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Tips for Ordering Thanksgiving Dishes 2018

Ordering part or all of your Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant, bakery or store? Here are five things to know to keep your Thanksgiving feast stress-free.

Order in advance.

Most restaurants, bakeries and stores have order deadlines as early as the week before Thanksgiving. Order early to ensure you get exactly what you want.

Pick up your order early.

Avoid the crowds that will be picking up the day before Thanksgiving by scheduling your order pick up on Monday or Tuesday. Most items will stay fresh two or three days if stored properly.

Check your serving pieces.

Once you place your order, make sure you have the correct size casserole dishes and serving pieces for each item you ordered. That way you have no last-minute surprises or need to rush to the store on Thanksgiving morning.

Make sure you understand how to reheat your purchases.

Before you leave, read over the reheating instructions to make sure they are clear and you have no questions. Tape the instructions to the top of the container so you don’t misplace them before Thanksgiving morning.

Make an oven plan for Thanksgiving Day.

Not every dish reheats for the same amount of time or at the same temperature. Organize your reheating and cooking for the day by planning to put the items that take the longest to cook in your oven first. This is especially important if you only have one oven.

 

And a Bonus tip!

Smile and say thank you when your guests rave about your “homemade” dish. Let your guests think you spent all day in the kitchen. They don’t need to know you took a shortcut.

A list of Memphis restaurants and stores providing holiday take-out is at commercialappeal.com/food.

This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish! Bon Appetit!

Jennifer Chandler graduated at the top of her class from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She is a full-time mom to two daughters in Memphis, Tennessee, and is a freelance food writer, restaurant consultant, and author of four cookbooks The Southern Pantry Cookbook, Simply Salads, Simply Suppers, and Simply Grilling.