Hosting Thanksgiving can be a stressful experience—but it doesn’t have to be! With the right preparation and a solid offensive game plan, you can win the holiday this year! Below we have outlined a 10-day game plan to ensure you and your “team” can score on Thanksgiving. (And now I think I’m out of sports analogies)
10 days out
- Finalize menu
- Try out any new recipes, like this pumpkin pecan bread pudding.
- Dig out (or let’s be honest, google) your tried and true recipes
- Deep clean kitchen cabinets/drawers and fridge
- Get some of the more tedious cleaning chores out of the way early
- Declutter cabinets and make room for the extra holiday food
- Plan to use up extra food in the fridge, and throw out anything old
9 days out
- Finalize dishes with family
- If others are helping with food, ensure everyone knows what they are bringing on the big day
- Create two grocery lists
- A “buy now” list of non-perishables of food that can last a week
- A list for the final trip
- Check for ingredients: Now that you have a shopping list, look through your fridge, pantry, and freezer to make sure you actually have any other ingredients that you assume are on hand — salt, pepper, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and all those other staples. Don’t forget to check the expiration dates.
8 days out
- Clean the guest bedroom
- If you have family from out of town staying at your house, prep the guest space early.
- Wash the bed linens
- Vacuum
- Have clean towels set aside
- Check pots/pans/dishes
- Ensure you have enough to prepare everything
- Place sticky notes on platters telling what they will be serving
7 days out
- Plan the table
- Wash table linens and treat any stains
- Buy any napkins you need, or wash cloth napkins
- Plan your centerpieces for the tables, and if you need inspiration click here
- Make place-cards if you are doing a seating arrangement
- Check to see if you need new candles
- Put up decorations
- Change the wreath on your door, like this adorable wreath on Etsy
- Add extra pumpkins or gourds
6 days out
- Buy long-lasting perishables which can often sell out the day before Thanksgiving
- Cream
- Butter
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Eggs
- Buy extra disposable containers for leftovers, so you can give away extra food
- Make and refrigerate cranberry sauce (it can keep in the fridge for over a week, and people often forget to make it)
5 days out
- Make and freeze fruit pies
- This is a big time saver! (or follow my example and order pies from a local bakery or restaurant)
- Make and freeze crust for pumpkin pies
- Make cookies, bars or other desserts that will keep
4 days out
- Start thawing your turkey (the package often says three days, but with extra food in the fridge it sometimes needs the extra time)
- Make and freeze bread and dinner rolls
- Clean the house
- Vacuum, dust, etc.
- Get out extra chairs and make sure you have enough space
3 day out
- Make a master cooking schedule
- Turkey is king, schedule cooking and resting time
- Plan what sides can cook while the turkey is resting
- It is helpful to have some food that can cook in crock pots to free up stove and oven space
- Shop for your perishable food
- Get your beverage station ready
- Have your wine/beer/soft drinks purchased and ready to go
- Try making an easy (boozy) punch like this apple pie punch
- Have plenty of coffee on hand to battle the tryptophan
- Plan your drink and snack station AWAY from cooking areas to help with congestion
2 days out
- Clean your bathrooms and threaten your family to ensure they stay clean
- Defrost frozen food (pies, bread, etc.)
- Have all recipes ready and organized
- Assemble casseroles that can be stored uncooked (green bean casserole, sweet potato, company potatoes)
1 day out
- PREP!
- Chop veggies/onions/celery for recipes
- Wash, peel and cut your potatoes. You can store them in water in the fridge.
- Make dips
- Make relish or veggie dish and cover
- Boil eggs for deviled eggs
- Really anything that can be set up the day before will help immensely
- Bake pies
- Now is the time to bake all of your pies so that job is out of the way
- Tidy up the house (and/or delegate chores to “non-cooks”)
- Set the tables
- This leaves one less task for the following morning (when all hell breaks loose)
The big day
- Follow the cooking schedule
- Set reminders on your phone to help keep you on track
- Involve your family in the process
- The best part of the holidays is being together, so make sure you enjoy working as a team
- Clean as you go
- Keeping prep surfaces cleared and dishes washed makes the kitchen seem less chaotic.
- Remember to enjoy the day!!
No matter how well you plan, things might go wrong. A dish might get forgotten or burnt, your aunts might both bring deserts instead of side dishes. But, the important thing to remember is that the holiday is made perfect not by the meal or the decorations, but by being surrounded by the people who you are truly thankful for.
And if things feel a little TOO crowded in your house this year and you’re ready for a bigger space, we can definitely help with that too!
No matter what stage of life you’re in, P.J. Morgan Real Estate is here for you. We offer commercial sales, leasing, and property management; residential sales, leasing and property management; business brokerage and real estate auction services. We’re with you for life.
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