The other day, I posted How to Plan for Thanksgiving (Part One). In this post, I will help you with more specifics concerning food shopping, flowers, make-ahead foods as well as foods cooked on the actual holiday. I know there are lots of steps and some may not apply to your style of entertaining. Just read along and focus on the parts that resonate with you. Happy planning.

One week before (on how to plan for Thanksgiving):

1. Clean out your refrigerator and freezer. Since there are so many items to prepare, now is the perfect time to clean out these two spots. Toss out or finish up anything that’s almost empty. Wipe out the produce drawers so you are ready for the Big Grocery Shop on the weekend before the holiday. Clean out the freezer so you’ll have room for anything you bake ahead or for frozen items you need to store.
2. Clean your oven now. If there are many old spills in your oven, cooking a big meal might result in a smoky kitchen.
3. Make two grocery lists. The first list is of non-perishables such as stuffing mix, canned goods, and root veggies like sweet potatoes and apples. On this list, add gourds, little pumpkins, and anything 🍁🦃🍽🌾you will use for your table decor. The second list is of all the last-minute items, such as fresh herbs 🌿, fresh salad 🥬 , ice, etc. The advantage of making two lists is that it helps you get organized, and it increases the chance of buying most items before your store runs out!

4. Pull out all your platters, bowls, meat thermometers, kitchen twine, gravy boat, serving pieces, cheesecloth, gravy separator, large sheet pans, etc. Label the platters and serving bowls so you’ll know what goes where and avoid forgetting to serve a dish altogether!

5. Wash any wine 🍷 glasses, clear mugs 🍺, etc. that you will be using at the event.

The weekend before (on how to plan for Thanksgiving):

1. Go grocery shopping for the non-perishables.

2. Prepare as many dishes as you can in advance! This will really help you feel confident and less stressed.

3. Prepare any breads 🍞 and pie crusts 🥧 that can be frozen. (I make my cinnamon rolls and freeze them now.)

4. Set the table. This way, you can look at it for several days and be excited 😊 about the Big Day 🍽🦃🍁 rather than stressed 😩!

5. Relax and be proud that you’re way ahead of this holiday prep.

Two days before (Tuesday) (on how to plan for Thanksgiving):

1. Go grocery shopping for last-minute items and flowers.
2. Arrange your flowers💐. I buy mums if I’m using flowers, as they’re hardy and can be made up several days in advance. I just cut them all to the same length and put them in a container. Cut them lower than you think they should be, so everyone can see each other while seated.
3. Make any dishes that will be served chilled. Cover them with Saran Wrap and forget about them until Thursday. (I’ll make cranberry applesauce🍎🍊🍏now). Be sure to chill the canned cranberries now. As well as any white or sparkling wines.
4. Cut up any raw vegetables that you’ll need for all the recipes and store them in Ziploc bags. (I’ll cut veggies 🌶 for the stuffing, for the crudités, for my spiced apple 🍏, cranberry and pecan salad 🥗, and my brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and pomegranate seed veggie dish now.)
5. Make nuts for the salad mentioned above.
6. Make any pastries that can be kept for two days. (I make my pecan bars now.)

One day before (Wednesday) (on how to plan for Thanksgiving):

1. Make any recipes that can be made ahead. (I make my broth, which goes in my gravy and my salad 🥗 dressing now.)
2. Write out your oven timeline for tomorrow. THIS IS KEY!!! Do this NOW so you can relax tomorrow. Make it as detailed as possible so you can follow the schedule without overthinking. Be sure to list oven times for anyone needing to bake or warm their brought dishes.
3. Empty the dishwasher before bed. Empty all the trash 🗑 containers and put multiple liners at the bottom so helpers won’t have to look for them during Showtime.

Thanksgiving 🍁🦃🌾🥧 Day !!! (on how to plan for Thanksgiving!)

