12 Ways to Prepare for the Best Thanksgiving Ever

Thanksgiving is a great holiday that we celebrate with the idea to sit back, relax, and reflect on all that we are thankful for. However, anyone who has ever hosted a Thanksgiving meal knows that it’s no easy feat! Check out these 12 ways to make this year’s Thanksgiving stress-free, so that you can have plenty of time to focus on what really matters this holiday season.

1. Plan your Thanksgiving Day cooking timeline in advance and stick to the plan.
2. Read the recipes you’ve chosen VERY carefully to make sure you have all the ingredients you need.
3. Make your fruit pies ahead of time and freeze them unbaked. Then just pop them in the oven the day of! Remember to allow extra baking time.
4. Cook your stuffing in a slow cooker instead of the oven. Need a recipe? Try this one.
5. Know how long it will take your turkey to thaw- it might be longer than you think!
6. Use a cooler to brine your turkey so you have plenty of room left in your fridge for other dishes.
7. Have a slow cooker? Use it to keep sides like mashed potatoes warm!
8. Designate your serving plates’ and utensils’ purposes the night before and label them so you know what food goes in which dish.
9. Wash, trim, dice, and chop your veggies the day before Thanksgiving and store in plastic bags in the refrigerator.
10. Worried about running out of fridge space? Use a cooler as an extra fridge!
11. Make your gravy now and freeze it. Just place it in the fridge a couple days before Thanksgiving so it can thaw.
12. Choose some recipes that don’t require an oven, like these. This will give you more time to socialize and less time to stare at the oven.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions and favorite foods? We’d love to hear from you!