Know what to make and when using this Thanksgiving Prep Guide. Don’t stress making the Thanksgiving meal this year!
I’m teaming up with my blogging friend Jaclyn from Coffee Pancakes and Dreams to not only get our meal prepped and ready but also our hearts ready for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Last year I was feeling a little overwhelmed with preparing the Thanksgiving meal. There is a lot of planning involved when cooking a large meal that includes multiple dishes.
I think the easy part is deciding what you are going to serve. But then you need to figure out when to start cooking each recipe. And if you only have one oven (which I believe is most of us) that can get complicated.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner I wanted to create a guide that would help YOU and myself better prepare for getting that meal on the table without stressing out.
Thanksgiving Prep Guide
I’ve broken the guide down by days, starting on Sunday and leading up to the main event on Thursday.
It’s based on the most popular Thanksgiving dishes and lets you know when to prepare/think about each item!
You can start preparing for the meal a week to 5 days before Thanksgiving.
SUNDAY
Get ready to go grocery shopping. Look through your recipes and make your shopping list. Next head to the store and get all the items you will need to make the meal.
Or you can skip going inside the grocery store and use grocery pick-up or delivery. This is my favorite way to shop!
If your turkey is frozen you will want to place it in the refrigerator to thaw. Budget 1 day of thaw time for every 4 pounds of turkey! Don’t forget to place a tray or plate under the turkey to prevent any mess.
MONDAY
If you plan on baking homemade breads or rolls do that today. Then wrap completely cooled breads with foil or place in a sealed plastic bag. You can store bread in the freezer to save space in the fridge for other recipe items.
Make the cranberry sauce. Place it in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
TUESDAY
Bake the pies! Pumpkin and custard pies will need to be refrigerated while apple and fruit pies do well left at room temperature.
Make a cheese ball to serve for on an appetizer plate. Check out my favorite Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball recipe.
WEDNESDAY
Slice and dice up any veggies you will be using for stuffing or casserole dishes. Place in sealed plastic bags and store in the fridge for Thanksgiving day.
Make your mashed potatoes today. You can reheat them in a slow cooker on Thursday. Or peel and slice the potatoes and cover with cold water and store in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can easily boil and mash them while your turkey is resting.
Prep your turkey if you will be brining or dry brining it.
Check the cooking time for your turkey. Baking an unstuffed bird can take 2-4 hours depending on the size. Then write down what time you will need to start cooking the turkey to have it ready for meal time.
RELATED: Hosting Guests For Dinner
THURSDAY
The first thing you will need to cook is your turkey! Use your cooking time calculations from yesterday and get that turkey in the oven.
After your turkey is in the oven take your bread or rolls out of the freezer to begin defrosting.
If you premade your mashed potatoes, place them into your slow cooker on the lowest warming setting. If you had your potatoes pre-sliced and in the fridge you will want to make them when your turkey is resting.
Next make and bake any casseroles or stuffing.
While your turkey is resting start making the gravy using the juices from your cooked turkey.
You’re now ready to enjoy a delicious meal with your family and friends.
By following this Thanksgiving Prep Guide you should be able to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family and guests on Thanksgiving Day.
TWO THANKSGIVING PREP GUIDE VERSIONS
I tried to accommodate those of us who will be preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal and also those who stray from the traditional meal. I created 2 different versions of the guide.
1. Scheduled + Suggested Items Prep Guide
This version is based on a traditional Thanksgiving meal and helps you know when to make and bake items.
2. Blank, Fill-In Prep Guide
This version is left blank so you can make your own guide based on the items you will be serving at your Thanksgiving meal.
HOW TO ACCESS THE THANKSGIVING PREP GUIDE
I’ve added this 2 page Thanksgiving Prep Guide to the Freebie Library. Just enter your name and email in the form below and you will get immediate access to this 2 page guide and be able to enjoy all the printables in the Freebie Library!
To add more joy to this Thanksgiving holiday, be sure to hop over to my friends blog:
Jaclyn from Coffee Pancakes & Dreams is sharing a 30 Days of Gratitude printable. We can all take time to focus on what we are thankful for this month.
Leave a Reply