8 Tips for Holiday Hosting While Pregnant

Baked Eggs in Butternut Squash Rings

Yummy Thanksgiving Appetizers can be as cute as they are scrumptious — like these Baked Eggs in Butternut Squash Rings recipe form Lisa Steele, author of The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook. Here's how you make it:

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh sage for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash the squash and cut crosswise into six 3/4- to 1-inch slices. Scoop out the seeds and hollow out the middle of each slice to allow room for an egg.
2. Arrange the squash on the baking sheet and brush each ring with olive oil inside and out, then season with salt and pepper. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until the squash has softened. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently crack and slide 1 egg into the center of each squash ring. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and return to the oven. Bake about 8 minutes, until the egg whites are set and the yolks are firm but not fully set.
3. Use a spatula to slide the squash rings onto plates. Top with Parmesan, garnish with fresh sage, and drizzle with olive oil.

Easy Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are such a reliable crowd-pleaser when it comes to Thanksgiving appetizer, or starters for any occasion, really! These 'shrooms in particular take inspiration from Greek cuisine and include tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, feta cheese, and salami.

Italian Savory Hand Pies

These hand pies are 100% vegan, so you can confidently serve them to a party of all diets. They're meaty, cheesy, herby, and definitely filling if you need to prep a decent snack ahead of your fancy Thanksgiving feast.

Chocolate-Covered Cheese Bites

Chocolate and cheese work surprisingly well together, and these creative dipped bites will certainly have all the foodies at the function buzzing.

Butternut Squash and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are such a classic snack, but they can easily become yummy Thanksgiving appetizers when you add butternut squash and bacon to the centers!

Perfect Fall Cheese Board

Transform your famous charcuterie board with fall accents to make a Thanksgivingappetizer that'll hit all the right taste buds.

Sausage, Spinach and Mushroom Phyllo Cups

Don't you just love a bite-sized snack that's super quick to make?

Mushroom Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Should your guests craves something that's creamy and crunchy, serve them these bready Thanksgiving appetizers.

Baked French Onion Meatballs

What do you get when you combine the savory flavors of French onion soup and meatballs? We'll give you a hint — it has something to do with being irresistible.

Cheesy Bacon Holiday Crack

Warning: biting into these sweet, spicy, crispy, and cheesy chips is the point of no return, but it's so worth it.

Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Two-ingredient appetizers are always a winner in our book, and this one is extra hearty.

Candied Walnut Bruschetta

Candied walnuts are excellent on their own, so imagine how they taste with pears and goat cheese on toast.

Crock-Pot Honey Garlic Little Smokies

Soy sauce and brown sugar coat these mini hot dogs, and a touch of Sriracha makes them even more spice-tastic.

Roasted Carrot Hummus

Carrots and cinnamon are blended with classic hummus ingredients for a healthy dip to pair with pita chips. The pomegranate and pumpkin seed garnish really ups the presentation of this Thanksgiving appetizer.

Caesar Salad Wonton Cups

Keep a package of wonton wrappers in the fridge, and you’ll never have to worry about what snacks to prep next for your party guests! This recipe stuffs the wraps with Caesar salad fixings, but the options are endless.

Chili and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

Even if you don’t have a ton of time, you can easily roast up a batch of these smoky mixed nuts before your guests arrive.

French Onion Soup Toasts

Turn French onion soup into a convenient appetizer with crusty bread, sautéed onions, and smoky cheese! Yummm.

Raspberry Baked Brie

Smooth goat cheese and tart raspberry preserves are a match made in snack heaven. The crispy puff pastry layer makes it all worth it.

Smoked Cheese and Onion Straws

If you have cheese lingering in your deli drawer, it’s the beginning of a tasty appetizer. Sprinkle it into some puff pastry for a twisty "straw" you'll reach for again and again.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites

The combo of chicken, bacon, and barbecue sauce results in a Thanksgiving appetizer that's almost impossible to stop eating.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Bacon and Cheddar

Smokey bacon and salty, nutty cheddar top some earthy mushrooms for a new version of this classic stuffed app.

Garlic-Stuffed Olives-in-a-Blanket

If you have vegetarian guests coming to your party, you’ll want to have a tasty option for them. These olives in a "blanket" do the trick nicely! As a bonus, most store-bought crescent roll dough is vegan.

Best Cheese Ball

There's a reason why sharp cheddar cheese balls are a classic Thanksgiving appetizer. Serve them with buttery Ritz crackers to reach total snack nirvana.

