When thinking of Thanksgiving, the first images that come to mind are of friends, family and generous amounts of home-cooked meals arranged on the table.

One of the most iconic traditions during this holiday is the food. Whether it is baking a pumpkin pie, mixing mashed potatoes or roasting a turkey, cooking for Thanksgiving has always been a popular and historic tradition for thousands of families.

“The first Thanksgiving was a harvest celebration held by the pilgrims of Plymouth colony in the 17th century,” states Rebecca Brooks, writer for historyofmassachusetts.org.

These traditions created by pilgrims from centuries ago should continue to be passed down through generations, not only to keep the history alive, but to teach family members home-cooked recipes. Children, adults and others can learn new ideas for future meals and experience cooking first-hand.

Expecting to eat out at a restaurant on Thanksgiving will only create a lazy mentality, instead of taking the time to cook for your loved ones and give thanks for having the opportunity to make meals at home.

Choosing to cook at home for Thanksgiving may seem like a hassle or an inconvenience, however, you could be saving yourself and your family the trouble of waiting for a table at a busy restaurant.

“I think the idea is that they will avoid the stress of cooking and cleaning for themselves, but they are not going to get any more relaxed at our loud, busy restaurant,” states an anonymous writer for munchies.vice.com. “In fact, they seem to be more stressed, and they do not get any leftovers or get to enjoy the comfort of their own home.”

Taking your family out to eat for Thanksgiving may seem like a way to surpass all the stress of cooking, however, this idea only creates a more chaotic environment for everyone.

Also, many may think that going to a restaurant means they will not have to pay as much as they would when cooking from home, but you could easily end up paying almost three times as much when eating out. Instead you could be searching for cheaper alternatives for home-cooked meals.

It can be very easy to find affordable deals on ingredients without having to break your budget or compromise on purchasing foods you will not enjoy.

Thanksgiving does not always have to be a stressful day filled with expensive meals and long hours in the kitchen. Keeping basic traditions and bypassing the modern restaurant experience does not only benefit you and your family, but also future generations to come.

You can find easy and effortless alternatives to make your holiday the best one yet, and doesn’t that sound better than eating out at some chaotic restaurant?