Here are the Steps for How to Plan for Thanksgiving:

1. Eat breakfast so you will feel energized pulling off this Feast
2. Follow your timeline. Tip: Be sure to take your turkey 🦃 out of the fridge 2 to 2.5 hours before roasting, since it takes that long to come to room temperature, which ensures more even cooking. Follow your cooking schedule for the big bird. (My recipe involves cooking a turkey that’s already been cut up by the butcher into two legs, two thighs, two boneless breasts, and two wings. It’s so much easier to cook this way! Check out the recipe! No last-minute carving, no big carcass for the dog 🐶 to try and steal…
3. Finish assembling your stuffing.
4. I’ll make my cider early in the day and leave it on the stove for my guests to serve themselves.
5. I’ll also assemble my salad.
6. Put the cranberries and the applesauce in their dishes. Tip:Be sure to enlist help from your family and guests. That’s a chance to lighten your load and maybe have some one-on-one time with all your “helpers”.
7. Put out your appetizers early so you and your guests can enjoy them.
8. Serve a cocktail. (I’ll serve a delicious pomegranate Prosecco drink now.). Tip: A nifty trick to chill wine first is to wrap a damp dish towel around the bottle, then pop it into the freezer for 15 minutes ONLY (set your phone timer for this, or ask Siri to time it for you). Then pop the bottle into the fridge. Don’t drink more than one cocktail 🍹 now as you’ve got a lot to pull off still…
9. Heat your sides while the bird cooks or while it rests. Tip: A carved turkey 🦃 will need 45 minutes to “rest” after it is done. That means once the bird reaches 165 degrees on the meat thermometer, take it out of the oven and put it on a carving board with a “juice rim.” The juice rim catches the juice that initially oozes out of the bird. Cover the turkey with aluminum foil for the 45 minutes noted above. This resting period gives the turkey a chance for the juices to seep back into the bird from the cutting board. It also gives the chef(s) time to make the sides and gravy. (Here’s when I make my Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and pomegranate seed dish, and when the sweet potatoes get reheated).
10. Pour the water. Tip: Great tasks to offload to your family and guests include: pouring water, lighting candles, running to the store for last-minute ice, washing the early pots and pans, and bringing sides to the table… Don’t be shy. Your family and friends love you. And they’re glad they’re not hosting. Enjoy their help. Really!
11. We serve all the dishes buffet style. While people are going down the buffet, I light the table candles and get my dog 🐶 a bone 🦴 so he can chow down with all of us. (Tip: Here’s my favorite trick: Right now, I put the cinnamon rolls in the oven at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes, tops. I set a timer ⏱ on my phone, which is in my apron pocket. As soon as the timer goes off, I grab the rolls and walk them around to my guests. It’s great because everyone is already seated and they have a teensy bit of room on their plate for my favorite side😊!)
12. After all this, we usually clear the table and start washing the dishes. We sit around the table and talk and laugh and remember what we’re thankful for until we feel ready for dessert 🥧!

13. Hopefully, your family and guests will do the dishes while you have a much-deserved cocktail 🍹 and some serious couch 🛋 time!!!

14. Congratulations 🎉🍾🎊! You did it!!!! Tip: Save your timeline from this year (maybe in your phone 📱) and add any ideas 💡/changes for next year! You can always come up with easier ways to plan for Thanksgiving.

As you can now hopefully understand, determining how to plan for Thanksgiving is quite a big job. Tip: Reading through all these steps is key to lowering your stress. Tip: And planning to do some parts each day is much easier than doing it all at once on the Big Day.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, my wonderful subscribers!  I am so grateful for all your kind comments and suggestions.  This blog has been such an adventure for me!  I love sharing with all of you.  Please leave a comment letting me know which idea you like best.  Your comments help me (and hopefully you) to have an even more FUN and FULL LIFE!!!!  

XO,

Dr. Julie 

PS Here are a few more fun posts for you to enjoy:

• What to wear for Thanksgiving Dinner
• How to Create a Thanksgiving Tablescape
• Delicious Ina Garten Ginger Cookies for Fall!
• Easiest Appetizer Ever
• Long Sleeve Mother of the Groom Dresses and Lots of Wedding Tips…