Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! I love getting to spend time with family and enjoy a little break from our crazy day-to-day schedules. We typically host Thanksgiving which can be a bit chaotic especially since I am generally the one in the kitchen (well with a few little helpers!).
Even though I love to host and often think of myself as a pretty seasoned hostess at this point – thanksgiving always feels like a whirlwind! Every year I try and prep and plan ahead with the help of my Thanksgiving checklist in hopes that it makes the day a little less hectic! I’ll walk you through my tips and tricks to ensure your holiday goes off without a hiccup!
A Few Tips to Keep in Mind
- Create a plan that works for you! The more you plan ahead the more you can be in the moment day of! I love this recipe binder for keeping my go-to recipes handy
- Don’t feel like every Thanksgiving meal needs to be included. Don’t get me wrong we all love the staples but keep the menu simple, you don’t need three kinds of potatoes and four different salads!
- Don’t be afraid to use a local rental company. If you have a large guest list outsource and often time you can just throw dishes and glasses back in the box and they deal with them!
- Keep your drink list simple. There is no need for fancy cocktails, mulled wine, and three different kinds of gin or tequila! This is my absolute favorite gin. A good bottle of red and white & champagne goes a long way.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff!
My Thanksgiving Checklist
I like to divide my checklist into three sections: Two Weeks Before, The Week Before & Week Of. This ensures I don’t miss something, everything is ordered or picked up, and I set myself up for a hopefully less stressful Thanksgiving day!
Two Weeks Before:
Plan your menu! Here’s everything we are making this year in case you need a little inspiration!
- Does your family have any traditions? Are there any special requests from guests? Do you have any dietary restrictions you have to follow? I like to pick my recipes and then plan out a very detailed shopping list that I can then order or go pick up locally. Here’s a great gluten-free cookbook that I’m always pulling from.
- Do not forget to order your turkey! We order ours here. Buy one pound per person – or 1.5 if you want leftovers! If you’re having 16 people consider ordering two medium-sized birds over one really large one!
Plan your table! Here is some inspiration
Double-check check you have your kitchen essentials! Last year we somehow misplaced our meat thermometer and had to pop out the day of to pick up a new one! These poultry pop-up thermometers are genius, just place one in the breast and it will pop up when the bird reaches 165! I also just purchased this gravy separator (not sure how I lasted so long without it!).
The Week Before
Order your shelf-stable groceries. I will generally place an online grocery order for all things except fresh produce, dairy, and meat. Think canned pumpkin, chicken stock, stuffing, seasoning, wine, sparkling water etc!
The Week of Thanksgiving
Monday/Tuesday
Go to the store for your Perishables. Don’t forget to take your list with you (double-check it to make sure you are not forgetting anything) In addition to your fresh produce, herbs, turkey, and refrigerated items, now’s the time to grab flowers, extra trash bags, ice, etc.!
Wednesday
Set the table if possible. We generally eat Thanksgiving outside (a perk of living in LA) so I won’t set our table till the day of. But I do take this time to pull out our tablescape and set it aside so it makes setting the table easy and my kids can help! If you’re in a pinch, take a peek at these Amazon favorites that are PRIME and can ship quickly!
Brine your Turkey and store it in the fridge. First thing on Wednesday I generally brine my bird. I often have a brining bag on hand but a large stock pot can also do the trick. It’s certainly an essential part – I love following this recipe!
Make your cranberry sauce and store it in the fridge. Here is the recipe we use.
Make your salad vinegarette (my go-to recipe) and store it in a mason jar.
If you can prep any of your other sides ahead of time do so! I often bake my sweet potatoes on Wednesday and prep the dish so I can throw them in the oven on Thursday.
Arrange your flowers. My favorite moment of the week! I find flower arranging therapeutic and love the pop of color these florals bring to my kitchen. I generally pick a statement bloom from the market and build my arrangement out from there.
Stock your bar. Take inventory of what you may need and set up the bar so guests can self-serve come turkey day!
Prep the guest bathroom. Make sure the trash is empty, the soap is full, hand towels and toilet paper are well-stocked, and there’s a vase of flowers or a great-smelling candle next to the sink. These disposable hand towels are darling!
Thanksgiving Day
First thing is first, make yourself a coffee and turn on the Thanksgiving day parade!
Preheat the oven to 375 that way when it comes to popping the turkey in you are ready to go and not scrambling for timing.
Put the turkey in the oven for around three hours before you plan to eat! It always takes longer than you think and the bird needs to rest a while after coming out of the oven. The general rule of thumb is 15 min per pound! Prep and cook the rest of your sides. We have one oven in our kitchen and a warming drawer that really comes in handy when hosting. I love our large air fryer that can also be used as a convection oven, crockpot, and toaster to do the extra lifting on Thanksgiving. If you need help determining how long to cook your turkey take a peek at this handy guide!
Pop the bubbly, cut the turkey, and enjoy!
Don’t forget to get dressed! Whether you are a stay cozy, or get dolled up here is a bit of outfit inspiration that I think you will love!
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