How to Plan & Prep the Perfect Thanksgiving Meal

Let’s chat about how to plan and prep the perfect Thanksgiving meal, because we all want to enjoy the day and the best way to do that is to prepare in advance!

Thanksgiving is my most-favorite foodie holiday. Family coming together around a well-prepared meal to give thanks for the immense blessings they enjoy. What could be better?! To pull off a truly thank-filled and stress-free feast, though, requires a bit of planning & prep work. And maybe a prayer or two.

The Typical Thanksgiving Meal

My most feared Thanksgiving goes a little something like this: Wake up the morning of, casually eat breakfast while watching the parade. Look at the clock around 11:00 am and dash around a cluttered house, rummaging through a scattered kitchen. Read my recipes for the first time as I attempt to make each one, realizing halfway through that I forgot some necessary ingredient. Inevitably, burn a dish or two, yell at the kids for being in my way, sweat profusely. All while still in my jammies. Later than desired, with everyone starving, whisk gravy to go over an over-cooked turkey. Panic that we don’t have enough wine & will be eating leftover mashed potatoes for a year. Finally, get the food on the table 4 hours late, exhausted, completely starved, frustrated, and just wanting to cry instead of give thanks. Surrounded by a family that would have much-preferred lunch meat served on time & joyfully rather than this stress-riddled feast served with a heavy helping of disdain.

Yes, I’ve procured a holiday meal or two that went exactly like that. And then I learned that if I wanted to enjoy the holiday, I needed to do a little planning, a little prepping, and take deep breaths often. Here’s how I stay sane while serving a feast worthy of my beautiful family & manage to keep everyone in a thankful mood.

How to Plan & Prep the Perfect Thanksgiving Meal

Plan a Week Before:

• Research methods for cooking the perfect bird.
• Pick out recipes to try, old favorites, and earmark them. Be sure to include meals for the days prior (preferably ones with little to no leftovers), breakfast/brunch for the morning of, & completion items for meals with leftovers.
• Check the pantry & fridge for staple ingredients & take inventory of supplies.
• Put together a list of ingredients needed.
• Browse sale flyers and map out the best shopping strategy for groceries.

Prep Days Before:

• Clean out the refrigerator.
• Clean the house – a good, deep cleaning!
• Shop for all ingredients needed.
• Defrost the bird, and brine, if needed.)
• Make dishes in advance, if possible. Our favorites to make ahead include cranberry sauce, stuffing bread, gravy, and roasted root vegetables.)

Plan & Prep the Day Before:

• Make cheat sheets of all recipes you’ll be making the next day. Include everything you need to know so that you don’t have to pull out the cookbook, magazine, internet site, etc. in order to make it.
• Prep all herbs & ingredients that can be done in advance.  Store them in needed-quantities with labels for quick-use the next day.
• Double-check all ingredients to make sure you haven’t forgotten something. Make a last-minute trip to the store (or send the husband!), if needed.
• Check your turkey to make sure it is fully thawed (if frozen).
• Tidy the house.
• Shower.
• Map out your tasks for the next day & make a detailed schedule. Be sure to include times for when you want to serve breakfast/brunch, when the turkey needs to go into the oven, which dishes should be prepared in the morning, noon, and after the turkey is out of the oven.
• Assign all of your serving dishes (either figuratively or literally with sticky notes).
• Get out the fine china, wine glasses, etc.  Set them somewhere for quick-access the next day.
• Pick out everyone’s outfits for the next day!
• Make additional dishes in advance that can be done today (gravy, pies, rolls, etc).

The Perfect Thanksgiving Meal (The Day of):

• Review your schedule for the day.
• Snuggle your family a bit before you head into the kitchen & have some coffee!
• Put on some Thankful music.
• Carefully & promptly follow your schedule. Don’t get stressed if you deviate from it. Adjust as you go, as needed!
• Take deep breaths. Remember to eat throughout the day. Sit it down for a few minutes and spend time with loved ones during your scheduled breaks. Get out of the kitchen for a few minutes each hour!
• Prepare & present the perfect Thanksgiving meal! Enjoy the oouhs & ahhhs of your family. And give thanks for all that you have. Finally, be sure to enjoy those blessings today!

The Perfect Thanksgiving Day EVERY Year

Those are my “secrets.” for how to prep & plan the perfect Thanksgiving meal. I hope they help you enjoy a stress-free and thank-filled Thanksgiving this year & for many to come. I’m thankful for foodie friends like you to share my passion with. And for the wonderfully supportive love of my sweet family, who will be richly rewarded this year with a feast fitting them!

⭐ Don’t go yet! Leave me a comment letting me know your thoughts. ⭐