Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and feasting. It's a time to give thanks for all the good in our lives. And it's a time when many of us go absolutely insane trying to cook a huge feast while also hosting out-of-town guests. If you're feeling overwhelmed at the thought of hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, never fear! With a little planning and some help from your friends and family, you can get through it without losing your mind. Here's how:
Plan Ahead
The key to not losing your mind while hosting Thanksgiving dinner is to plan ahead as much as possible. Lists will help you to stay organized and on schedule come Thanksgiving Day. That way, you won't be scrambling at the last minute to make sure everything is ready.
Planning Your Menu
The first step in any successful Thanksgiving feast is planning your menu. You'll want to start by sitting down and brainstorming all of your favorite holiday dishes. Once you have a good list going, it's time to start narrowing things down. Try to stick with tried-and-true dishes that you know everyone will enjoy, and that won't be too difficult to prepare. After all, the last thing you want is to be stuck in the kitchen all day while everyone else is enjoying themselves. Also, it is a good idea to do a trial run on any dishes that you have not previously prepared.
Once you've finalized your menu, it's time to start making your grocery list. This is where things can start to get a bit tricky. In addition to all of the ingredients you'll need for your chosen dishes, don't forget about the little things that can make or break a meal—like salt, pepper, butter, and other cooking staples. Oh, and don't forget the wine! You'll want plenty on hand to keep people happy while they're waiting for the food to be ready. Most importantly, read the instructions on the turkey so that you know when to put it in the refrigerator so that it is completely thawed before it is time to cook it AND how long it will take to cook so you can make yourself a timeline for the big day.
Enlist Help
Don't try to do everything yourself! Enlist the help of your friends and family members. Assign someone to bring appetizers or desserts, someone else to help with the cooking, and someone else to handle cleanup. Delegating tasks will make your life a lot easier on Thanksgiving Day!
Preparing Your Home
Now that you have everything you need in terms of food and supplies, it's time to start getting your home ready for guests. If you don't have enough chairs or place settings for everyone, now is the time to borrow or rent what you need. You should also take some time to tidy up common areas like the living room and bathroom so that people have somewhere nice to relax before dinner is ready.
In addition, make sure your kitchen is as organized as possible before people start arriving. Wash any dirty dishes that are lurking in the sink, and set out any utensils or appliances you think you might need. Prepare any ingredients that you can so that they are ready to go when it is time to start cooking. Trust us—you'll be glad you did when things start moving quickly because time will fly by once you get busy cooking and serving the meal!
Take shortcuts where you can
Let's face it: cooking an entire Thanksgiving feast from scratch is a lot of work. To lighten your load, take shortcuts where you can. Buy pre-made pies or use store-bought dough for your rolls. You can also save time by cooking some dishes ahead of time and reheating them on Thanksgiving Day.
Hosting Thanksgiving dinner doesn't have to be stressful. Just remember to plan ahead, delegate dishes to your guests, and make sure you know how long it will take to cook the turkey ahead of time. Oh, and don't forget about your guests' dietary restrictions! By following our tips, you're guaranteed to have a stress-free holiday dinner that everyone will enjoy, especially you!