Can you use some help getting ready for Thanksgiving? We all know that hosting the perfect Thanksgiving feast requires a lot of planning. Now is the time to plan and prepare for the perfect timing for everything involved.
Fortunately, I’ve already created a list to help you prepare for the big day. One of the main takeaways I hope you glean from all of this is that it’s best to plan. Avoid being caught off guard at the last minute by failing to plan as needed.
That way, you’re not left scrambling around at the last minute while trying to put all of the fine points back together. Continue reading for helpful tips on preparing for Thanksgiving, so you’re not left feeling stressed. I love November, so I decided to update this post!
How to Be Ready for Thanksgiving
Beat the Crowd
Many people wait until the day before Thanksgiving to get everything they need at the grocery store. Grocery stores know this, so most typically run a two-week Thanksgiving ad. That marketing approach helps keep people like us from having to stand in long checkout lines.
Create a menu, check your pantry for inventory, and prepare a shopping list in advance. That way, when you go shopping, you know exactly what you’ll need. This year, consider shopping for all your holiday items a week or two prior, including your turkey (keep it in your freezer).
This way, you’ll have everything you need in plenty of time for the big turkey day! Keep in mind that non-perishable items can be bought weeks in advance! Meat Thermometer
Clean the House a Few Days Before the Celebration
When you’re busy with food preparations on Thanksgiving morning, there won’t be enough time to clean the house before the guests arrive. To help take the stress out of the busy day, clean your home a day or two before the big day.
Now’s also a great time to set up any extra tables and chairs you may need to accommodate your guests. On the morning of, if your family members aren’t helping with the food, they’re the perfect candidates for any last-minute tidying up and setup that needs to be done.
Clear Out Your Freezer
Whether you’re freezing all the leftovers or preserving food ahead of time for the actual day, you’ll need a lot more freezer space to handle the job. About a week before Thanksgiving, start clearing out the freezer so you have room. That way, you’ll have room for frozen pies, dinner rolls, appetizers, homemade stock, ice cubes, and anything else you might like to freeze.
Don’t Wait Too Long to Thaw Your Turkey
Thawing an entire turkey takes more time and patience than one might think. Please don’t make the mistake of purchasing a frozen turkey from the grocery store the day before and expecting it to be ready in time. If you want it done right, start to thaw your turkey three days before Thanksgiving. You’ll place it in the coldest part of your fridge, in a large pan, for a long time; it will leak.
Also, setting a pan underneath it to catch the drips will keep you from having to clean up a mess in your refrigerator later. I use an Oven Roaster (roasting pan) or an Electric Roaster Oven (check your local Walmart for a lower price). I recently updated my post about how to prepare your Thanksgiving turkey. Check out that post using the recipe link above and look for Thanksgiving recipes. I also have links at the bottom of this post that you can access.
Prepare Any Side Dishes in Advance
Aside from the turkey, there are bound to be loads of side dishes like veggies you’ll serve on Thanksgiving. To make things easier for yourself, prepare any of these dishes the day before. Then you can store them in the fridge until it’s time to heat and serve. This will save you a lot of stress on Thanksgiving when it comes to cooking everything promptly.
Cranberry sauce, soups, stocks, mashed potatoes, squash, appetizers, and pie dough for pie crusts can all be made one or two days in advance. Then, you won’t have to worry about them going bad. Your green bean casseroles and sweet potatoes can also be prepared, stored uncooked in your refrigerator, and then baked the day of.
Make Thanksgiving Trays For Helpers
We like to put cookie sheets with the ingredients so everyone can make a dish for dinner or appetizers. I printed the recipes on paper and had them laminated.
Thanksgiving Trays
Set the Table Ahead of Time
Setting the table is another task that can easily be checked off your list early on. Ensure you have all the necessary utensils, plates, glasses, and paper or cloth napkins for each guest. You can also set out the salt and pepper shakers so they’re ready to go.
If you want a little holiday flair, consider adding festive decor, such as a centerpiece or fall-themed place cards, to your table. I love to set the table the day before. It’s how I roll. This is when I put out the plates with butter so they are spreadable the next day.
Don’t Forget About Dessert
What’s a Thanksgiving feast without a delicious dessert or two afterward? Whether it’s pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, or apple crumble, make sure you leave room in the oven for baking. You can also set out plates and utensils to serve while the desserts are being cooked. And don’t forget about offering some whipped cream or ice cream on the side!
Hint to make Whipping Cream Easier
If you place your hand or stand mixer whisk in the freezer the day before, it’ll whip your cream so much faster!
Prep Ingredients the Day Before
Prepping all the ingredients the evening or the day before makes Thanksgiving morning so much easier. Clean, peel, and chop your vegetables (such as carrots, celery, potatoes, and sweet potatoes). You can also prep your toppings, salads, and garnishes beforehand. If you’re making stuffing that requires stale bread, be sure to cut it into cubes and set it on a baking sheet at room temperature to dry out.
Calculate Cooking Times
Unfortunately, you can only fit so much in your oven at one time. And to make matters even worse, you have a giant turkey that takes hours and hours to cook! I’d encourage you to sit down and calculate your cooking times and cooking schedule the night before.
You’ll have to come up with a game plan on what can be cooked before and after the turkey, along with what’s cooking on the stovetop at the same time. That way, everything is still hot and fresh when you’re ready to eat.
The key is to try to get the turkey fully cooked and ready to serve when it reaches and maintains a temperature of 165°F (73°C).
The best way to test the temperature of the turkey is to insert a cooking thermometer into the thickest part of the bird’s thigh or breast. This will give you the most accurate reading.
