The last few days leading up to the feast are often chaotic. There’s family in town, holiday traffic and plenty of last-minute tasks to complete the menu. This year, with a little planning, your Thanksgiving can be stress-free.
This week ….
Prepare a list of your dinner guests.
List how many are children. Ask about food allergies to save yourself some surprises or headaches.
Write out your menu and a shopping list for groceries, wines, and supplies.
Do your shopping for all non-perishables.
The grocery is always a zoo the week of Thanksgiving, so if you only need to buy fresh produce and breads that week, your shopping will be much less of a hassle.
Make sure that you have all the necessary cooking equipment.
That means enough pots, pans, and baking dishes to prepare everything on your menu.
And here’s a tip you will thank me for.
Clean out the refrigerator to make room for the Thanksgiving dinner groceries and prepared dishes.
The weekend before Thanksgiving …
Set the table.
Polish silver, iron napkins, set-out name cards, even set up the buffet table with serving platters. I label platters with sticky pads notes as to which dish goes in what.
If you've bought a frozen turkey, you'll need to start thawing it on Sunday. A 15-pound bird will take 3 full days to thaw in the refrigerator.
This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Happy Thanksgiving!
