11 Unique Uses For All The Taco Seasoning Packets In Your Pantry

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes can be made pre-Turkey Day and simply reheated before meal time. Just add salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg, and you’ve got amazing potato heaven. (via Brit + Co)

Low-Carb Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

It doesn’t matter what holiday it is, deviled eggs are always a requirement. Flavor with bacon and ranch to ensure that kids and adults will both devour them. (via Brit + Co)

Baked Brie

Traditional Thanksgiving side dishes can take some serious time and effort, but this one doesn't call for much. Just wrap a brie wheel in store-bought pastry dough, and watch the magic happen. (via Brit + Co)

Thanksgiving Cheese Plate

This DIY crescent roll cornucopia will eliminate the need for most Thanksgiving side dishes. Just make sure your feast has bottles of wine at the ready for the all-day snackers. (via Brit + Co)

Triple Threat Potatoes

Why choose between baked, mashed, or fried potatoes when you can have all three in one? Technically, these potatoes could be an app or a side – either way, you need them in your life. (via Brit + Co)

Skinny Butternut Squash Lasagna Cups

The great thing about this tart (aside from its deliciousness, of course) is that it can be made completely ahead of time. Not to mention it has all of your sides in one dish. (via Brit + Co)

Garlic Knots

Swap out your OG dinner rolls for something a bit more flavorful and less laborious. These garlic knots come together in about 20 minutes, plus are great Thanksgiving side dishes for scooping up gravy and mashed potatoes. (via Brit + Co)

Sausage and Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash

This versatile dish could serve as a light main or a hearty side. It’s filled with homemade turkey sausage, woodsy herbs, and mushrooms for an all-in-one earthy Thanksgiving treat. (via The Girl on Bloor)

Simple Turnip Gratin

Fuss-free side dishes are an absolute *must* when you’re serving a big crowd. This easy gratin is made with seasonal turnips and just a handful of other complementary ingredients. (via Just a Little Bit of Bacon)

Sweet Potato Rounds with Herbed Ricotta and Walnuts

If you’re looking for a healthy-but-sweet version of bruschetta, using sweet potatoes is your answer. They’re jam-packed with nutrients, flavor and all-around goodness that your guests will go nuts over. (via The Roasted Root)

Garlicky Kale Salad With Crispy Chickpeas

Roasted garlic cloves and tandoori chickpeas are the stars of this dish, but it all comes together with the help of a bed of kale. The dish packs an unexpected hint of spice that goes perfectly with turkey and potatoes. (via Minimalist Baker)

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Lose the added preservatives (and calories!) that are found in canned mushroom soup, and serve up this green bean casserole instead. The fresh veggies and herbs are way more flavorful and healthier than anything you’ll find in a can. (via Eat the Love)

Vegan Corn Casserole

Casseroles are the king of Thanksgiving side dishes. This one is made with corn, is totally creamy, and is 100% vegan! (via Crowded Kitchen)

Herbed Wild Rice and Quinoa Stuffing

This flavorful stuffing substitute is packed with fresh herbs, apples, cranberries, and pecans, making it a dish you’ll want to enjoy all throughout fall. And why not? It’s rich in protein and caters to almost any dietary restriction, so feel free to dig in! (via Kitchen Treaty)

Balsamic Rainbow Roasted Beets

Balsamic glaze perfectly highlights the earthiness of roasted beets. Even the beet naysayers will find themselves attracted to this dish. (via Back to Her Roots)

Cumin Roasted Cauliflower with Black Lentils

Looking for a healthy Thanksgiving dinner side dish that isn’t a potato? This cumin roasted cauliflower with black lentils is just what you need! (via The Awesome Green)

Ginger Miso Acorn Squash With Toasted Pistachios

This Thanksgiving side stands on its own among all the traditional staples. It has a sweet and salty contrast that stuffing just doesn’t deliver. (via Snixy Kitchen)

