Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time full of family and good food, but we often stress ourselves out trying to make things perfect. Things year, let’s focus on what really matters. To do that, I’ve rounded up my favorite tips to have a stress-free Thanksgiving.
3 Foolproof Ways to Enjoy a Stress-Free Thanksgiving
Write out Your Menu. Then Simplify.
You don’t need five different kinds of pie or nine side dishes. And if a specific dish has a huge ingredient list, get rid of it (unless it’s a family recipe that everyone loves, of course). If you’re worried there won’t be enough food, make an extra portion of a few of the dishes you left on your list. Also, Thanksgiving is not a good time to test out new recipes. Just stick with the tried-and-true turkey, mac and cheese, green beans, and pumpkin pie, and you can’t go wrong.
Create a Game Plan. Then Put It in Motion.
Decide what time you want to serve dinner and work backward. Determine how long each item will take to cook and what can be prepped or made ahead of time. I also recommend taking each recipe and making a shopping list and then grouping everything by category, like dairy, vegetables, etc. I would also make two trips to the grocery store. You can take one trip a week or so in advance for non-perishable items, and save the perishable items for a few days in advance.
Keep the Before and After Simple.
Set your table a day or two in advance if possible. That way you aren’t stressing with little details like spoons and napkins the day of Thanksgiving. I would also keep your centerpiece simple, like flowers by themselves or a bowl of colorful fruit. For appetizers, serve nuts, olives, and figs that will keep people occupied but still hungry for dinner. Try a twist on dessert and ask everyone to bring something sweet to share. You’ll get an assortment of treats, and you will be off the hook when it comes to pumpkin pie duty.
What are your best stress-free Thanksgiving tips? Tweet me @lorenridinger, and I’ll retweet to share.
