24 Nov Home Tip of The Week: How To Prepare For Thanksgiving Dinner
It can be overwhelming to host a big holiday meal like Thanksgiving dinner. There are a lot of moving pieces to organize, and it’s important to make your guests as comfortable as possible. If you plan accordingly, you should have some time to relax and enjoy all of it, too. We’ve collected some tips to help you prep and plan your dinner.
Day Before Thanksgiving
- Purchase any remaining perishables
- Finish up last minute cleaning
- Set the table, arrange the chairs, and add centerpieces or other decorations
- Take out all dishes and cookware
- Make copies of recipes so the originals stay clean
- Create a schedule with cooking order and times
- Set up a coat rack with extra hangers
- Clean out the fridge
- Clear countertops
- Wash, dry, and store salad greens and vegetables
- Chop and dice ingredients
- Defrost any frozen ingredients
- If you’re brining your turkey, prep it and leave to brine overnight
- Prepare any side dishes that can be cooked ahead of time
- Chill beverages
Thanksgiving Day
- Prepare stuffing and stuff the turkey, or prepare the dressing to be served on the side
- Start roasting the turkey
- While the turkey is roasting, take some time to sit back and relax
- When the turkey is nearly done, being cooking the fresh vegetables and get anything else that needs to go in the oven ready
- When the turkey is ready, let it rest while making the gravy and heating up anything that needs to be warmed
- Finally, sit down and eat!
- Wrap up leftovers within two hours
- Serve dessert, coffee, and tea
