Thanksgiving Planning Timeline

One of the things we love most about the holidays, is entertaining. To some, all the cooking, baking and decorating can seem overwhelming, so we’ve put together a Thanksgiving timeline to help you get the turkey and all the fixings on the table without stress.

2 weeks before:

• Create the guest list - find out if anyone is vegetarian or vegan, do they have food allergies; nuts, dairy, lactose intolerant, etc.

• Create the menu - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, creamed corn, dinner rolls, pumpkin and apple pie, pumpkin cookies for the kids.

1 week before: 

• Clean out the refrigerator and freezer, start making extra ice

• Order pies, cookies & dinner rolls from your favorite bakery

• Inventory cooking items; a roaster, gravy boat, meat thermometer, carving knife, turkey baster, pie plates, etc. Borrow or buy needed items.

• Inventory entertaining items; cocktail & dessert plates & napkins, cork screw, wine glasses, ice bucket, extra trash bags, etc.

• Create a music playlist

• Clean the house and prepare guest room for overnight visitors, extra toiletries, toilet paper, clean bath towels & sheets

• Grocery shop - *see grocery list below
  
  

  Grocery List: 

• Turkey, place in fridge to defrost at least 3 days before

• Stuffing; bread, celery, onions, butter, sage & poultry seasoning

• Gravy; flour

• Mashed Potatoes; potatoes, milk & butter

• Green Bean Casserole; green beans, French’s crispy onions, cream of mushroom soup

• Cranberry Sauce; Cranberries

• Rolls; butter

• Creamed Corn Casserole; 4 cans of creamed corn + 1 bag of frozen small corn, eggs, sugar & milk

• Pies; pumpkin, apple & pecan + cookies for kids

• Appetizers / munchies; cheese & crackers, veggie platter & dip, nuts, etc.

• Wine, beer, sodas, champagne

• Barley to make turkey soup on Friday with the leftovers

If you’re having overnight guests: 

• Breakfast foods; eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, butter, jam, cinnamon rolls, orange juice, coffee, tea, cream & sugar. Cereal & milk for kids.

2 days before, on Tuesday:

• Set your table, buy or create a centerpiece, use unscented candles and add extra chairs if needed

• Make sure you have enough serving dishes, platters and utensils for each menu item

• Chill beverages

• Pick up dinner rolls, cookies and pies from the bakery or make your own desserts

1 day before, on Wednesday: 

• Assemble green bean casserole and refrigerate, but don’t bake or add crispy onion topping until Thursday

• Peel and cube potatoes placing in a large pot of cold water as you cut to prevent discoloration, keep covered overnight with cold water

• Prepare veggies for appetizer tray, keep refrigerated until ready to serve

• Prepare Grammy’s stuffing recipe; cube bread, add butter, celery, onions & seasonings, cover with cling wrap until ready to use

• Make cranberry sauce or chill the canned stuff

• Clean and freshen the guest bathroom, extra toilet paper, scented candle, hand soap, paper hand towels & fresh flowers

Thanksgiving, on Thursday: 

• 5 - 6 hours before dinner - remove giblets and rinse turkey, pat dry, set in roasting pan to get to room temperature

• Cook giblets in medium space pan with water to make stock to use for gravy

• 4 - 5 hours before dinner - preheat oven to 350 degrees, stuff turkey and put in the oven

• 3 hours before dinner - set up bar and appetizer area

• 2 hours before dinner - remove all prepared dishes & pies from the refrigerator to get to room temperature

• 1.5 hours before dinner - boil peeled and cubed potatoes, mash, put in crock pot, on low heat to keep warm

• 1 hour before dinner - check turkey temperature, remove from oven if done, cook green bean casserole and other side dishes

• 30 minutes before dinner - make gravy, place cranberry sauce on the table, fill water glasses, enlist help to carve the turkey

• 15 minutes before dinner - cook or warm the rolls (watch closely so they don’t burn) and place side dishes on the table with serving utensils

• Serve dinner and give thanks

• Serve dessert, relax and enjoy the rest of day

  *Tip 1 - set timers on your phone for each step so you don’t forget what to do when

  *Tip 2 - set up a card table in the corner of the room as a dessert table. Guests can enjoy dessert at their leisure, when they are no longer stuffed from dinner.

  If we forgot anything, or if you have a tip we didn’t mention, please let us know in the comment section below.

Have a wonderful, stress free Thanksgiving!

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