I’ve listed below some cooking times based on weight and whether you are also cooking your stuffing “in the bird,” which the USDA frowns upon, by the way:
All cooking times are based on a minimum temperature of 325°F (162°C)
Turkey Cooking Temperatures
Ingredients
- 1 Turkey
Instructions
- All cooking times are based on a minimum temperature of 325°F (162°C)UNSTUFFED-STUFFED4 to 8 lbs = 1.5 to 3.25 hours / 6 to 8 lbs. = 2.5 to 3.5 hours8 to 12 lbs. = 2.75 to 3 hours / 8 to 12 lbs. = 3 to 3.5 hours12 to 14 lbs. = 3 to 3.75 hours / 12 to 14 lbs. = 3.5 to 4 hours14 to 18 lbs. = 3.75 to 4.25 hours / 14 to 18 lbs. = 4 to 4.25 hours18 to 20 lbs. = 4.25 to 4.5 hours / 18 to 20 lbs. = 4.25 to 4.75 hours20 to 24 lbs. = 4.5 to 5 hours / 20 to 24 lbs. = 4.75 to 5.25 hoursRemember that not all ovens cook at exactly the same temperature and that altitude MAY make a difference too. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast or thigh and make sure the internal temperature is 165°F (73°C) in the breast and 175°F (79°C) in the thigh.
Remember that not all ovens cook at the same temperature and that altitude MAY make a difference, too.
Make Sure You Have Containers for Leftovers
After a day of nonstop eating, there’s still bound to be plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers hanging around. Make sure you have enough containers and plastic bags on hand for storing them in the fridge or freezer. And don’t forget to send your guests home with some leftovers! It’s always a nice gesture and gives them something to look forward to for their next meal. Ziploc Leftover Containers or Souper Cubes for your home.
Relax and Enjoy Yourself
Lastly, don’t forget to relax and enjoy the time with your family on Thanksgiving Day! This holiday is all about spending quality time with loved ones and giving thanks for everything that we have in our lives. So take a deep breath, share some stories and laughter, and dig into that delicious feast you worked so hard to prepare.
Print This Free Thanksgiving To-Do List
Want a free Thanksgiving to-do list? You can PRINT this PDF and get started on that to-do list right away! This PDF will help you get ready for next month, up to 1 day in advance. This year, you won’t be behind when making your family’s favorite foods. PRINTABLE: Thanksgiving To-Do List
Print This Free Grocery List
Do you love lists? They keep me organized. I hope this printable helps a family or two as they shop for the big day. PRINTABLE: Thanksgiving Grocery List
Print This Thanksgiving Guest and Menu List
I always have to write everything down; I hope this helps a family or two this year. PRINTABLE: Thanksgiving Guest and Menu List
How to Cook a Turkey
Follow my guide to learn to make the perfect turkey this year! Here are some of my favorite sides:
- Our Favorite Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Ideas
- No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls
- Easy Thanksgiving Recipes + Gravy
- How To Cook A Turkey
- Green Bean Casserole
- Mashed Potatoes
- Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberry Apple Salad
- Pineapple Dip
- Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts
- Stuffed Mushrooms
Why do people eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?
The Britannica: “As Thanksgiving became an official American holiday, national mythology formed around it. An 1841 collection of Pilgrim writing referred to the meal described by Winslow as ‘the first Thanksgiving.” Although Winslow didn’t specifically mention turkey, his fellow colonist William Bradford did refer to a ‘great store of wild turkeys.”
It’s interesting to read about turkeys. It seems turkeys were plentiful everywhere and sat beautifully on a large platter at the head of the Thanksgiving table. So there you have it. I also read that deer meat, aka venison, was popular for the holiday.
Do we have to serve turkey on Thanksgiving?
Oh, I love this question; I do. Last year, someone told me they were going to serve ham, and another family was going to barbecue steaks. When I was growing up, my mom always had a ham and a turkey. It’s all about traditions, right?
What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?
My favorite holiday tradition is making a craft or decoration with the family. Mark would watch the football games while I chilled with the kids. I love holidays with my family. What is your family tradition?
One more thing: after the day winds down, the meal is complete, and we have some free time, we start to decorate for Christmas. Having a few extra hands to decorate for the next holiday is fantastic.
We enjoy getting up early in the morning and watching the various parades on TV that seem to be centered in New York City. We often take what we have for granted. I’m grateful that President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in October 1863, during the Civil War.
National Thanksgiving Day
I quote History, “Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2025 occurs on Thursday, November 27. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag native Americans shared an autumn harvest feast acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.”
Who would have thought that colonists from England and other Europeans would come aboard the Mayflower and land at Plymouth Rock in search of the New World? I’m sure glad they had the strength and fortitude to make that trip and set the stage for others. They were like Mark and my ancestors, who came here to experience a challenging but wonderful life for themselves and others.
How come the holiday is always on the 4th Thursday of November?
Quote: “In 1939, it would have been difficult to plan your Thanksgiving dinner for 12. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. But that was not always the case. When Abraham Lincoln was president in 1863, he proclaimed the last Thursday of November our national Thanksgiving Day.” “
After two years of confusion and complaint, President Roosevelt signed legislation establishing Thanksgiving Day as the fourth Thursday in November. After recognizing the problems caused by his 1939 decree, Roosevelt announced a plan to return to the traditional Thanksgiving date in 1942.
Final Word
By following these tips, you’ll hopefully feel more prepared to host the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for your loved ones. I hope you all have a wonderful, Happy Thanksgiving. Always remember why we should be thankful and share your thoughts with loved ones. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Thanksgiving Table AdobeStock_530181539 by Kristen, Thanksgiving Dinner Depositphotos_88743644_S by Bhofack2
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