I have been hosting Thanksgiving lunch at my home for most of my 27 years of married life. That’s a lot of turkey, dressing and desserts! This particular holiday is extra special to my family because it includes so many of our favorite traditions, such as picking out the tree, listening to carols while we decorate it, drinking Instant Russian Tea and opening our Family Blessing Jar.
Along the way to becoming the “hostess with the mostest,” as my husband calls me, I’ve spent many hours with my children in the kitchen, teaching them how to prepare big meals while avoiding stress.
To help you this holiday season, here are my easy holiday meal prep tips for stress free entertaining.
Shop ahead of time! There’s nothing like fighting over a turkey in the freezer section or waiting in never ending lines at the grocery store checkout to steal the holiday spirit. Go ahead and plan the menu, make a list of grocery necessities and shop the weekend before the big countdown.
If you buy a frozen turkey or ham make sure and allow plenty of preparation time. Read the instructions for defrosting in the refrigerator and don’t wait until the last minute! In addition, I use a plastic roasting bag and my turkey comes out perfect every time. Go ahead and prepare the turkey the night before, insert it into the bag and all you’ll have to do the morning of your big meal is put it in the oven and wait for the scrumptious smells to fill the house.
Also make sure and allow plenty of time for the meat to cook if you’ll be needing the oven for other dishes as well. The biggest challenge is often timing the food to all arrive at the same time.
What do you serve that can be prepared ahead of time, baked in advance or ready to go in the oven before the meal? Like many families, we have our favorite, must-have recipes for the holiday meal. Recipes like sweet potato casserole and cranberry apple are a given for us. I discovered this past year that the cranberry apple casserole is even better baked the day before and allowed to gel in the refrigerator overnight. The day of the meal I simply allot time for warming.
Don’t put extra stress on yourself by waiting until the last minute. Think through your menu and plan out the steps necessary for everything to come together at the given time. Make a list if you need to. I like to tell my children that smart people make lists!
What about my favorite, the dessert? Make sure you have plenty of refrigerator and counter space for that favorite recipe. If you have guests coming let them bring something to the gathering. Accept help where it’s offered.
If your guests offer to bring a dish let them! Don’t go all Martha Stewart on them by doing it all yourself. Let them invest some time in preparation and most likely they will be even more grateful for the delicious food put before them.
As you can tell from these practical tips, spending some time planning and then working the plan will save you running around like a chicken with your head cut off when guests arrive! My goal is always to be relaxed and ready to enjoy the precious family gathered around my table.
You can read my story here about one Thanksgiving that didn’t go exactly as planned.