For more than a decade, Thanksgiving has been one of my favorite days of the year to host. Since we became established out our mountain homestead, it’s even more special because it’s the day when so much of the work we’ve put into our home, garden, and homestead throughout the year finally comes together around the table.
There’s something especially meaningful about serving food we’ve grown, raised, preserved, and prepared ourselves. From homegrown pumpkins and vegetables to sourdough bread and, sometimes, even our own turkey, Thanksgiving is a celebration of all those months of work.
But there’s one thing I’ve learned after years of hosting large family gatherings: If you wait until Thanksgiving morning to start preparing everything, you’re going to wear yourself out before the meal even begins.
I learned a long time ago that the secret to hosting without feeling overwhelmed is to start two weeks ahead.
Why I Start Thanksgiving Preparations Two Weeks Early
When I was younger, I loved hosting baby showers, bridal showers, and dinner parties. One of the most valuable things I learned from those experiences was that starting two weeks ahead makes an enormous difference.
By the time I had my fourth child, our living situation had changed considerably. We were living in a very small home with a growing family, and I simply didn’t have the space, time, or capacity to host the way I once had.
Eventually, we were able to begin hosting again, and I developed a hosting checklist that we’ve used for years.
It’s a simple system that breaks hosting into manageable stages: five days ahead, a couple of days ahead, and the day of the gathering.
The children help out and have practically memorized it by now!
Instead of having one enormous list of things that must be accomplished all at once, we spread the work out. This leaves room for ordinary homemaking responsibilities, family life, and something I think is just as important: taking breaks.
As homemakers, we’re essentially self-employed. We assign ourselves the work, set the priorities, and keep everything moving, but we don’t always remember to schedule time to rest.
Starting early gives me room to pause between accomplishments instead of spending the entire holiday season rushing from one task to another.
My Two-Week Thanksgiving Hosting Checklist
Here is how I approach preparing for a large holiday meal. You can adapt this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any occasion when you’re expecting company.
Two Weeks Before Thanksgiving
- Finalize your Thanksgiving menu.
- Make a complete shopping list.
- Check your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator for ingredients you already have.
- Identify which recipes can be prepared ahead of time.
- Make a plan for dishes that can be frozen.
- Check serving dishes, table linens, and kitchen equipment.
- Decide how you want your Thanksgiving table to look.
- Make a test run of any new recipes.
- Start gathering ingredients for specialty dishes.
I especially like having my menu figured out two weeks ahead because it gives me plenty of time to make sure everything is on hand.
It also allows me to prepare foods in advance. For example, our family traditionally makes spanakopita for Christmas, and it freezes beautifully. I can prepare it well ahead of time and have it ready when the holiday arrives.
This year, I also experimented with a new recipe for stuffed pumpkins. It turned out so wonderfully that I immediately wrote down all the measurements. I knew this was going to become a new Thanksgiving favorite!
Five Days Before Thanksgiving
- Review your menu and shopping list.
- Make sure all specialty ingredients are available.
- Begin preparing any dishes that can be made ahead.
- Organize your refrigerator and freezer to make room for holiday food.
- Check your serving dishes and make sure everything is ready.
- Take care of any larger household preparations that can be completed ahead of time.
A Couple of Days Before Thanksgiving
- Prepare dishes that can be refrigerated or frozen.
- Make sourdough rolls and refrigerate them for their final proof.
- Prepare fresh pasta or noodles, if serving.
- Brine your turkey approximately two days ahead.
- Prepare your mashed potato components.
- Finish any remaining food preparation that doesn’t need to wait until Thanksgiving.
- Set out serving dishes and organize your kitchen for the big day.
One of my favorite time-saving tricks is preparing mashed potatoes ahead of time.
Rather than simply mashing them, I recommend using a potato ricer. Prepare your butter, cream, and sour cream or cream cheese mixture separately, melting everything together with a little garlic. Pour that over your freshly riced potatoes while they’re still hot and mix everything together.
They reheat beautifully and remain wonderfully creamy.
Thanksgiving Day
- Finish cooking the dishes that need to be prepared fresh.
- Reheat your make-ahead dishes.
- Finish the turkey and prepare it for serving.
- Arrange your serving dishes and set out the food.
- Enjoy the time with your family!
The goal is to arrive at Thanksgiving with most of the work already behind you.
I don’t want to spend the entire holiday standing in the kitchen, exhausted and cranky, while everyone else enjoys the day. I want to be able to sit down, enjoy the meal, and appreciate everything that went into making it possible.
A Few of My Favorite Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Tips
Over the years, I’ve found a few ways to make holiday cooking considerably easier.
Having a complete menu and shopping list prevents those last-minute trips to the grocery store and helps you identify what can be prepared in advance.
Take advantage of your freezer.
Some holiday dishes are actually better when prepared ahead. Spanakopita is one of our family favorites, and it freezes exceptionally well.
Prepare your sourdough rolls ahead of time.
I love making our sourdough rolls a couple of days before Thanksgiving and letting them proof in the refrigerator until they’re ready to bake.
Make your mashed potatoes ahead.
Using a potato ricer and preparing your cream and butter mixture separately makes it possible to prepare creamy mashed potatoes ahead of time without sacrificing their texture.
Brine your turkey.
I like to brine our turkey approximately two days before Thanksgiving. It makes such a difference in the flavor and moisture of the finished bird.
I also like to loosen the skin and work butter underneath it, directly against the meat. This adds another layer of richness and helps keep the turkey moist.
What’s on Our Thanksgiving Menu This Year?
One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is that it gives us an opportunity to celebrate what we’ve grown throughout the year.
This year, we’re incorporating quite a few things from our own homestead.
Our menu will include:
- Turkey
- Stuffed pumpkins with sausage, mushrooms, sourdough bread, feta, and garam masala
- Sourdough rolls
- Green bean casserole made from scratch
- Mashed potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- A variety of homemade pies, including pumpkin, pecan, cherry, apple, and huckleberry
- Possibly a few additional family favorites!
The stuffed pumpkins are a new addition this year, and I have a feeling they’ll become a regular part of our holiday meals.
I used homegrown red onions, shallots, celery, and garlic in the stuffing, along with mushrooms, sausage, feta cheese, and garam masala.
The combination was absolutely wonderful. The garam masala adds such a lovely depth and warmth to the stuffing.
I’ve also created a special extended, old-fashioned recipe card for my Patreon members, along with several other cards. They’re designed to be downloaded and printed, making it a lovely addition to your recipe collection.
Our Family Holiday Meal Plan
If you’d like to know more about what our family traditionally serves for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’ve put together our holiday meal plan.
It includes our favorite holiday foods along with complete shopping lists to help you plan your own celebrations.
This is a seasonal offering that is only available for a couple of months each year, so be sure to grab your copy while it’s available. FYI, you can get it year round if you join me on Patreon HERE!
A Little Reminder for the Homemaker
I think one of the most important things we can learn as homemakers is that we don’t have to accomplish everything in one day.
There is so much work that goes into making a home, feeding a family, and preparing for special occasions. And when we’re constantly moving from one responsibility to another, it’s easy to forget that we’re allowed to pause and enjoy what we’re doing.
I want Thanksgiving to be a celebration, not a day that leaves me completely exhausted.
Starting early, having a plan, and allowing enough time for the work to unfold has made hosting so much more enjoyable for our family.
After more than a decade of using this system, I wouldn’t go back to doing it any other way!
Happy Thanksgiving preparations, and may your home be filled with good food, good company, and plenty of reasons to be thankful.
