Thanksgiving Checklist

A lot of planning goes into preparing a Thanksgiving Dinner and to not feel overwhelmed with all the details on the day of, creating a checklist and getting things done ahead of time will help organize you so that you can have a more enjoyable time with family and friends on Thanksgiving Day.

Things to think about ahead of time are:

Your Guest List and what dishes/drinks they can bring: Have a list ready of dishes for guests to bring when they call to confirm they will be coming for dinner. If they ask what they can bring, you’ll have a list of options for them to choose from.

Tables and Chairs: After you’ve confirmed your guest list, make sure you have enough chairs for everyone to sit.

Order a Turkey: Plan for about 1 ¼ lb of turkey per person, but make sure the turkey you buy can fit in your oven.

Cooking and Serving items: Do you have a gravy boat and enough serving platters for all of your side dishes?

Other special items you will need for Thanksgiving Dinner include carving knife, roasting pan, a bread basket, sugar and cream pot, wine glasses, dessert plates, and serving spoons and forks.

Shopping List: Make a shopping list after you’ve assigned guests with dishes to bring. Do your food shopping in advance so you’re not competing with last minute shoppers.

Prepare a list of ingredients for the following traditional Thanksgiving dishes:

Turkey

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

Sweet Potatoes

Cranberry Sauce

Vegetables

Pumpkin Pie

Whip Cream

Ice Cream

Coffee

Red or White Wine

Start defrosting your turkey a few days before: If you plan to defrost your turkey in the refrigerator, keep in mind that it takes a full 24 hours to defrost five pounds of turkey. That means if your turkey weighs 10 pounds, it will take 2 full days to defrost. To speed this process up, you can also place the turkey in a sink full of water.

Also, try to do as much prep work and cooking ahead of time as possible. Side dishes, desserts and gravy can be made a few days before and refrigerated or frozen.