Don't wait until Thanksgiving day to do all the cooking; start today and reduce tomorrow's stress. Here's how you can get the prep work for Thanksgiving dinner done in advance:
- Make desserts one to two days before Thanksgiving. Or break it up over the course of two days. Make the pie dough on Tuesday and the filling on Wednesday. Be sure to bake the dessert the day before Thanksgiving. Everything bakes at different temperatures so this will free up the oven. Also the dessert will have plenty of time to set.
- Make rolls, breads, or cornbread for stuffing/dressing the day before. These can be reheated last minute while the turkey is resting.
- Peel potatoes on Wednesday. To prevent oxidization, place in a bowl of water in the fridge.
- Thaw the turkey. Take it out of the freezer now; the last thing you want is for the bird to be half frozen when you stick it in the oven.
- Chop the vegetables the day before. This will give you lots of free time on Thanksgiving. Place in bowls covered with plastic wrap or sealed plastic baggies in the vegetable drawer of your fridge.
- Depending on the appetizers you are serving, prep or make these the day before as well.
Got a great tip about how to prepare a dish before Thursday? Please share with us below!
Meltin Pot
Buffalo London
Eric Van Peterson
I have a question Yum. I made a lasanaga yesterday (Sunday) but didn't cook it. I was planning on throwing it in the freezer for a day or two so it doesn't go bad. Do I need to? Or will it be fine by Thursday? The meat in it is cooked.
1Good advice. This is the first Thanksgiving I'll be cooking, so I'm definitely starting today.
2I am going to start baking wednesday. Thanks for the tips.
3I am peeling my potatoes on Thursday (we are having ours Thursday), and making the dessery Thursday as well. The turkey we don't get until Wednesday, and that is going straight into the fridge.
4*Friday I mean. My thanksgiving that I am cooking is on Friday.
5i am pretty excited! this is the first thanksgiving that i'll be cooking (helping my boyfriend cook). normally my ex-MIL did all the cooking, and she is a fabulous cook, so she's a hard act to follow. but there is excitement in doing things on your own for the first time! i can't wait.
6kiwi - personally I think that might be pushing it a little. However I'm firmly in the better safe than sorry camp. Especially if you're feeding a bunch of folks, why risk it? Also, the lasagna noodles might dry out in the fridge for so many days. If it was me, I'd freeze it for now. Just remember to take it out of the freezer and into the fridge the night before so that it has time to defrost. You might also need to add an additional amount of cooking time (10 minutes). good luck!
7thanks for the tips!
8I'm bringing salad and mac/cheese to our family Thanksgiving potluck dinner. So I'm safe to make my stuff on the day of. (There's something to be thankful for!)
9You can peel the potatoes that early?th
10Even though I'm Canadian and vegetarian this was pretty insightful. That potato tip is great!
11That is what I was thinking Yum! I am a very picky eater when it comes to food safety. It is in the freezer now! And the turkey has come out and into the fridge.
12This year I am having Thanksgiving with friends and family.
13Good advice, yumsugar.
I love the idea of freshly baked bread. How can I manage that?
14I'll be baking on my day off tomorrow. I can't let my family down!
15I baked a bread last night and it's a huge weight off my shoulders.
16kiwitwist freezing it will be just fine. My mother does it all the time.
17Aimee, you must be so relaxed.
18yes
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