Hosting Thanksgiving can be stressful, but with these simple tips and tricks, it will be the easiest Thanksgiving ever! These Thanksgiving hacks will make your day simple and enjoyable.
To start, grab our Thanksgiving Planner with Printable Checklist! It comes with a Thanksgiving Shopping List!
Although Thanksgiving is usually filled with friends, family, and great food, it can also be stressful as you prepare for the big feast. The key to making this the Easiest Thanksgiving Ever is planning.
Here are the best tips and tricks to help you be thankful you hosted Thanksgiving this year!
Before you do anything, grab your Thanksgiving Planner and Printable Checklist! There is also a printable shopping list!
Jump to:
- Things to Do The Day Before Thanksgiving
- Set the Table the Night Before
- Empty All Dishwashers and Trash Cans the Night Before
- Read Your Recipes Carefully to Make Sure You Have the Right Equipment on Hand
- Establish a "Make-Your-Own-Breakfast" Policy
- Pin Up Your Recipes
- Use Dried Herbs
- Chill Wine Quickly
- Sort Your Serving Plates
- Use a Slow Cooker to Keep Your Mashed Potatoes Warm
- Bonus Thanksgiving Hacks
- Thanksgiving FAQs
Things to Do The Day Before Thanksgiving
- Brine your bird. Here are the best tips for a moist and delicious turkey.
- Fill a large cooler with ice. Use it to hold pre-made dishes or non-essential food items.
- Prep your appetizers. Cut any veggies and put dips in bowls and refrigerate.
- Prep the veggies.
- Assemble your stuffing. Making Stuffing in the slow cooker is a great option.
- Prep the potatoes. Peel, submerge in water and refrigerate. We like to make crockpot mashed potatoes, so we don't take up space on the stove.
- Cook some Thanksgiving sides in your crockpot.
- Prep your desserts. Defrost pre-made pies or dough for making pies.
- Chill beverages.
- If needed, quickly get the house ready for guests.
Set the Table the Night Before
Getting things done, like setting the table ahead of time, will make things go much smoother on Thanksgiving. You can even do this 2 days before if you're pressed for time.
Empty All Dishwashers and Trash Cans the Night Before
Little things like this make a world of difference when your day is full. So empty your dishwasher and trash cans the night before.
Read Your Recipes Carefully to Make Sure You Have the Right Equipment on Hand
Nothing will ruin your plans like not having the right kitchen equipment to make your recipes. Please read them over carefully to make sure you have everything on hand.
Here's a list of the Essential Thanksgiving Cooking Tools.
Then again, you call always borrow from your neighbor 🙂
Establish a "Make-Your-Own-Breakfast" Policy
If you're hosting guests, have a breakfast station in the kitchen stocked with cereal, muffins, granola bars, etc., so guests can make their own breakfast, and you can stay focused on your to-do list!
We love these breakfast Sundaes that kids love or this overnight crock pot breakfast casserole.
Pin Up Your Recipes
It's simple yet effective. Tape your recipes to your upper kitchen cabinets, so they stay clean, and you can see what you're doing at a glance. This hack makes cooking so much more efficient.
Use Dried Herbs
Forget to get fresh herbs? Don't worry. Use one teaspoon of dried herbs for one tablespoon of fresh herbs.
Chill Wine Quickly
You can do this by wrapping the bottle in a dish towel and placing it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Set a timer, so you don't forget to get it out!
Sort Your Serving Plates
Designate your serving plates and utensils and put labels on them the night before.
Use a Slow Cooker to Keep Your Mashed Potatoes Warm
Yep, it totally works.
Don't use a precious burner; place your mashers in the slow cooker, and they'll be nice and warm when ready to eat. Butter the inside and put a little cream on the bottom, then fill with your spuds.
Then, set it to warm and stir every 30 minutes or so.
PRO TIP: To make your potatoes ahead of time, mash them, mix in the creamy ingredients, and store them in an airtight dish in the fridge for up to two days. On Thanksgiving, remove the dish 45 minutes before it needs to go into the oven, add more milk or butter if they seem dry, and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes.
Erin
Bonus Thanksgiving Hacks
- Use your coffee thermos to keep your gravy warm. Once your gravy is done, pour it into a thermos, and it will be hot when ready to serve.
- Here's a quick and easy Thanksgiving Table Decoration Idea.
- This cranberry recipe is the best! Here's what you can do with any leftover cranberry sauce.
- Guests love this Thanksgiving appetizer.
- 7 Tips for the perfect Thanksgiving Turkey.
- Everything You Need to Know About Thanksgiving Leftovers.
Thanksgiving FAQs
It's speculated that the pilgrims and Indians ate turkey or some other wildfowl because that was what was available at the time. Turkey was a familiar bird for early settlers, so it has become the traditional meat for this Thanksgiving dinner.
About 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey is the estimate. Keep it in the fridge on a rimmed baking sheet, so it doesn't leak.
Budget 15 minutes of cooking time for every pound of turkey at 350 degrees F — when it’s done, the thigh meat should register 170 to 175 degrees F
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Anderson says
These tips are awesome. They will become in handy for us as we will host Thanksgiving this year. The kids are so excited.
Erin says
Thanks Catherine! I popped over to your site and you have some great articles there! Thanks for introducing me to your site.
Erin says
Thanks for introducing me to your site, Catherine! Some great articles there!