Our Favorite Tips for Hosting Your First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday filled with gratitude, family, friends, and delicious food. Hosting the holiday and preparing the meal can be intimidating, especially if it is your first time hosting. Here are some of our favorite tips and tricks on making your holiday successful without the stress!

1. Clean and prepare the kitchen and the fridge ahead of time! A clean, organized area to prepare, store, and serve your food will allow you to remain calm as you cook up a storm. 
2. Make a menu: Creating a menu ahead of time helps you determine how much food you will need to purchase, and helps to ensure nothing is forgotten. 
3. Ask for help: Hosting and preparing the main event is a lot of work, so don’t be afraid to ask your guests to help contribute with a side dish or a dessert! 
4. Stick to what you know: We do not recommend trying a brand new recipe on Thanksgiving. By sticking to the recipes and foods you know and enjoy you can rest assured that the meal will be delicious.
5. Make a plan: Start by figuring out all of the dishes you have to make and how long each takes to prepare. You can then prepare a schedule so that your food is hot and ready at the same time. Don’t forget that there are many sides dishes you can prepare in advance, especially casserole type dishes - add those to your plan too!
6. Don’t forget the Turkey: This a two-step process! First, don’t forget to purchase a turkey. Looking to get a farm raised, organic bird? You’ll want to get your order into the farm early to be assured there is one available. Secondly, make sure you take your turkey out of the freezer in time! The USDA recommends that for every four (4) pounds of turkey, you allot 24 hours for defrosting. If your bird weighs twelve pounds you’ll want to defrost it in the fridge for three days (72 hours)!
7. Breathe: While great food is always nice on Thanksgiving, the most important part is enjoying the time with friends and family. Be sure to take time to slow down and enjoy the small moments that make gathering for the holidays so special. 

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