How To Pass Something Store-Bought Off As Homemade

You know, I remember when Thanksgiving was a time when I could kick back, relax, and stuff my face with delicious dishes that everybody else cooked. But, now that I'm an "adult" and expected to actually contribute to the meal, Thanksgiving can actually be pretty stressful. So, I'll look for any creative way to pass store-bought food off as homemade.

Perhaps you call this deceptive. I call it genius. Maybe I should spend hours slaving over the perfect green bean casserole. But, if I'm being honest, I've always been a terrible cook. So, I'd rather add a few finishing touches to a store-bought dish that I know will be delicious, than waste my time whipping together something that will end up tasting disgusting — and will undoubtedly have at least one of my hairs in it. Yum. If anything, I think my store-bought trick is considerate, not lazy!

Of course, you can't just slap a package of store-bought food on the Thanksgiving dinner table without looking positively rude. So, it's important that you master a few tactics to really pass off that purchased food as something you slaved away in the kitchen on. Here are a few tricks that will help you pull it all off! And, when someone asks for your recipe? Just run. Run as fast as you can.

1. Use an appropriate dish

It's all about presentation, people. If you waltz in carrying your contribution in the store packaging, it's a dead giveaway that you didn't make it yourself. So, take the time to transfer your store-bought trickery onto a plate or dish of your own. Out of all of these tips, it's by far the most crucial!

2. Add a special topping or sauce

Just because you forked over some cash to pick the dish up at the store doesn't mean you can't add your own special little somethin' to it. So, top those cupcakes off with some extra frosting and sprinkles. Or, throw a few extra bread crumbs on top of that casserole. It'll help the whole thing look more realistic. Plus, at least you'll know something about the dish that you brought to share! Knowing one ingredient hardly makes you look like a culinary whiz — but at least you won't draw a total blank!

3. Mess it up a little

You're not perfect, so your dish shouldn't be either. Unfortunately, the stuff you purchase from grocery stores looks way too good to ever be believable. So, as much as it might pain you, it's important to mess your dish up a little. That store-bought pie? Break up the crust a little bit. Those holiday cookies? Mess up a little of the frosting, and slightly break a few of them. Do whatever you need to do to make it look a little less perfect.

4. Visit a farmer's market or bake sale

If you want to begin with a dish that looks a little less perfect from the start, consider picking things up at a local farmer's market or bake sale, rather than at the grocery store. Just think about it — these dishes are made in someone's home kitchen, instead of being mass-produced in a grocery store. So, they look more realistically homemade — because they actually are. Start with this as your base, and then incorporate these other tips, and nobody will ever know you didn't make that dish yourself!

For more fall ideas, check out Bustle on YouTube.

Images: The Tedster/Flickr; Giphy (4)