Whipped Goat Cheese with Warm Candied Bacon and Dates

Sweet and savory, this goat cheese dip is perfect for dipping crostini and vegetables in.

Savory Roasted Cranberry Salsa

Top a cracker with sour cream (or brie or goat cheese) and spread on this cranberry salsa for a light, yet spicy-sweet bite.

Pear and Gouda Puff Pastry

Pear really finds its life's purpose when it's tucked into a square of puff pastry and topped with salty gouda cheese.

Do Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson get along?

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Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson definitely get along, and in a recent prank call interview with Elle, they proved they have a great sense of humor too! When Suki and Rob get on the phone, they immediately refer to each other as "Darling" and "Angel" which made me swoon.

When told Suki had an offer to host Love is Blind together, Robert says, "Darling, have you gone mad? Are you joking? Is this whole thing a joke?"

After learning it is indeed a joke, Robert says, "I was like, 'Babe if you think it's the right thing for you.'"

Who knows, maybe we'll see them host together one day!!

Where were Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson recently seen?

The new parents stepped out in style during the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic on October 5 and they somehow seem cooler than before. Both wore pairs of shades that obscured their eyes, but their smiles and coordinating outfits were on full display! From the deep navy floral dress Suki wore to Robert's tailored suit, something tells me these two were prepared to turn heads.

What did Suki Waterhouse recently say about her family?

Suki Waterhouse can't stop gushing about her family! She showed up in style on the 2024 MTV VMA's red carpet and said Robert Pattinson is "the greatest" at being a dad to their 6-month-old baby girl (via Access Hollywood). Though he was working, Suki happily brought their daughter with her and had fun "showing her around New York City" prior to her red carpet appearance. As far as little one's personality, Suki disclosed that "She has such a sweet nature," and she's enjoying watching it unfold.

How does Suki Waterhouse feel about motherhood and her relationship with Robert Pattinson?

Suki Waterhouse is learning how to manage being a first-time mom who also has a career — two things that aren't easy to balance whatsoever. One of the things she shared with British Vogueis that she realized how much pressure moms are under. "Every mum’s morality is in question so much, not just from yourself, but from society," she said. "Everyone’s projecting something onto you. That’s an insane thing."

The one thing she observed about Robert Pattinson is how he seems to be adjusting to fatherhood. She said, " [he's] the dad I could have hoped for...It’s an actual love story."

Concerning their love story, Suki's song "To Love" from her upcoming album Memoir of a Sparklemuffin celebrates what it means to find your person. She said, "I had a very clear feeling of being like, ‘Oh, wow, Rob and I have been together six years and I’m still really into this.'" For Suki, all that seems to matter is, "This love and having a family and having a little world."

Someone bring us another box of tissues because this sounds so sweet!

Has Robert Pattinson made a public statement about his daughter?

Robert usually doesn't share too many details about his personal life, but there's no hiding from the joy of being a first-time dad! He recently attended the Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2025 fashion show in Paris (via People) and looked just as amazing as we remember seeing him in public.

Thanks to a short clip a fan posted to X, we're finally able to know how Robert feels about #dadlife. Though you have to really listen to hear what's he saying, there's no mistaking that he's loving life.

"[Having a baby] makes you feel very old and very young," he said with a smile that reached his eyes. "She's so cute...You know, I'm amazed by how quickly their personality comes. So even at three months, I'm like, 'Oh … I can kinda see who she is already.'"

Did Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson secretly get married?

Remember those whispers about Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson's engagement? Well, the couple is now rumored to have secretly gotten married already!

According to a source, they've been riding the marital bliss wave for some time. "The capper on that transformation has been for them to finally get serious about starting a family and spending the rest of their lives together. Official PR announcement or not, Rob and Suki are a married couple," they revealed to In Touch Weekly.

What exciting news did Suki Waterhouse share during her Coachella set?

Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson were spotted at Coachella on Friday in preparation for the former's amazing performance! A fan page shared several candid shots of the couple walking around on Instagram and we're living for Suki's fur coat moment. Only she could make her outfit look effortlessly cool.

But, one of the best moments during her Coachella set is the beautiful way she announced the gender of her and Robert's baby. In this awesome TikTok video, Suki can be seen smiling as she talked to the crowd. "I don't know if some of you know, but I've had some pretty big life changes happening this year...and I've been very lucky to have my own little amazing lady and meet the love of my life," she said.