Protein-Packed Vegan Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Buried inside these mashed potatoes are sneaky swirls of hidden cauliflower and silken tofu. But don’t be scared, you won’t taste anything other than garlicky, cheesy vegan goodness. (via Eat Within Your Means)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash With Dried Cranberries

Crispy, caramelized and slightly bitter Brussels sprouts pair amazingly with sweet and creamy butternut squash, dried cranberries and Dijon vinaigrette. This dish is epic. (via A Beautiful Plate)

Butternut Squash Orzo with Feta and Sage

If you’re not gorging on butternut squash this holiday season, what are you doing with your life? This massive casserole is enough to feed a small army so you can skip out on making anything else. (via The Mighty Mrs.)

Roasted Cinnamon Little Potatoes and Pumpkin

These roasted baby potatoes are not your average spud. They’re crispy, sweet and perfectly seasoned, so you’ll probably want to make extra. (via Noshing With the Nolands)

Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale and Cranberry Couscous

This salad could basically be a meal in itself. It’s got hearty grains and loads of veggies, but it’s also huge on flavor. It’s festive enough for your Thanksgiving table, but you’ll want to put it on repeat for weeknight dinners all winter long. (via Gimme Some Oven)

Sweet Pumpkin Buns

These pumpkin buns are pretty enough to be centerpieces. Smear with butter and maple syrup to enhance their sweetness. (via Lands & Flavors)

Stuffing Muffins with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

The best part of Thanksgiving is mixing all of the foods on your plate together. Yes, this just makes the process all the faster. (via The Colorful Kitchen)

Brown Sugar Delicata Squash

If you’ve never had Delicata squash, you’re missing out on so much sweet deliciousness. Let their flavor shine by intensifying them slightly with a sprinkling of brown sugar. (via Dinner at the Zoo)

Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

This no-fuss make-ahead stuffing has just the right amount of kick. And if you’re serving this as a dressing rather than a stuffing, you can even make it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven 20 minutes before serving. (via Damn Delicious)

Kale and Collard Greens Gratin

Sturdy collard greens provide a base for a creamy sauce, breadcrumbs and crispy prosciutto. If this dish gets mixed up with the mashed potatoes on your plate, you won’t be sorry! (via The Vintage Mixer)

Slow Cooker Mexican Mac and Cheese

The added tomato and jalapeño really give this comfort food an added kick. And who doesn’t love macaroni and cheese leftovers? (via Today’s Creative Life)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Mushroom Quinoa

Keep the vegetarians at the table happy with this hearty make-ahead quinoa dish. Add whatever veggies you like but mushrooms are a *must.* (via Le Creme de la Crumb)

Garlic and Butter Green Beans

Any recipe that involves a microwave on Thanksgiving is a blessing. Seriously. Simply make these ahead of time and pop them in the microwave for a few minutes before dinnertime and you’re set. (via Jacquelynne Steves)

Balsamic Roasted Red Onions with Thyme

These tart onions serve as a great side for any meat, and you can also use them for breakfast the next morning. Omelets with onions and goat cheese, anyone? (via Nerds With Knives)

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

You can’t go wrong with classic mac and cheese. It’s creamy, cheesy and the ultimate crowd-pleaser for any holiday. (via Certified Pastry Aficionado)

Crock Pot Bacon Green Beans

It’s not a true Thanksgiving spread without grandma’s green beans on the table. And bacon makes everything better, doesn’t it? (via Julie’s Eats & Treats)

Cinnamon-Sugar Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Oatmeal. Cookie. Crumble. If that topper doesn’t tempt you to give these sweet potatoes a try, we’re not sure what will. (via How Sweet Eats)

Creamy Corn Pudding with Crispy Onions

With so many great alternatives to green bean casserole, you may find yourself with an extra can of fried onions on your hands. Show them off in whole new way atop this slightly sweet (but mostly savory) casserole. (via Pinch of Yum)

Kale and Wild Rice Casserole

Kale, mushrooms and onions mingle together ever-so-nicely in this Thanksgiving side dish. Assemble it days ahead of time and simply pop it in the oven about an hour before you sit down for dinner. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Thanksgiving Root Vegetable Pie

