Thanksgiving day is a holiday that gives you the opportunity to meet up with close family and friends. This allows you to catch up from the past year and enjoying a mountain of delicious food in the process. This can also be a stressful time if you’re the one hosting the get together. Between all the cooking, decorating, and hosting going on, it can be difficult to stay on top of things.
With that being said, this Thanksgiving preparation guide will help you plan, coordinate, and prepare for the holiday with as little stress as possible!
Clean Out the Fridge
Before you start buying ingredients and preparing the big meal, you’ll first want to go through your refrigerator. Cleaning out the fridge ahead of time frees up space for the food you’ll be cooking, allowing you to throw away expired food and ingredients in the process. This helps you get a better feel for your inventory so you can better plan ahead!
Have a Guest List
Have a list ready with all the guests who will be attending so you can have a headcount, planning out portion sizes for how much food is needed and who will be needing what. Be sure to have beverages for all ages like juice and soda!
Know What Guests are Bringing
Whether guests are volunteering or you’re assigning them meals, you can expect at least one person to bring food with them. Communicating with your guests on what they’ll be bringing avoids duplicate meals from being made, saving you time in the process. Take this opportunity to learn about food allergies guests have. This gives you the chance to update the menu and keep the food safe to eat for everyone!
Plan Out the Meals
Now that you know what you’re guests are bringing, you can start cooking the rest of the food. Planning out what food you’ll be cooking is based on how long it takes to cook side dishes and the preparation involved. You may want to start on the turkey a day or two ahead of time and only cook the apple pie on Thanksgiving morning.
Stuff the Turkey
Now’s the time to put on your favorite apron and get cooking. Make the stuffing and have it in the turkey ahead of time. This will prevent the roasted turkey from drying out and keep it moist for the oven.
Decorate Your Home
Decorate your home and make it as festive as possible for your guests! Set the table up with this festive, fall inspired table runner your guests will love!
Shop For Supplies
Start shopping for supplies at least a week in advance! Most of the stress hosting is having to stop cooking because you have to make a run to the grocery store. Going in advance also helps you avoid the crowds of everyone else going at the last minute.
Prepare No-Bake Desserts
Save yourself time by purchasing no-bake deserts! While not the same quality, premade pies at the store are still delicious and typically sold at a reasonable price. If you still choose to bake your own, this pecan pie is perfect for the occasion!
This guide will prepare you for the Thanksgiving holiday and avoid any obstacles that come with it. If this helps you, let us know by tagging us on Instagram @HomeByGeneva!