Thanksgiving Tips That Will Have You Giving Thanks!
Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is next week already. Thought I would share an article I wrote a few years ago on holiday meal tips…
Here are some tips for preparing for the holiday meal to make the actual event considerably less stressful.
Don’t let your regular activities slip- like paying your bills, sorting the mail, doing the laundry, etc. However, now is not the time to revamp your entire organizational system and start cleaning out all of your cabinets, or rearranging your closets, etc.
Make an effort to consume the food you have in your refrigerator instead of making huge shopping trips. This will make room for the turkey and other fixings.
If you are having people over, plan in advance and ask your guests to bring a dish. Bringing one dish is considerably less work than hosting the meal, so I am sure they would be more than happy to do so. And make sure to coordinate so you don’t end up having three people bringing sweet potatoes and no veggies!
Gather your recipes in advance. Not only will it eliminate last minute searches for grandma’s mashed potato recipe, it will also allow you to create a thorough shopping list be referring to all of the recipes at once.
Make sure you have plenty of containers for leftovers- my family has taken to using ½ and 1 gallon sized plastic sealable bags. It eliminates the need to search for just the right sized container and it makes storing leftovers much easier because the bags are much more flexible than hard plastic containers. And, of course, you can readily see what’s in the bag!
You may also be able to prepare some dishes in advance. This is where the plastic bags can be helpful, too. They can be thrown in the microwave or purchase boiling bags so you can toss the whole thing into a pot of boiling water to easily reheat dishes and cut down on the massive amount of food preparation on the holiday.
Don’t forget to thaw the turkey! In case you don’t already know this (or forget every year at this time), it could take three or four days to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator.
If you have converted to frying your turkey, don’t forget to check if you have enough oil or make that purchase. And start looking for the equipment now. This will eliminate the stress of a last minute search craze for all of the parts.
Prepare your linens by pre-washing (and yes, that dreaded ironing), especially if they have been stored in the attic or musty space all year. Or better yet, bring it to the dry-cleaner to press in advance. Just make sure to remember to pick it up. And make sure you have enough napkins.
Some families have chosen to go disposable. Is it really worth all of the stress to wash and re-wash dishes and utensils on this special holiday in order to make sure there are enough for every course? Or would you rather spend that time enjoying the holiday with your family and friends? There are so many options available that you can choose from to match your tastes.
Make sure to have games and activities set up for any children so they will be entertained while the adults spend time together. There is nothing worse than a bored child- except maybe many bored children!
Create new traditions- try to plan a traditional event, particularly an active one. During the holidays, the average American gains 1-3 pounds. Encourage everyone to get up off the couch, go outside and play a game. This could be a game of touch football, kickball, a ‘turkey trot’ fun run, a scavenger hunt. The possibilities are endless.
Last, but not least, if you are traveling, keep in mind that Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year. Leave extra time and be realistic about your travel expectations. Many times we are extra-stressed because we fool ourselves into thinking that it will take us the same amount of time as it always does.
Remember that this is a time of giving and sharing and time to be spent with those we care about. If you know someone who is unable to spend the holiday with their friends and family, please consider inviting them to share in your meal. You don’t have to go overboard here- inviting one or two additional guests is a gracious gesture. And finally, don’t forget to cherish the time you spend with your loved ones. The more you are able to plan in advance, the less stressed everyone will be.