Hellobee Boards

My sister does crock pot mashed potatoes that are really good and can be made ahead of time and reheated. Dessert I think can be ordered from a local place and not lose any of the homemade feel, they are usually the most work and time consuming I think. In my city we have the Honey Baked Ham company and a lot of people just order their turkey and ham their cooked and ready to go, people love it. Maybe look for a place like that if there is one around you?

I cook every year, the entire meal, all by myself. I LOVE it. Here's how I keep it all straight:

Make a timeline of when everything goes in and out of the oven, when you start stovetop stuff, etc. It'll help you wrap your mind around what needs to happen when and if you have to walk away, someone else knows what to do until you get back.

The day before, prechop/measure every ingredient you need that can possibly be made ahead. (Example: I preshred cheese, premeasure dried pasta, measure flour and spices and butter, all for mac and cheese.) I put all the ingredients in tupperware/baggies with the printed recipe in the dish that I'm going to bake it in. Every ingredient goes in the dish, even premeasured salt, canned items, etc. Stove-topped dishes just get put in a large zip-lock bag so that the ingredients are together. On the day of, I have zero prep to do. I just follow the schedule, pulling out each meal and mixing it together and popping it into the oven as I need to.

The only thing I do the day of is to peel the potatoes for mashed potatoes, so that they won't gray overnight in the fridge. I know there's a hack for that, but it's never worked for me.

ETA the year I was pregnant, DH did all of this himself because I wasn't feeling well, and we did order the turkey from somewhere else to make it easier. It was still special! Do what you have to to find balance.

You are so generous to host and cook!

That said, my best hacks are to combine home-cooked and purchased items along with making as much ahead as possible to spread out the efforts. What are your family staples for the Thanksgiving table? What are the things people really want to have from a family recipe/homemade and what do you think will be good to possibly purchase ahead?

Crockpot potatoes can be great. You can also make mashed potatoes days ahead and heat them in the oven, covered, with extra butter on top the day of.
Stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and green bean casserole can be made ahead and heated too. Pies can be made ahead or are a good candidate for purchasing.

I think a pre-cooked bird or ham will save you tons of time and sanity. Frozen rolls to warm in the oven, and a purchased quality cranberry sauce are all good choices since I know they're not high on my family's list of 'must be the family recipe' type of dishes. Do you do appetizer snacks during the day? Maybe your parents can contribute that or you can order a fruit/cheese platter from your local store.

Godspeed!

I hosted a Christmas dinner for 16 people a few years back with an 8 week old newborn and 11 people sleeping in my house for a whole week. We ended up ordering all of the food from Whole Foods and it was amazingly simple to heat up (everything was labeled with instructions, etc). It was all traditional Thanksgiving-type food (except we had ham instead of turkey). I won't say it was as good as homemade but it was good and re-heated nicely and was super easy. Not sure if Whole Foods is an option in your area but I would highly recommend outsourcing some of the dishes (if not all), if you can.

We use instant mashed potatoes instead of real - they're just as good if not better (and my aunt, who was a caterer does the same!). And for bread/rolls - Rhodes White Bread, frozen from Walmart, just thaw, rise, and bake and no one will know it's not homemade!

Order from your local grocery store!

Or: frozen Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes
StoveTop stuffing made with broth and a little fresh sage
Cranberry and rolls from grocery store deli
Green beans made the day before
Turkey or ham not both
Pies from store with homemade whipped cream

@periwinklebee: my hack is to go to my in-laws for dinner. Perhaps bring a bottle of wine.

kidding. but is there any way you can order the sides from a restaurant at least? A bunch of places near me do "everything but the turkey". The timing of Tday is SOOO tricky and you will be so pregnant!! No one will care if you order some delicious sides! And don't be afraid to delegate ("could you bring an app/ dessert etc?")

@periwinklebee: So you have “ they will expect” .... I hope they can be understanding and not expect a “perfect gourmet meal”. I don’t have any hacks but I like the above suggestions of ordering. Hopefully not too expensive and they can help with preparation, clean up etc.

@periwinklebee: has your mom actually said that she's expecting a traditional meal that you have cooked yourself? I would hope that if you checked in with her about being super pregnant with a toddler and said you were planning to order most everything, that she would completely understand.

@periwinklebee: Yikes! Yes do please prioritize yourself vs. your mom's expectations of herself that she is now projecting onto you (in the nicest of ways I am sure). I think you'll have a lovely time, and you will provide your guests with a beautiful and delicious meal no matter where it came from or how it was made

I don’t care what the expect, you do what you are comfortable with and up to! Which to me would be ordering most of it. Also scale back the sides- that’s where I really go overboard and make myself crazy because I want to have all of it. But one starch, one veggie, store bought gravy...

And it’s so true the memories we have of big meals- I remember us teasing my mom for burning the crescent rolls every year- AFTER SHE MADE AN ENTIRE THANKSGIVING FEAST FOR 16 people.

@lindseykaye: that’s what I thought, use that pumpkin to decorate!

I mean I’m not pregnant this year and I still bought a frozen pie because I only care about the things I like and that isn’t one of them

@periwinklebee: Ok, I’m sorry, this makes me angry. I’m probably overreacting to this but NO! If your mom wants a pumpkin pie, from an actual pumpkin no less, she can learn to make a pie. It’s not hard. Buy a pie shell if necessary. That’s insane.

@periwinklebee: Or just make it up and say doctor said you cannot be standing

I had to read that like 10 times before it sunk in that it was a “pie pumpkin” and not that she was bringing an actual “pumpkin pie”.

That’s insane. And...nope.

Crockpot mashed potatoes (that you can make the day before).
There are lots of salads/appetizers you can make in advance—veggie tray and dip is easy to make ahead, broccoli salad (we always make this for thanksgiving for some reason?), almost all desserts.
Honestly I’d prob skip the turkey and just do a Costco ham...they are effing good, and I don’t really like turkey anyways
If it’s available, I would 100% order a few sides and prep a few and I wouldn’t feel guilty about it AT ALL
Fancy paper plates AND fancy plastic silverware.

GL with your mom...I hope she can reign in her expectations and it’s as stress free as possible for you! Sorry you can’t have a cocktail 🤣

Just going to chime in with a hell to the no. Order all the food or make your husband do it.

@mrslibrarian: This is a great idea. “Mom, I can home-make a pie, a turkey, OR appetizers. Everything else we’re ordering. Which is most important to you?”

Here's the pie specific excuse: I made it early because it tastes so much better when the spices have time to permeate it overnight. DS is looking forward to coloring and putting stickers on your little pumpkin to decorate his place!