookie
candy wishbones. If you’ve got white candy melts, you’ve got everything you need to make these cute wishbones.
turkey charcuterie board. You don’t need any special charcuterie components to get this look. Here’s another cute way to put it together.
ice cream cone cornucopias via Just a Little Creativity
ice cream cone cornucopias. Have a few summertime waffle cones still kicking around in the pantry? Upcycle them into delicious cornucopias! Fill with candy for a fun dessert, or with trail mix to keep the kids’ table occupied until the main course is ready.
fruit kabob turkey. Set out some healthy pre-dinner snacks with the help of this pumpkin turkey!
pumpkin cheesecake balls via Consumer Queen
pumpkin cheesecake balls. These little sugar bombs look like baby punkins!!!
pumpkin patch pudding cups via Arts and Crackers
pumpkin patch pudding cups. This is a great way to finish off the last of the pumpkin candy corn! Serve in mini Mason jars instead of disposable plastic cups for a more eco-friendly treat.
autumn leaf cut-out cookies via Made to be a Momma
autumn leaf cut-out cookies. The trick is in the dyeing of the dough, so you don’t have to decorate the finished cookies! If you prefer chocolate chip cookies, you can still get the marbling, if not the cut-out shapes.
pumpkin cheeseball via The Country Cook
pumpkin cheeseball. This cheese ball isn’t pumpkin-flavored… but I had a pumpkin spice cheese from Aldi that was DELICIOUS, so now I want to experiment!
cookie acorns via Belly Full
cookie acorns. Here’s a super easy no-bake cookie craft that even little kids can help make.
pumpkin pie Rice Krispy Treats via Just a Taste
pumpkin pie Rice Krispy Treats. One of my teenagers couldn’t give a flip about pie, but she is obsessed with Rice Krispy Treats. Here’s a way to get everyone’s favorite desserts on the pie table!
pumpkin cupcakes via Ashlee Marie
pumpkin cupcakes. Any flavor of cupcake can be decorated to look like a pumpkin!
cheesy autumn leaf bread via Hungry Happenings
cheesy autumn leaf bread. You could also substitute puff pastry for the store-bought crescent roll dough in this recipe.
Food Crafts to Decorate With
cinnamon dough. Let’s say that last week, you bought a GIANT container of ground cinnamon in preparation for all the holiday baking you plan to do… and then just a minute ago, you found last year’s GIANT container of cinnamon, still half full, hiding in the back of the pantry. Cinnamon dough to the rescue! Cinnamon dough works great as a simple play dough for the kids, but you can also oven-dry it to make garlands, ornaments, and other decorations.
dried orange garland. A dried orange garland in front of a sunny window is one of the most beautiful autumn decorations.
Gourdo Greenface. Yep, it’s just a pie pumpkin, and yep, you are going to have to cut it up and bake it before the Big Day, but until then, why not let the kids bring it to life?
pumpkin spice play dough. Spice up (lol!) your go-to play dough recipe with the same sweet spices you’re baking with.
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clove apple pomander. Inserting the whole cloves is a bit of a chore, but the prospect of this sweet-smelling, unspoiled apple is worth it. You can also do this with an orange!
gratitude pumpkin via Coffee and Carpool
gratitude pumpkin. A gratitude pumpkin is such a sweet idea. Add to it daily, then bake it into a pie that you’ll also be grateful for!
Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving food craft? Let us know about it in the Comments!