For many in the U.S., the Thanksgiving holiday is a time to gather with family and friends, and at Barnard, it’s a time for community.
Every year, as a standing tradition, International Student Services rolls out the Millie’s Thanksgiving Homestay Program, which pairs local alumnae with students who will remain in the City for the holiday — and this year they’ve signed up more than 30 students. Undergraduates and alumnae excitedly plan and share their favorite dishes for Friendsgiving dinners or return to their hometown for family gatherings. And alumnae food connoisseurs — such as New York Times food reporter Melissa Clark ’90, author and Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli ’91, Emmy Award-winning television show host Martha Stewart ’63, P’87, and cookbook author Julia Turshen ’07 — bake up and publish yummy recipes for everyone at home to experiment with, including climate-friendly veggie options.
“Reducing or eliminating your meat intake and portioning your meals are some of the easiest everyday choices you can make to reduce your carbon footprint,” said Leslie Raucher, Barnard’s associate director of sustainability. “Root vegetables have some of the lowest carbon emissions. Shifting any meal to be more plant-based makes a difference, so why not make your Thanksgiving about the side dishes? Another way that you can have a low-carbon Thanksgiving dinner is by not wasting your leftovers.”
Dig in to students’ and alumnae’s reflections below, as well as some delicious traditional and vegetarian meals.
How do you plan to celebrate?
Ayana Byrd '95
This Thanksgiving is my first in Lisbon my 4-year-old son. We are going to a global potluck dinner thrown by American expat friends. There will be about 30 of us, but only 10 Americans, with everyone else as a mix of French, Danish, Indian, Portuguese and Brazilian. The menu is going to be as eclectic as the group with people bringing dishes from their country. It feels like the perfect way to spend a day celebrating food and community.
Isabelle Bouvier ’26
Major: American Studies and Human Rights
“For Thanksgiving this year, I’ll be traveling home to Amherst, Massachusetts. I have a big family, so it’s rare for us all to be in the same place at the same time, but this year we’re all going to be together. I’m excited to spend time with my siblings, eat my parents’ home-cooked meals, and run on the trails near our house.”
Fiona Bird '25
Every Thanksgiving, my family has a rock skipping competition, which I plan to win. I will also be attending my local winter festival, where I get to see friends, eat fried dough, and look at the stars. Thanksgiving break is my favorite time of year to hike, play guitar, and make linocuts. This year, I hope to bake an apple pie and read June Jordan's poetry!
Veda Kumarjiguda ’12
“I live in New York City, but I’m celebrating the holiday by going to my sister’s house in Danville, Pennsylvania. We’ll have a mixed menu — Indian: Brussels sprout pakoras; Vietnamese: gobi manchurian bao buns; and some traditional American Thanksgiving fixings: roast chicken. I love Thanksgiving. I like spending the day in the kitchen and cooking together and sharing a meal. There are about 10 people coming!”
Olaedo Udensi ’26
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
“I usually spend Thanksgiving break with family in Lagos, Nigeria, or in the U.K., but this year I will be in New York City with my friends. I plan on going to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and preparing a Friendsgiving dinner of pasta on Thanksgiving Day. I also want to explore some of New York City’s holiday spots before final exams kick up. I may go ice skating at Bryant Park’s Winter Village with my suitemates and do some early holiday shopping at Union Square Holiday Market!”
What’s cooking?
Melissa Clark ’90
The prolific cookbook author, food reporter, and columnist offers a menu planner in The New York Times that makes putting the big dinner together easy. There are step-by-step instructions for recipes as well as videos and tips of the day. As variety is the spice of life, Clark’s Thanksgiving coverage includes everything from ooey-gooey-cheesy cauliflower sides to caramelized red cabbage squares and a honey-sweet cranberry sauce.
A sample of Clark’s favorite vegetarian sides:
- Vegan Mushroom Make-Ahead Gravy
- Herby Brioche Stuffing for Two
- Butternut Squash and Mushroom Wellington
Alex Guarnaschelli ’91
This season, the renowned Chopped judge and executive chef at New York City’s Butter is sharing a full Thanksgiving menu with the world. With tips to avoid dry turkey and a reminder that “store-bought is fine,” Guarnaschelli has been sharing recipes ranging from roasted garlic toast to roasted grapes and cheese as an evening starter. The generous culinary giant also showed her work by offering foodie fans her daily prep schedule of the days and duties leading up to the holiday.
Martha Stewart ’63
The iconic lifestyle guru, bestselling cookbook author, and — most recently — focus of the 2024 Netflix documentary Martha will be sure to honor the memory of her mother, “Big Martha,” this Thanksgiving. Stewart, who released her landmark 100th book this month, will prepare her family recipe of creamy mashed potatoes, which, as she shared with The New York Times, called for “Idahos — freshly dug.” (She now prefers Yukon Golds for the recipe.)
Julia Turshen ’07
Published last month, What Goes With What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities is a great starting point for any home cook at any time of the year, especially now. Organized by salads and sandwiches; soups, stews, and braises; rice, grains, and pasta; vegetables; mains; and baked goods, the book offers an abundance of ways to flip or build on a dish. In the video below, budding sous chefs can follow along as Turshen whips up two easy, less-than-$20 meals during a visit to Good Morning America earlier this month.
