Thanksgiving Cooking Hacks
Taking on the role of cooking for Thanksgiving—regardless of whether you’re hosting, cooking the entire meal, or just bringing a dish with you to a gathering—is a significant undertaking. Scrambling to find new, creative recipes and gather high-demand ingredients can be chaotic and stressful. Luckily, there are ways to combat stress centered around cooking for Thanksgiving that can make it simple and enjoyable.
The trick is to work smarter, not harder. Take the pressure off of yourself and remember that this season is about being grateful for what you have, not feeling like you need to deliver for everyone around you. Here are a few cooking hacks to help streamline your Thanksgiving cooking routine!
1 Print and Tape Your Recipes
Using a computer, tablet, phone, or recipe book can be more trouble than it’s worth when cooking. Cooking can get messy, and touching screens or treasured recipe books with food-covered hands may not be worth the risk. Instead, print out (or photocopy) your recipes ahead of time. Then for easy access, tape them to your cabinets or another eye-level spot in your kitchen.
2 Start The Turkey Early
Somehow, the biggest stressor of the day always seems to be the turkey. Finishing it on time, undercooking it, getting it to fit into the oven...we’ve all experienced turkey troubles in one way or another! To eliminate turkey fiascos and what ifs, start the process early. Prepping the turkey or even slow-roasting it the night before is a great way to save time and space in your oven for other dishes. This way, simple warming of the turkey prior to serving is all you will need to do the day-of Thanksgiving.
3 Prep Your Ingredients in Advance
One of the greatest time savers is prepping your recipes’ ingredients a day or two in advance and keeping them in the fridge! From washing & chopping vegetables to measuring things out to prepping apps, getting the small details out of the way can save you a headache day-of.
4 Use a Slow Cooker
Save room on your stovetop and in your oven. You can make most sides, like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and stuffing, in a slow cooker. Think of your slow cooker as a way to delegate tasks and take things out of your hands. The more you can prep ahead of time, the better!
5 Set the Table Ahead of Time
Having all of your glassware, flatware, and dinnerware out and set on the table will save so much time and thought. This way, you can take your time placing everything as you like it, and making sure it’s all up to your standards prior to guests arrival. For tips on elevating your tablescape, check out our blog post!
6 Send Leftovers Home with Friends and Family
One of the most overlooked aspects of Thanksgiving chaos is the mountain of leftovers you’re inevitably left with after the feast. They make great meals for the next few days, but if there are more than you know your family will be able to eat, save yourself the tupperware, fridge space, and clean-up: send your guests home with leftovers! This will help prevent waste, and make sure all of your cooking efforts are appreciated.
Thanksgiving should be a day to relax and enjoy good food with great company. Preparing in advance is one of the greatest hacks you can do for yourself. Hopefully these tips bring ease into your holiday celebrations so that you can be present and enjoy meaningful moments with friends and family.