Thanksgiving can be one of the most stressful days of the year. OR, it can be a wonderful holiday, filled with family and friends. Take the stress out of your celebration this year by planning ahead using these time-saving Thanksgiving tips:
Plan your menu (and grocery list) a few weeks ahead of time.
As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Plan as much of the big day ahead of time as possible to make Thanksgiving a stress-free event. Start planning NOW for what you will serve and what you need.
Once you’ve planned your menu, use it to create a grocery list. You can buy your non-perishables like canned goods, spices and boxes of stuffing a few weeks in advance. Also, use this time to make a checklist for your day-of kitchen needs so you don’t forget anything during the frantic Thanksgiving rush.
Clean out your kitchen and double-check your kitchen equipment in advance.
Now is the perfect time to make sure that you have all necessary utensils, dishware, and serving platters.
If you plan to use disposable aluminum trays for cooking and serving, go ahead and purchase them now, as the last minute Thanksgiving grocery store rush will often leave the stores low on stock of important items like this.
You’ll also want to take this opportunity to purge any expired items in your pantry to make room for Thanksgiving groceries.
Make space in the fridge for lots of food.
While you’re purging expired items from your cabinets, be sure to clean out your refrigerator as well. Check for any nearly empty bottles of salad dressing or expired items hiding near the back of the fridge.
Once you’ve thrown away the old and empty containers, use an ice chest to clear out even more precious fridge space. The day before Thanksgiving, move items that don’t need to stay super cold to a cooler filled with ice packs to make extra room in the fridge.
Make your freezer-friendly dishes ahead of time.
There are plenty of favorite Thanksgiving dishes that can be made ahead of time, frozen and thawed, saving precious time on the day-of. Gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and pie crust are all good candidates for advanced preparation.
Thaw and prep your turkey ahead of time.
If you’re planning to cook the traditional full turkey, you’ll need to allocate plenty of time up front for defrosting. If you’re cooking a 25 pound turkey it can take as much as 6 days to defrost! This handy calculator will help you determine how long the thawing will take. Remember that you’ll also need to brine your turkey at least one day before cooking. So take both thawing and brining time into account in your planning.
Another option is to create new traditions and recipes to reduce your prep time. Think about alternative forms of turkey like turkey breast or dishes such as turkey pot-pie.
Make sure that you have plenty of table space and seating.
If you think you may run out of room for your guests to sit and eat on turkey day, now is the time to shop for any additional dining room chairs or dining tables. If you're planning on updating your dining space, there's no better time than before things get to hectic.
Lucky for you, we have plenty of affordable options in stock! Stop by one of our Atlanta area furniture stores today and have our design associates help you find the perfect addition to your dining room. See you soon!
