How to Get Organized for Thanksgiving

Written by Justin Klosky

Turkey Time

Are you the lucky one hosting Thanksgiving at your house this year? It’s an exciting day and one of everyone’s favorite American holidays, but don’t let that get in the way of what needs to be prepared. Every year someone always tells the story about that one Thanksgiving where everything went wrong. Not sure what I’m talking about…?

Have you ever heard someone talk about the time they had to order Chinese food on Thanksgiving? That’s because they timing of the Turkey was all off, dishes were forgotten, people were left off the guest list and not enough wine was purchased! It will be such a let down for your guests if they can’t eat Turkey on Turkey Day and enjoy themselves.

Getting Organized

Plan out in advance each dish you will be serving and who will be bringing it. Ask visiting family members and guests to bring something that they want to share with the party. It will help take the stress off of you and engage them into the holiday spirit. Order your turkey way in advance so you aren’t buying 3 turkeys to to make up for your lack of organization and time management. And don’t forget about the final head count; not having enough food on Thanksgiving is such a let down. Make sure everyone has a place to sit and that you have enough of everything to go round.

Timing Tips

Now that you know what dishes are left for you to handle, figure out how long each dish will take to prepare and to cook. The longer cook times should be prepared first, followed by the shorter cook times. It would be really helpful to then put in your calendar on your smart phone when each dish will be prepared and cooked. Use reminders so you don’t forget to make a dish or to take it out of the oven. Set timers and sit back and relax while the dishes come to life.

Open windows while everything is cooking and no food preparation needs to be taken care of.  Setting the table is a very productive task to check off of your list. It’s never too early to start cooking the the big meal. In fact, it would be such a relief to have everything done hours before guests arrive then to be scrambling in the final minutes like a participant on a Chopped episode. Be disciplined this year and prepare the day for the perfect feast!

Clean Up

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is cleaning up. Have a designated clean up person to help you out. Start the clean up process once the table is cleared and your guests are waiting for dessert to be served. It will be beneficial if your sink and dishwasher are already empty so you can immediately begin cleaning the damage done from Thanksgiving. After that sit back, enjoy your pie, and maybe another glass or two of wine, and relax! Happy Thanksgiving or Thanksgivingkah to all the fellow Jews out there!

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