How to Plan the Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is a time to get together with friends and family and give thanks. The pandemic made Thanksgiving look a little different, but this year, we want to get back together with our friends and family to celebrate! Check out our Holiday Loan Special to wow your guests with the best Thanksgiving gathering!

Three weeks before Thanksgiving:

• Prepare your guest list and confirm how many people will attend.
• Find out any special dietary needs and plan these dishes accordingly.
• Place a rental order for tables, chairs, glasses, plates and flatware (if necessary)

Two weeks before Thanksgiving:

• Decide on your final menu.
• Select dishes that taste good at room temperature, so you won't have to worry about your dishes getting cold or melting.
• Assign cooking projects to family members who offer to help. This speeds up the cooking process and alleviates some of the stress.
• Order your fresh turkey in advance so you can pick it up the day before or Thanksgiving Day.
• Or buy your frozen turkey and put it in the freezer. This saves you money in the long run.
• Order or pick up beverages, or have your non-cooking friends and family take care of this.
• Shop for non-perishable goods now. You can buy flour, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, canned pumpkin, packaged stuffing and cornbread mixes, rice, and fresh or frozen cranberries, all before the crowds descend.

One week before Thanksgiving:

• Shop for heartier vegetables like butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, parsnips and turnips.
• Buy heavy cream now; it's hard to find right before Thanksgiving.

Three days before Thanksgiving:

• If you have a frozen turkey, clear a space in your fridge to let it defrost.
• Get your family to help clean and tidy up the house.
• If you're having a lot of guests, you may want to set up the table(s) and make sure you have enough space and chairs.

Two days before Thanksgiving:

• Make the food that you can reheat before the party. Make sure this is food that will not spoil in two days time. Freeze these if necessary.
• Make things that can sit for two days in the fridge, like soups and cranberry sauce.
• Assemble casseroles (like sweet potato or green bean); they can be stored uncooked in the fridge and baked on Thanksgiving.

One day before Thanksgiving:

• Set the table now so you won't have to worry about it later.
• Do any remaining baking, including apple or pecan pies.
• Buy your salad greens and perishable vegetables. Wash lettuce leaves now, dry well, and store by packing them in paper towels in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
• If you ordered a fresh turkey, pick it up from the butcher.
• Calculate your cooking time (and cooking order) for tomorrow.
• Figure out what can't be cooked along with the turkey in the oven, either in terms of temperature or space. Plan to cook those things before or after the turkey is done, or on the stovetop while it's cooking; better still, make them today.

Thanksgiving Day:

In the Morning:

• Prepare stuffing for the turkey (if you're stuffing the turkey) and/or the dressing to cook on the side.
• Prepare your vegetables for cooking: clean, peel and chop. Cover the ready-to-go vegetables and put them in the refrigerator to cook later on.
• Stuff the turkey and get it in the oven according to the schedule you calculated yesterday.
• Boil the potatoes for the mashed potatoes and prepare it. This can be reheated later.

While the turkey is cooking:

• After the turkey is in the oven, you should have a little time to relax away from the kitchen. Make sure to clean as you go!
• Just before the turkey's done, begin cooking the fresh vegetables, and get anything else that needs to go into the oven ready (stuffing, store-bought rolls, etc.)

While the cooked turkey is resting:

• Put a foil tent over the turkey. You now have about an hour to do the remaining cooking.
• If you have a pan of stuffing/dressing on the side to bake, put it in now.
• Warm whatever needs to be warmed, including mashed potatoes, rolls, soups and casseroles.
• Cook frozen vegetables.
• Make the gravy.
• Put all the food on the table or buffet. Don't hesitate to press guests into service to put food in bowls, open wine bottles, fill glasses and dish up the cranberry sauce.
• After the turkey is cooked:
• Get a plate and eat! Don't spend the meal running back and forth to the kitchen and end up missing out on the Thanksgiving feast you've created.

Article derived from https://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/articles/thanksgiving-planning-guide