Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of feasting with family and friends. It’s a time to gather together in thanks for all of life’s blessings, for the freedoms we enjoy in out great nation and for the fruitful abundance we have.
Thanksgiving can also be a season of stress if you try to take on too much with all of the meal planning and preparation. Often, the holiday ends up being anything but a time of festive enjoyment for the cook/hostess of the day. Don’t let that be the case this holiday season. Implement a few of the following tips into your Thanksgiving holiday plans and you’ll find yourself with time on your hands:
Prepare more of less. Instead of having a dozen different dishes, have the traditional turkey and dressing potatoes with three or four family favorites, salad, bread and dessert. Maybe three different pies are necessary, but six Jell-O salads are not.
Delegate. Just because the meal is being served in your home doesn’t mean you have to prepare it all. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask each family unit to provide one or two of the side dishes to go with the turkey and dressing you prepare. And most people appreciate being included in the process.
Be non-traditional. You can be just as thankful over a bowl of homemade chili or vegetable soup and a afternoon of family Olympics, as you can with turkey and all of the fixin’s.
Celebrate your family’s history. America is the melting pot of the world. If your family is of Scandinavian decent serve a traditional Scandinavian meal with Danish red cabbage and a lingonberry sauce. If they’re Irish, go with corned beef and cabbage. Chinese-Americans might prefer Peking Duck and spiced carrots. You get the picture.
Advance preparation. No matter what you decide to fix, do as much of the cooking ahead of time as possible. The turkey doesn’t have to come straight from the oven in one piece. Cook it the day before, slice it and marinate it in its own juices. Sealed tightly, it can be warmed in the over and taste just as moist and fresh as if it were just baked Thanksgiving morning. Pies can be done a day or two ahead of time, as can Jell-O salads and deviled eggs. Most vegetables can be heated and served quickly and easily, and peeling all those potatoes the night before also helps save time. If you’re trying a new recipe, make sure it has been tested in advance.
The key to planning for Thanksgiving dinner or any other event is simplicity. Trying to take on more than you’re comfortable with can lead to frustration and disappointment. All great feasts begin with a well-thought out plan, so start writing yours out today. And be sure to share some of your tips with us!
For some great Thanksgiving recipes visit our sister site, Busy Moms Recipes!
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