Essentials To Know This Thanksgiving
While this holiday certainly revolves around turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, there are so many other things that it stands for.
Friends, family, and giving thanks for all of the blessings in our lives is really what Thanks Giving day is about.
While this holiday’s traditional meal is a lot of good eatin’, it’s also a lot of work for the host. If you’re the one hosting dinner this year, here are some essentials to know for the big event to help things run smoothly and be enjoyable for you!
Enjoy These Tips To Stress Less and Still Make Thanksgiving Wonderful For Everyone This Year!
** Make a timeline and master list of everything that needs to happen.
Avoid last-minute overload by counting backward from the time dinner is served and scheduling out prep time and oven time. This list can stick on the fridge or wherever you’ll see it. You may also find it helpful to set alarms on my phone for really key moments, like putting the turkey in the oven.
It can help to do a reverse timeline. Start with what time the service is, and count backward for each item. No more worrying about things not finishing at the same time!
** Make as much ahead as possible.
The most stressful part of a meal is the last-minute rush. Our readers reiterated one of our favorite tips for Thanksgiving (and any big dinner): When you’re planning your menu, look for dishes that can be made ahead. (Or just use our make-ahead Thanksgiving menu and check out our Make-Ahead Schedule. Even if you can’t make a full dish ahead, look for ways to peel off pieces, like toasting nuts or breadcrumbs.
Make things ahead. Start the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week by making casseroles and pies, things that can be reheated the day of Thanksgiving. Cranberry sauce also can be made days in advance. Do one thing each day when you get home from work and it all works out.
** Never turn down help.
Thanksgiving is often a potluck affair, and that’s the beauty of it. Let friends and family bring things, and be shameless about delegating the parts of the meal that stress you out.
Delegate, delegate, delegate. Just because you’re hosting doesn’t mean you need to make every single thing. Pick the dishes that are most important to you and then ask your guests to contribute!
** Don’t make a big deal over appetizers.
Thanksgiving is a huge meal! Don’t stress about appetizers. Ask someone else to bring one, or just put out some store-bought crackers and dip.
Appetizers are totally overkill! Set out some crudites if you feel people need to nibble.
** Don’t experiment with new recipes.
Thanksgiving is all about the classics, so stick with the tried-and-true. Our readers said this over and over. Leave your brain free to deal with the turkey (especially if it’s your first time). Thanksgiving (or any other major holiday meal) is really NOT the time to experiment with a new recipe!
** It’s fine to buy parts of your meal.
Know a great bakery? Buy a pie. Hate making gravy? Buy some from a specialty grocery. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with buying a few pieces of the meal, especially if it makes for a more relaxing day. We heard this over and over from the readers.
Making everything from scratch is usually too much work (unless you’ve delegated quite a few things to other guests). Don’t be afraid to buy the rolls or appetizers or whatever it is that makes you cringe.
** Start early on your non-food prep.
It’s not just the food that needs to be prepped. You probably are pulling out serving dishes that need to be washed, or extra silverware, or counting your napkins to make sure you have enough. Do all of that the week before. Double-check your serving plates and utensils and iron your tablecloth, if needed!
Spread out prep tasks. Maybe a week in advance you iron tablecloths. On another day you wash and dry china, crystal, and serving pieces. Another day you clean the house or go grocery shopping. Closer to time, you can set the table and do some prep work in the kitchen. Spreading out the work makes it seem a little less overwhelming.
** Consider making the turkey the day before.
Sure, you can make rolls and cranberry sauce days ahead. Casseroles can sit in the fridge before baking. But do the turkey ahead? Wow! What a great idea you likely haven't thought of as a possibility. If you don’t care about the presentation of your perfect turkey you can like many have already said you can cook your turkey the day before, carve it and place it in your crock pot with a coil of tin foil to elevate the meat. You can then use the bones to make a fantastic stock for your gravy and use some of it in the bottom of the crock pot for when you reheat your turkey.
** Set the table the night before.
Don’t fuss with the table on the day of. Set it the day ahead and you have your goal in sight all day. (Tip for cat owners: Throw a sheet over the table so curious kitties stay away.)
Set the table the night before, and think through who will sit where. Put out your serving vessels and serving utensils as well, and put a little note in each one of what goes where. It is embarrassing to have to root around in your messiest cupboard for the turkey platter in front of guests
** Have a cocktail (or wine) ready to go.
Have wine chilling in the fridge or a pitcher of sangria ready to be poured. If everyone has a drink in their hand, they won’t care if dinner is served an hour later than you planned. (As for pitcher drinks, may we suggest sparkling apple cider sangria?)
It's a great idea to always have a pitcher or two of a festive cocktail ready in the fridge: homemade cranberry simple syrup (super easy to do and I make it with leftover cranberries while I make cranberry sauce, sometimes the night before), vodka, club soda, and juice from a few limes. (Bonus: keep the cranberries in the simple syrup—they look beautiful floating around with the bubbles). That way, when guests come in, you can hand them a glass, get them socializing, and get them out of the kitchen.
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