Tuck into this mashed-sweet-potato-topped pie to reveal layers of chunky roasted root veggies and sautéed mushrooms hiding underneath. It’ll be hard hold back from having seconds (or thirds). (via Food52)

Potato Goat Cheese Gratin

Crispy, creamy, cheesy and carby — what’s not to love about that? Switch up your standard potato preparation with this chic gratin. (via The Hungry Hounds)

Garlic Butter Mushroom Risotto

For a vegetarian-friendly side, simply simmer up this creamy mushroom and spinach risotto with vegetable broth. Whatever you do, don’t forget the cheese! (via Pinch of Yum)

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad With Apples and Parmesan Crisps

This hot and cold salad features a tantalizing array of both sweet and savory elements. Plus, parmesan crisps are amazing on just about everything. (via Love and Garnish)

No Yeast Dinner Rolls

When you're short on time to let bread proof, opt for making these super simple and easy rolls for one of your Thanksgiving side dishes. What else would you sop up that gravy on your plate with?! (via Give Recipe)

Cauliflower, Red Onion and Chestnut Tart

Just a small piece of this rich blue cheese bechamel tart will satisfy your taste buds while leaving plenty of room in your belly for more important things… like dessert. But don’t worry, we won’t tell the pumpkin pie if you’d rather have more of this tart. (via Martha Stewart)

Dijon Maple Green Beans With Caramelized Pecans, Bacon and Feta

When you think of green beans on Thanksgiving, you probably imagine overcooked casserole. These fresh and crispy beans are far from that with a luxurious bite, thanks to bacon and feta. (via Carlsbad Cravings)

Butternut Potato Puffs Thanksgiving Side Dish Idea

We couldn’t pass up this side based on its adorable name alone. Just squeeze seasoned potato and butternut squash puree through a large, star-topped piping bag and bake until golden brown all over. (via Bitter Sweet)

Vegan Whole Roasted Cauliflower

This cauli dish is all-the-way juicy and zesty, making the perfect Thanksgiving side dish for a lil' dose of veggies. (via The Edgy Veg)

Red Wine Cremini Mushrooms

So… you need a last minute addition to your Thanksgiving spread, but everything’s already taken. These sautéed red wine mushrooms are quick and easy and you can be sure no one else will bring them. (via Kristeena Michelle)

Sangria Cranberry Sauce

This recipe definitely gets how we roll. It’s a perfect side dish to share with your wine-loving squad at Friendsgiving. (via SheKnows)

Potato Rings With Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

We imagine the whole “don’t play with your food” rule was set before these awesome potato rings were made. Though, maybe reserve the potato ring toss for after dinner. (via Spoon Fork Bacon)

Applesauce Mac and Cheese with Apple Sausage

Why leave applesauce all by its lonesome when you can have it buddy up with mac and cheese? While it may sound strange, apples and cheese totally go together. Pro tip: try mixing in some chicken-apple sausage to amp up the apple flavor even more. (via Adventures in Cooking)

Mashed Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

You’ve made mashed potatoes over and over again. Switch things up this year with this sweet and savory butternut squash mash with goat cheese and rosemary. (via Recipe Runner)

Roasted Sweet Potato, Wild Rice and Arugula Salad

Wild rice is chewy and nutty, and packs a punch with good-for-you fiber. Prep this salad ahead of time and mix in the arugula and dressing at the last minute. (via Pinch of Yum)

Rosemary Garlic Hasselback Potatoes

Potatoes are a serious Thanksgiving Day side. No pressure, but a lot of people are depending on you. These rosemary garlic potatoes only call for a few ingredients and can serve as the perfect low-calorie sub for french fries any day of the year. It’s a win-win. (via Feasting at Home)

Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots

Pumpkin and butternut squash get all of the orange vegetable glory on Thanksgiving. It's time that carrots stood up and took their place at the head of the sides table once and for all. (via Carlsbad Cravings)

Harvest Salad With Quinoa + Butternut Squash

This hearty salad has all the color and all the flavor you need to feel satisfied on Thanksgiving. (via The Real Food Dietitians)

When will the Starbucks holiday drinks for 2024 come out?

