It can take days to prepare for the BIG meal that can be ate in 15 minutes. So we want you to enjoy the planning AND enjoy the day. It is all in the PREP the days before in order to make the Thanksgiving relaxing, fun, and full of gratitude.
1. Make pies and desserts ahead of time. (or pick up your FREE one from the Tony Baroni Team!!!) Pumpkin Pies can be frozen and dethawed the day before.
2. Do not roast your turkey for the first time on up your oven space. Thanksgiving Day. Too stressful! With that being said don’t try any new recipes on that day either. Stick with what you know you can do.
3. Have at least one side dish that does not require an oven. Keep it simple with a beautiful cranberry salad, cheese dip, or apple tart.
4. Take an inventory of your kitchen and organize. Do you have all the equipment you need? (like a meat thermometer) Do you have your pantry staples like flour, salt, and sugar?
5. The week before Thanksgiving go to the grocery store for all your non-perishables and paper products. Then closer to time make a smaller more manageable list to focus on when stores can start to get crowded. If you see cans of pumpkin pick it up ahead of time. They always sell out.
6. Cranberry sauce, casseroles, and even gravy can be made ahead of time or even frozen.
7. Make mashed potatoes early in the day and put them in the crockpot to keep them warm and free 2. Do not roast your turkey for the first time on up your oven space.
8. If you are having children over to that house for dinner, plan some table top activities such as a holiday theme crossword, an art project, or buy white drawing paper to use as a table cloth to draw on or write what they are thankful for
9. Set up your table scape the night before. Get out the plates, create the center pieces, and gather the silverware. Cute pumpkin paper plates are perfect for dessert time. (and might help with some dish washing later
10. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If it doesn’t go just as you thought it would in your head, pivot. What people care about the most is spending the day together, not perfection.
