Thanksgiving is less than a month away and can be incredibly stressful. You have 14 days to prepare for the biggest meal of the year, which can be a bit of a chore. It’s supposed to be fun, but it can be a bit of a disaster.
These are all tips based on past mistakes and experiences, so make sure that you implement them in your cooking to help everyone have a stress-free Thanksgiving.
Make a Menu Early
One of the most important things you should consider when planning for Thanksgiving is having a menu. Before planning, get a few recipes and figure out how many people will come to your house. Then, make a list of the ingredients that you will be using. Make sure you have a well-written menu that includes all the essential details. A well-designed menu can help keep people from asking many questions during the day.
Keep It Manageable
You don’t need to make a tremendous amount of food, but you can cut down on the number of items you will serve. It can be tempting to make a massive amount of food, but it is much easier to make several small batches of recipes instead of several large ones. If you can stand the idea of using pre-cooked or pre-packaged goods, you might want to try them. There is no shame in making only semi-homemade meals.
Prepare Beforehand
Although it is a no-brainer, it is essential to consider how much time you can spend preparing the food. One of the easiest ways to prepare the food is to make the dressing ahead of time.
Almost all the desserts you will be serving can be made ahead of time, even if you can’t cook the entire dish. You can also prepare the vegetables, stock, and green beans if you have time. It is much easier to prepare a couple of small dishes a night instead of several large ones. One of the easiest ways to prepare the food for Thanksgiving is by preparing the turkey ahead of time.
Know How People Can Help
Even if you cannot keep everyone in the kitchen, people will still want to help. It is usual for people to want to help when they see someone working hard. If you plan on having a big event, consider organizing some tasks appropriate for sous chefs instead of giving everyone a last-minute recipe.
You can have someone set up a vegetable tray, and you can have someone cut the onions for the stuffing or arrange them on a cutting board. You can also organize outside-the-kitchen tasks, such as setting up a cutting board and a knife.
You can also have someone else prepare the water glasses. You can also have sous chefs help you with the other tasks, as they will feel less stressed and more like they are helping. A plan ahead of time will allow you to get some help and make the event more enjoyable.