The new holiday drinks and snacks from Starbucks came out on November 7, 2024.

Will there be holiday cups?

Yes, the Starbucks holiday menu includes some new holiday cup designs! You can peek at all the new designs for 2024 here.

What's missing from this year's rumored Starbucks holiday menu?

The Eggnog Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Irish Cream Cold Brew, and Gingerbread Loaf won't be returning to cafes for 2024. We're especially sad to see the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha not included, though the official menu lineup has yet to be released!

When is Starbucks Red Cup Day 2024?

Though there's no official word out about Red Cup Day for 2024, our best guess – based on the Red Cup Days of years past – is it'll return mid-November. In 2023, Red Cup Day fell on November 16. In 2022, the coffee chain held the event on November 17. Both dates landed on the third Thursday of November, so we predict it to hit on November 21 for 2024. Red Cup Day is when Starbucks customers can get a free reusable red cup when they order a seasonal drink off the holiday menu!

Drinks On The Starbucks Holiday Menu 2024

NEW! Cran-Merry Orange Refresher

This brand-new Refresher is packed with sweet orange, tart cranberry, and warm spice. It also has cranberry inclusions and is order-able mixed with water, lemonade or coconut milk.

Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai

Chai is a totally underrated holiday flavor in our opinion. This iced drink is crafted with warm chai spices and creamy oat milk, then gets topped with even more frothed oat milk infused with gingerbread-flavored syrup and a sprinkling of spice.

Peppermint Mocha

You know it, and you love it! The Peppermint Mocha has hit Starbucks menus year after year, making it a total statement sip for the holiday season. This drink (available hot or iced) combines peppermint syrup, mocha sauce, and your milk of choice with espresso for a festive feel. It's traditionally topped with whipped cream and tasty chocolate curls.

Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha

Similar to the classic Peppermint Mocha, this bev swaps chocolate for white chocolate sauce.

Caramel Brûlée Latte

This Starbucks holiday menu drink is very rich. The sweet caramel brûlée sauce totally completes the sip, along with plenty of whipped cream and crunchy lil' brûlée bits for textural variety.

Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte

Literally like a sugar cookie in liquid form, this super-sweet latte is handcrafted with blonde espresso (it's sweeter and lighter than Starbucks' traditional espresso shots), sugar cookie syrup, and almond milk for a little bit of a lighter effect. It's finished off with red and green sprinkles to up the seasonal vibes even more!

Chestnut Praline Latte

This nutty latte brings on notes of chestnut and praline, which is a nice, flavorful departure from the very expected peppermint you'll see everywhere come holiday time.

Salted Pecan Crunch Cold Brew

Initially introduced for fall 2024, it appears as though the Salted Pecan Crunch Cold Brew will stay on the Starbucks menu well into winter. The salted, pecan-flavored cold foam offers that classic sweet n' salty twist you'd enjoy on fall snacks like trail mix or dipped pretzels. The best part is you can now also order the cold foam in non-dairy form!

Holiday Cold Foams

Starbs will also be bringing back four beloved holiday-flavored cold foamsand two new options for 2024. They're the perfect drink customization to add to your iced coffees and cold brews if you don't want to order an all-out holiday drink. See all the flavors below:

• NEW! Gingerbread
• NEW! Salted Pecan
• Peppermint Chocolate
• Sugar Cookie
• Chestnut Praline
• Caramel Brûlée

Snacks On The Starbucks Holiday Menu 2024

NEW! Dark Toffee Bundt

This sweet toffee-flavored bundt is topped with holly- and berry-shaped sprinkles. How perfect for the holiday season!

NEW! Turkey Sage Danish

This savory snack reportedly includes "turkey sausage with creamy béchamel sauce in a pastry." It sounds like Thanksgiving in a single treat, and we can't wait to try it!