This means Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson are officially on #TeamGirl 💕!

What has Suki Waterhouse said about her postpartum experience?

Suki Waterhouse shared how she was doing during postpartum on Instagram and gave her honest opinion about it. She wore an oversized cardigan, a nursing bra, and a pair of Frida Mom Disposable Underwear. She wrote, "the fourth trimester has been… humbling! the postpartum period has been filled with exhilarating joy, so much laughter, tears, soo many hormones! I’m proud of everything my body has achieved and proud of the kindness and grace I’ve given myself during this recovery period. 💕ootd: @fridamom pants!"

People applauded her for being so honest about postpartum with @juliemic79 commenting, "Thank you for being so real about what we go through after we deliver our precious angels. The hormones, the sleepless nights., the sheer joy and wonder of how such a little human can make your heart burst. It's a journey, take the time and heal and enjoy..."

Have Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson revealed their newborn to the public?

Suki shared an adorable pic of her holding their precious baby on Instagram with the caption, "welcome to the world angel ❤️." Singer Halsey wrote "ROCKSTAR MOM!" while Paris Hilton typed, "Congratulations love! So happy for you both!🥰" Amazon Prime is even spotted in Suki's comments!

Plenty of Suki's fans left their own sweet messages too! User @mischa.moo wrote, "Child’s gene pool is made of gold omg," which sums up how we feel.

Did Suki Waterhouse give birth?

Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson welcomed their first baby together earlier this year and it was one of the best baby news we'd come across! The new parents kept the details of baby's birth under wraps, but DailyMail shared exclusive images that showed they'd enjoyed a nice family outing while Robert pushed their newborn in a baby stroller

Why did Suki Waterhouse turns heads at the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards?

People shared that Suki Waterhouse practically floated on the red carpet while wearing a custom-made red Valentino gown that showed off her growing baby bump. She looked ethereal as the camera caught several angles of her face and the cut-out portions of her gown that revealed her and Robert Pattinson's baby.

Funnily enough, the gown had to be altered before it fit her frame perfectly. She said, "I was really excited about this look, Valentino...but it didn't even — like, I had to hold it. The fitting was just me holding it to my. body, so they had to really...redesign this dress to make it fit the bump."

As far as we're concerned, it all worked out in the end! Honestly, we love that more mamas are choosing to redefine their maternity style.

When did Suki announce her and Robert's baby news?

While performing at the Corona Capital Festival in Mexico, Suki shocked concert-goers at the beginning of her performance. A fan account posted a clip on X where she could be heard talking about distracting the crowd from a very obvious baby bump. She said, "...I'm not sure it's working" while working the stage in a sparkly mini dress and faux fur coat.

How long have Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson been dating?

Time flies fast because it's been more than a few years since Suki and Robert became a couple. People reported that it was rumored they began dating in 2018. However, the couple kept their relationship private — good thinking — for a while.

When did Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattison make their official debut?

The Hollywood Reporter shared that the couple appeared at the Dior Men's Fall show last December. They looked stylish and romantic as they walked the red carpet, which is how we've continued to see them.

What recent projects have Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson worked on?

Besides performing at the Corona Capital Festival this past weekend, Suki Waterhouse recently appeared as Karen Sirko in Daisy Jones & The Six this year. As stated above, Robert Pattison's last major project was The Batman.

​In which episode does JJ die?

JJ dies at the end of Outer Banks season 4 episode 10, "The Blue Crown" after rescuing Kiara from his father Chandler Groff. "I feel mad, betrayed, disappointed and heartbroken to say the least," Bruder adds. "JJ went through a lot of crap through the show and he was the one character who deserved his happy ending the most. When the series first came out, people fell in love with JJ and [Kiara]."

While the cast obviously found out about the ending while filming, fans are frustrated with how they chose to promote the show. "Obviously the cast can’t spoil a character death, but to blatantly lie and mislead fans by saying that Jiara was 'evergrowing' and fans would be happy with how the season plays out?" Bruder says. "Jiara fans deserved so much better than what we got, ESPECIALLY when they knew they were killing JJ off."

Why are Outer Banks fans so upset?

