Friendsgiving Tips to Host Like a Chef Without the Stress

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the season of fall hosting, warm meals and cozy evenings is upon us, meaning Friendsgiving planning has also most likely begun. Normally held in the weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, Friendsgiving is an opportunity to gather with your chosen family and celebrate friendship without unease or unwanted stress.

However, hosting can be tough, but chef Ricardo Larrivée believes that it doesn’t have to be. That’s why he created RICARDO, a gourmet food product line that provides meal solutions for hosting friends, loved ones and for everyday family meals.

“I’ve met so many people over the years who love the idea of cooking but sometimes feel overwhelmed by it. So, I thought, ‘Let’s make it easier and delicious. Let’s make something from my kitchen to yours.’ I’m passionate about sharing these meals as a way of providing comfort, convenience and quality. If my name is on it, I want you to love it,” he says.

Easy and delicious

As an accomplished Canadian chef, author and television personality, Larivée knows about good food and time well spent with family, and his products reflect it. RICARDO items are gourmet, chef-inspired meal solutions, designed to take the time and energy out of meal prep so you can spend it where it matters: around the table. 

“When I think about the best meals I’ve had, I don’t just remember what was on the plate; I remember who I shared it with,” says Larivée. “Sitting around the table is where so many of life’s important moments happen. You celebrate, you reconnect, you talk about your day. Even a simple weeknight dinner can turn into something meaningful. A good meal encourages people to linger, and that’s when the best conversations take place.”

His products include ready-to-cook frozen meals, such as meatballs with BBQ sauce and bell peppers, and marinated meats you just need to pop on the grill, like the Montreal flap steak. You can also elevate your side dishes with delicious sauces like the RICARDO ranch dip.

A stress-free Friendsgiving

Whether it’s your first time cooking for friends, or maybe you’re working with a tiny kitchen and not a lot of time, RICARDO products help you spend less time meal prepping and more time with your loved ones, explains Larivée.

This Friendsgiving, take the stress off your plate and serve something like RICARDO chicken breasts stuffed with asparagus and feta risotto. Add a fresh Caesar salad topped with RICARDO Caesar dressing and finish with the Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake, and you’ve got yourself a complete gourmet meal without much work. 

“Friendsgiving is all about being together. It shouldn’t be stressful, and you don’t need to be a trained chef to host a beautiful meal,” says Larivée. “If it’s your first time hosting Friendsgiving or your first big dinner with friends, I want you to feel confident and relaxed.” 

Make Friendsgiving easy and memorable this fall with RICARDO products, available exclusively at Safeway. And for more cooking tips, find Larivée’s new cookbook, My First Recipe Book — Recipes for the Food Kids Really Want to Make (And Eat), written to help inspire even the youngest chefs — available at select Safeway locations. 

Learn more at safeway.ca/ricardo.

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