NEW! Penguin Cookie

This cutie sugar cookie is decorated like a lil' penguin bundled up for the cold.

Snowman Cake Pop

Starbucks' classic vanilla cake pop gets a wintry twist with an adorable snowman face – this sweet really makes us crave the holiday season!

Sugar Plum Cheese Danish

This cream cheese-filled danish is topped with a slightly-spiced sugar plum jam. It's been one of our go-to's over the past few holiday seasons at Starbucks!

Cranberry Bliss Bar

The Cranberry Bliss Bar has become an absolute staple on the Starbucks holiday menu, and for good reason! This blondie treat is smothered in a delicious cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with orange zest and dried cranberries for added seasonal enjoyment.

What People Are Saying About The Leaked Starbucks Holiday Menu

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Famed foodie account @markie_devo was the first to leak the Starbucks holiday menu earlier this year. Though most commenters on @markie_devo's Starbucks holiday menu leak post seemed to be excited for the upcoming rumored menu items, some Starbs fans noticed a few things missing from the leaked lineup.

"Still missing eggnog 😢," someone noted.

"Where is the toasted white chocolate mocha 😢😢😢😢," another questioned.

"ALLLLLL these cold foams, and not the one people want: Irish Cream," one more commenter said.

"Ugh still no gingerbread loaf 😭," a disappointed user wrote. "Everything else looks bomb though!"

Despite the Eggnog Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Irish Cream Cold Brew, and Gingerbread loaf not being part of this year's menu predictions, the holiday season is our favorite time of year at Starbucks. Many more users shared the same sentiment:

"So excited for all chestnut praline shaken espressos & cranberry bliss bars 🎄🎄🎄🎄," someone wrote.

"Oh hell yess all the chestnut praline offerings," another rejoiced.

With the 13th anniversary of the first movie on September 28th, Banks (who’s also the new Chief Creative Officer for luxury canned wine brand Archer Roose) told Brit + Co that the cast knew the film was meant to last. “We knew that we were making something... I don't want to say cult [but] we knew it was truly funny and was truly about underdogs and had great characters — it tends to stick around,” she says. And trust us when we say that ‘aca-scuse’ me still makes its way into daily conversations.

Banks continues that the trilogy is “about coming of age, [which] really speaks to teenagers who feel not seen.” She jokes that, “acapella was for losers,” similar to the "loser" trope that infiltrated successful early 2000’s films like Bring It On, which makes it a project so many viewers are able to connect to. “I will say once I saw the reception to the movie early on, I think we knew that we had something that was very special.” If you don’t know the “Riff Off” by heart, you’re lying.

As rumors continue to swirl about a possible Pitch Perfect 4, we had to get to the bottom of whether or not she’d be up to reprising her role as Gail, the comedic acapella host.

“We're always looking for ways to give the fans something,” she says. “I think we would never want to be accused of a money grab.” And in a time where Hollywood continues to revisit past successes, the industry is no stranger to flop sequels — remember Fantastic Beasts (either movie after the original), Joker: Folie à Deux, Legally Blonde 2, or Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny?

And while the Pitch Perfect cast would love to make a fourth film in theory, it would need to be just right. “It's okay that it just lives and is its thing. I love that people want it, but I want to make sure that it delivers,” Banks tells Brit + Co. “There [are] three great movies, and we know these characters inside and out. If the idea isn't amazing, I don't want the audience to be disappointed.”

The Cocaine Bear star added that she is always trying to make “a deposit on the brand” and “never wants to make a withdrawal” — meaning that the franchise is continually so highly-praised that there’s no need to take away from it unnecessarily.

Banks jokes that fans “just want the same thing again” (AKA the nostalgia and comedy coming from the original movie). Her former costar, Anna Kendrick, recently told People that she “would love” to work on a Pitch Perfect set again, but believes that “Rebel Wilson is really like the steam engine of everything.” So it seems to be a never say never situation, if you can aca-believe it.