The show is the kind of phenomenon that made instant stars out of its cast, but it also made waves because of how the first season portrayed issues like classism, substance abuse, and domestic abuse. "As someone who has been around domestic abuse, I think the handling of the character JJ was detrimental culturally," another fan (who would like to remain anonymous) says. "The character suffered abuse at the hands of a man who was not even his biological father, and the writers almost framed it as if that was okay because in the beginning, his father loved him. Instead of telling a story to victims of abuse about hope and making it through trials, the writers went the opposite way. I also find it interesting that they stated this was a planned death. I think writing a character who is suffering from anxiety and clear mental health issues as well as abuse who is very young like JJ only to let him fall in love and kill him right when he starts to feel happiness doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense narratively."

Another viewer adds that ending JJ's story that way felt "disrespectful...especially when in an interview following the episode, one of the creators literally referred to his death as pointless." She even says "it feels almost like the show died along with him."

Actress Madelyn Cline (Sarah Cameron) called JJ the "heart of Outer Banks"and for a lot of fans, JJ also became a beacon of hope, a reminder that you can endure, persevere, and come out stronger on the other side. Since the first season of the show dropped during April 2020, it's been one consistent, fun thing for TV fans since the COVID-19 pandemic began, which makes the loss feel even greater.

"Seeing him die at the hands of another abusive father was honestly kind of sickening," the viewer adds. "It’s also unfortunate that his death didn’t seem to mean anything. A character death like this would be one thing if it meant something. If he had died protecting his friends or actively protecting Kiara, rather than having already saved her and then getting killed afterward, it might’ve be easier to get past."

"It’s like a connection to something good and steady was just broken," X user @onlykiep4l says. "Killing a character that has literally gone trough so much trauma and was finally happy just doesn’t make sense. It’s not just the character that’s gone — it feels like a part of the show has ended too."

Why does JJ get killed off?

Rumors have been circulating for years about behind-the-scenes drama between actors Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey, which has fans believing Rudy asked to be written off the show(for the record, Outer Banks creators Josh & Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke have said it was the plan from the beginning). With Rudy's exit, the writers had a difficult choice in front of them. JJ isn't the kind of guy to abandon his friends, meaning the writers obviously felt like killing him was the only option. But according to an additional viewer, "Outer Banks hasn't been that type of show."

"To attempt to turn this fun, summer, boat show into some dark, depressing story where the heart of the show is gone destroys everything that the show started out as," she says.

Another anonymous fan calls the choice "a character assassination," adding other moments from the season that feel like a different character than the one fans have come to love: barely reacting to John B. and Sarah's pregnancy announcement, or to the fact Rafe had come to talk to Kiara — especially after his reaction to Rafe catcalling Kie in the first season is a moment that led fans to ship them in the first place.

The fan continues by calling JJ's treatment a "lack of respect" toward the character. "The fact that the writers tried to make us dislike him, to soften the blow of him dying. It didn’t work. It has everyone distraught because many people’s favorite character ended up dying after 'finding happiness' for about 10 minutes in Episode 10."

​Does Sarah get pregnant in Outer Banks season 4?

But JJ's death isn't the only moment that has fans reeling. In addition to the fact viewers are saying the Pogues barely reacted to the death of their lifelong best friend, Pope is now a murderer and Kiara makes an absolutely chilling vow to get revenge on Groff — a far cry from the characters we fell in love with in season 1.

"Outside of the JJ of it all, a lot of plot lines/dynamics in part 2 felt off," one of our anonymous fans continues. "Sarah’s pregnancy plot line, especially when coupled with the quote from a creator about ‘giving her a baby specifically because she wasn’t ready’ feels incredibly tone deaf given the current state of things here in the US. The fact that there wasn’t even a conversation of if she wanted to continue with the pregnancy felt very icky. Overall, episodes 1-4 of this season did feel like Outer Banks, but everything after that felt like it was from an entirely different piece of media."

However, some fans are excited to see where the show goes from here. "JJ was such a strong character and his presence will obviously be missed, [but] I am excited to see how the Pogues react and what they do to get revenge on Groff," Virginia McGrew says in an email. "I also think that the scene of JJ dying with Kiara was extremely well done and emotional, making his passing even sadder. I ultimately believe that JJ’s passing serves as a reminder of the themes the show."

"JJ made the group even more aware of friendship, the importance of chosen family, and loyalty, which was seen throughout the season and especially in the finale," she continues. "Now that he is gone, the other Pogues will have to step up even more, creating a shift in their dynamic. While many believe that Outer Banks might not be worth watching after this finale, I truly think that it is only going to get even deeper and more interesting."