Planning makes things so much easier and the earlier the planning the better. Planning gives you a chance to decide what you will purchase and with that you can look for sales.
Here are things to consider:
- Where will Thanksgiving dinner be held?
- What is the Thanksgiving dinner menu?
- Who will do the cooking?
Our family tradition is to either go to my niece house or go to my oldest child home. Whichever one cooks they do all the cooking and all we have to do is show up.
The Thanksgiving meal will consist of a variety of items, such as:
These are the staples:
- Turkey
- Stuffing
- Mac and cheese
- Potato salad
- Collard greens and/or cabbage
- Yams
- Cranberry sauce
Other items can include:
- Shrimp or some type of seafood
- Chicken
- Pot roast
- Ham
- String beans
- Corn
- Some type of new food item my niece or son will introduce to the family. Whatever, it will be is always a hit with the family
Although, we will go to my niece or my son’s home for Thanksgiving dinner, I will make a small dinner for me and my youngest daughter and it will consist of:
- Turkey breast or small chicken
- Pepperidge Farm Stuffing
- Potato salad
- Yams
- Fried Cabbage or collard greens
- Cranberry Sauce
For your Thanksgiving think about it and write down what you are planning to have? Write out what you are planning for dinner, also write the ingredients for the meal. Now make a shopping list and check and re-check the list and check what items you already have in your home, so that you don’t do any unnecessary purchasing.
The week of Thanksgiving make whatever food you can in advance, such as pie fillings freeze and day before or day of fill your pies and bake. My friend makes the best Sweet Potato Pie and her pies freezes well for months; when cooked after being in the freezer for three months tastes like it was prepared and cook the same day….its so yummy. So, some items are okay to freeze for a day or two 😉
Also I do a lot of advance purchasing for my Thanksgiving meal; like Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing, this item is hard to find as we get closer to Thanksgiving, so if I see when I am shopping even it its not on sale; I will purchase it. This stuffing is so good, its almost like my mom used to make (I’m not an affiliate of Pepperidge Farms, I just LOVE the product). Also check for sales too a lot of items will go on sale weeks before Thanksgiving and a lot will go on sale the week of (I wouldn’t recommend going shopping the week of Thanksgiving, the store are just too hecktic)
Finally, take time for you with all the shopping, cleaning your home can be exhausting, take time for you!
Have a great Thanksgiving.
Ps: any questions you have regarding planning for Thanksgiving simply send me an email blockpartyservices@gmail.com and I will respond