Thanksgiving is the middle child of holidays. It is often overlooked with the anticipation of finding the perfect Halloween costume and is drowned out by Christmas songs that officially start playing on Nov. 1.

However, for college students the holiday may hold more meaning because for most students it is the first time they travel home during the school year.

Although, for students who cannot go home, they can still enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal at multiple Lexington restaurants.

Triangle Grille located on 369 W. Vine Street is offering a Thanksgiving buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. which includes traditional menu items such as turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie for dessert. The cost of the buffet is $26.95.

Another place providing a Thanksgiving buffet is all 51 of the Kentucky State Park locations. The closest park for UK students is the Waveland Historical Site, which is less than a 20 minute drive from campus. The park offers a glimpse into the past, providing educational tours of slavery in Kentucky. On Thanksgiving, Waveland is hosting an all you can buffet for $19.50, which includes all the menu items of a classic Thanksgiving meal and begins at 11 a.m.

However, for a cheaper alternative students can order a $10.59 Thanksgiving plate from Denny’s. The dinner plate has turkey, stuffing, bread, and a choice of two sides. Denny’s is located on Nicholasville Road.

Another restaurant students can spend Thanksgiving at is Cracker Barrel, which offers a similar plate option as Denny’s. For $12.99 students can order the Homestyle Turkey n’ Dressing Meal, which comes with a variety of Thanksgiving staples such as sweet potato casserole, ham, cranberry sauce, a side, pumpkin pie and Cracker Barrel’s famous buttermilk biscuits.

If you do not want an entire Thanksgiving meal and would prefer to just pick up some of your favorite sides, a variety of restaurants and stores around Lexington are providing this option. For example, The Fresh Market sells traditional sides such as green beans, gravy and even three pounds of stuffing at affordable prices.

Good Food Co-op located on Southland Drive also has multiple grab and go options for people, which allows them to choose what food they want to eat on Thanksgiving instead of eating an entire meal.

Don’t forget to save room for dessert. Bob Evans on Richmond Road has full traditional Thanksgiving pies and slices available ranging from $2.99 to $12.49. Martine’s Pastries on 1039 Industry Road also has pumpkin, pecan and apple pies available, along with a variety of other seasonal desserts such as pumpkin rolls, a Kentucky chocolate pecan pie and chess pie.

Do not avoid Thanksgiving traditions if you are unable to go home for the holiday. Give thanks at a Lexington restaurant and make a tradition in your new Kentucky home.