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One thing we really love about Friendsgiving is how it's a low-stress way to gather with chosen family without all the typical tensions so many families have during a traditional Thanksgiving. It's meant to be low-key, fun, and celebratory — a modern twist on tradition that you and your friends can make your own.

Ready to skip all the traditional Thanksgiving fare for fun, vibrant foods that everyone in your friend group loves? We have all the celebratory food inspo you need to have a fab feast with your friends this year when you gather for your found family celebration.Ìý

Mango Apple Salsa

Is your friend group sweet and a little spicy? Same! That's why we love this fruity salsa that combines a little sweet, a little heat, and a lot of deliciousness. Serve Food.com's  with tortilla chips, or mix it up and serve it with sweet potato chips, apple chips, or cassava chips.Ìý

Easy Elote Dip

Corn is always welcome at my table! And while it makes a tasty side, I love it as an appetizer in this from Gimme Some Oven. It's so full of flavor and color, making it a perfect pre-dinner bite. It's terrific on tortilla chips.Ìý

Spinach Dip

Looking for something comforting and decadent? Your friends will love gathering around this from Ahead of Thyme. Serve this creamy, cheesy dip with toasty baguette slices for a pre-dinner nosh everyone will love.Ìý

Baked Brie With Figs and Walnuts

This communal appetizer may seem fancy, but it is so easy (and so yummy). Jammy, sweetly acidic figs are perfect for piling on top of warm, creamy, gooey brie cheese. Nobody needs to know how simple it actually was to make.

Bake a wheel of brie on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet at 350°F until it just starts to ooze, about five to seven minutes. Then, put it on a pretty platter, top with quartered fresh figs and chopped walnuts, drizzle the whole thing with honey, and top with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve with crackers and/or crusty bread.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds

These delectable potato rounds are a fall twist on the traditional canapé. Roast ½-inch sweet potato slices in a 425°F oven for 30 minutes. Place on a serving tray and allow to cool slightly. Top with crumbled feta or goat cheese, then spoon whole berry cranberry sauce on top. Garnish with a pecan slice and a tiny sprig of rosemary. It's colorful, tasty, and just a little fancy.

Sweet Potato Chili

Chili is a fall classic at our house, and it's such a statisfying and warming main to serve for guests, too. That makes it the perfect Friendsgiving food — because you can make a ton of it so there's enough for everyone. This  from allrecipes is hearty and warming, and it's easy to adapt to fit different dietary needs. If you make enough, you can send everyone home with leftovers.Ìý

Related: Turn on the Feast Mode: 16 Friendsgiving Games That Slap Harder Than Pumpkin Pie

Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Sausage

Bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes) is a British classic, and we love this updated version as a fun and casual Friendsgiving main. It's so easy to follow your fave mashed potatoes recipe using sweet potatoes instead of white. Then all you have to do is cook some link or smoked sausage to serve on top of it.Ìý

Turkey Casserole

If you're hosting Friendsgiving after Thanksgiving, a turkey casserole is a fantastic way to make delicious use of leftovers while serving your BFFs something that gives a nod to tradition. Try one of our three turkey casserole recipes for a tasty main. You can also try using leftover turkey in a classic shepherd's pie.Ìý

Chicken Casserole

If bird's the word, but you don't want everyone to suffer from turkey overload between Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving, whip up a chicken casserole, instead. We have five easy chicken casserole recipes that'll feed quite a few people (and the recipes are easy to double).Ìý

Sweet Potatoes, Sausage, and Sprouts

No need to dirty every dish in your kitchen for a yummy Friendsgiving main. Instead, cook some of your fall faves on one or two sheet pans for a roasty, toasty dinner. Sheet pan suppers are so easy, and we love that they're relatively mess-free, so you can hang with your friends instead of rushing off to do the dishes. It's as easy as halving some brussels sprouts, chopping some sweet potatoes, and cutting up some kielbasa, drizzling with oil, adding salt and pepper, and roasting at 425°F for 25 minutes.

