Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. If you are hosting, then you have a lot of work to do! There is food to buy, people to invite, guests to feed. This list will give you some easy Thanksgiving ideas for your holiday feast. Keep the cooking stress-free by having some non-food activities for everyone to do while you cook. This could be anything from playing music or watching shows/movies together to a fun family game. If they’re busy, they won’t worry about how long it’ll take you to finish cooking!
#1 Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Friends To Pitch In
Let’s face it; hosting can be expensive and time-consuming. So why don’t we try having our friends help out? Before or after the big day, ask your friends if they would like to contribute any food or drinks – this could be appetizers, side dishes (a recipe for easy chicken enchiladas available here), or even dessert (apple pie anyone?). Most people will happily agree to pitch in if they’re not too busy with their own families.
#2 If You Can’t Find What You Want At The Grocery Store, Be Creative
Thanksgiving is about tradition. We all have our family recipes for tasty dishes that are often served on Thanksgiving. Why not try making your own twist on these dishes? Maybe use an ingredient substitution or put a creative twist on it (chocolate yams, anyone?). If you’re game to be adventurous and try something new, then go for it. Who knows, you might end up with the next big food craze!
#3 Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help On Thanksgiving Day
Prepare as much food in advance as possible–whether that’s stuffing the turkey the night before or baking the pies the morning of. Preparing as much ahead of time is going to make Thanksgiving a lot less hectic for you. More than likely, cooking Thanksgiving dinner will take way longer than you think – especially if several people are helping out in the kitchen. So please ask for help. It always takes longer than you think it will, so the more people you have helped, the better. If that means assigning someone to set the table or just chopping up vegetables, then do it.
#4 Have A Backup Plan
Plan every step of what you’re going to do ahead of time, so nothing gets forgotten or left out. The more detailed your plan is, the more likely everything will go smoothly. Just in case things go wrong on Thanksgiving day – whether it’s because of a power outage or one of your guests has an allergic reaction- make sure you have a backup plan. This way, nothing ruins Thanksgiving for your friends and family members. Or worse yet, nobody gets to eat dinner at all. So make sure you figure out how you will cook dinner if something happens and make sure it involves cooking times.
Alternatively, have a second backup plan in case you run out of food. Have some backup supplies or plan on ordering pizza if everyone is still peckish after dinner!
#5 Keep It Simple
The most important thing you can do is to keep it simple. Many great easy Thanksgiving meal ideas will take little time and effort on your part. Make sure you have a plan for fixing the turkey, potatoes, salads, and stuffing. This way, nobody ends up with too much or not enough food. It’s also good to know what side dishes you want – so people know how much food to bring if they’re bringing something. It might seem like a good idea, but try to avoid changing up any of your recipes because someone in your household doesn’t like something normally used (or vice versa). If you need to eliminate an ingredient, make sure another one serves as a substitute.
Top Tip: Think About The Kids
If your guests bring their children along to your Thanksgiving feast, make sure there is something for them to eat. If they’re young enough, maybe let them help out with setting the table or getting some snacks ready. This will take away any stress from having children at the dinner and turn it into good memories and new traditions for friends and family members of all ages.
Above all else, enjoy the holiday!
You’ve been planning this for months now, so don’t let stress get in the way of your fun. Remember: The more happy friends and family around a table share a meal – no matter how big or small – the better. Make sure you have fun!
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