Warm Corn Salad

Here we are at corn again. Sure, corn is a traditional Thanksgiving food, but you can make it worthy of Friendsgiving with some easy updates. To make this version, saute red peppers in olive oil, stir in some whole kernel corn (canned, frozen, or fresh), and stir-fry until it's warm (a minute or two to up to about 8 minutes if the corn goes in frozen). If you want a nice, smoky flavor, add some diced ham or cooked chopped bacon and continue stir-frying until it's warm. Season to taste. For a bit of color and some fresh flavors, sprinkle with chopped, fresh herbs like chives or cilantro just before serving.

Baked Sweet Potato Bar

Your besties are sure to enjoy the Friendsgiving equivalent of a baked potato bar. This is an easy adaptation; use sweet potatoes instead of ordinary baking potatoes. Set out a container of foil-wrapped baked sweet potatoes (bake at 425°F, 40-50 minutes) near a serve-yourself topping station with sweet and savory selections like cinnamon, sugar, butter, corn salsa or salad, chili, sour cream, cheese, green onions, and more. It's a great way to offer your guests an interactive, bespoke food experience with just a little prep on your part.

Green Beans With Garlic and Almonds

Do you long for a pop of color at Friendsgiving? Veggies are a great option to add color and make light and fresh sides that balance heavy mains, so everyone can save some room for dessert. Green beans are a traditional Thanksgiving veggie, but you don't need to mix them with condensed mushroom soup to serve them for Friendsgiving (unless you want to). Instead, make some  using this recipe from Oklahoma State University Extension for a light but delicious and vibrantly colored side dish.

Rice-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Winter squash is such a satisfying and warming fall food with earthy, sweet flavors and a soft but toothsome texture. So naturally, winter squash makes a great Friendsgiving side dish. Prepare this  from the University of Illinois Extension for an easy and elegant dish. Or take it to the next level. Once it is finished cooking, stuff the squash with this  from A Family Feast. Your friends will love the explosion of flavors from the sweet, tart cranberry, nutty rice, and earthy squash.

Vegan Baked Beans

If you and/or your BFFs are vegan, then  from Nora Cooks are the perfect dish for Friendsgiving. If it's a combined crowd of omnivores and vegetarians, beans can serve as a side for the omnivores and a main for the vegans. Plus, the smoky flavors and aromas are heartily satisfying for everyone.

Pumpkin Roll

Okay, let's not take this non-traditional Thanksgiving thing too far. Pumpkin is still a must-have, but it doesn't have to be pie. This  from Melissa K. Norris has the perfect Friendsgiving vibe.Ìý

Carrot Cake

Look, it's fine if you want to serve glazed carrots at Friendsgiving, but you could probably do better. For instance, aren't carrots even tastier in a cake? Your friends probably think so! Whether you make an  from the Cornell Cooperative Extension or you opt to prepare a  from Loving It Vegan (or maybe both!), your guests are sure to delight in eating veggies disguised as dessert.

Pumpkin and Cranberry Yogurt Parfait

Chances are if it is creamy and sweet, you can turn it into pumpkin spice something. Take Greek yogurt, for instance. Whisk in some pure maple syrup or honey and about a teaspoon of ground ginger or freshly grated gingerroot. Then, layer it in pretty parfait glasses with whole cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie filling. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh cranberries for an easy and colorful dessert your friends are going to love.

Pumpkin Mousse

Mousse. It sounds fancy, doesn't it? Good news — it's super easy! With easy-to-use ingredients like canned pumpkin puree and vanilla pudding mix, you can make a creamy, fluffy  (like this one from delish) for your pals. It's a great gluten-free dessert option for guests who have sensitivities or celiac disease.

Dried Fruit Tray

Dried fruit is like nature's candy, and it makes a super-easy dessert. Choose any dried fruits that tickle your fancy. Arrange them on a pretty tray and garnish with some edible flowers. What could be easier?

Give Thanks With Great Friends

Great friends and great food — that's what Friendsgiving is all about. Whether you're getting together with your current friend group or long-cherished besties from college, high school, or even before, everyone is sure to have an incredible time. When you pair the great company of your very best friends with awesome food, the fun is sure to expand exponentially.