My Thanksgiving Timeline.
We’re doing it! Talking the Thanksgiving timeline today. We’ve got two weeks!
After mentioning this on Tuesday Things this past week, you guys got so excited and I knew I had to share ASAP. I wanted to put it in my holiday entertaining guide but I didn’t get a chance to write it up before that was created, so here we are.
I LOVE things like this. The crazy wacky organization that it takes to host a party and especially one like Thanksgiving is intense. You can be an awesome cook and love to have dinner parties, but the timeline of having all those traditional dishes ready for Thanksgiving? It’s a struggle.
Except it doesn’t have to be! It just sounds like a struggle.
I don’t always follow this to a T exactly, but having it in front of my face and having a plan makes me feel less overwhelmed and anxious about the undertaking of such a big meal. I never used to be such a serious planner about things like this, but now that I have kids, I have to be. This allows me to feel SO much less stressed about the day. Because I really love the day! Here we go.
My 2018 Menu
- Butter and Wine Drenched Turkey, with this dry brine
- Classic Stuffing (in and out of the bird)
- Mashed Potatoes
- Gravy
- Thanksgiving Salad
- Brussels Gratin (recipe is coming in a few days! you’ll freak.)
- A side dish of corn (so easy)
- Vanilla Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
- Lightened Up Sweet Potato Casserole
- Pumpkin Fudge Brownies
- Red Apple Cider Sangria
- Thanksgiving Cheese Board
Guest are bringing:
- Green Bean Casserole
- Pumpkin Pie/Desserts
- Apps and Snacks
- Dinner rolls
The month before (or, um, right now):
- I determine who is coming and how many people I’ll have for dinner.
- I figure out the menu! What exactly I’m serving, buying and what are others bringing.
- I go through every.single.recipe and write down the ingredients. I take inventory of what I have. From there, I build a grocery list around what I need.
- I go through all of the serving dishes, place settings, glasses and everything I’ll need. This is personal preference but I love to use real dishes and set the table for Thanksgiving. It’s probably because my mom and grandma always did. I think it just makes for such a nice meal and it also allows people to linger at the table for conversation after!
- I also go through all of my cookware. Do I have the turkey roaster, kitchen twine, baster, enough pots, baking dishes, etc.
- I make a master list, based on all of the above, on EVERYTHING I will need.
- I order a fresh turkey.
- You can order florals if you wish. I learned this the hard way two years ago when I spent $100 upfront ordering one that looked like it belonged in a funeral home. I ended up buying my own flowers and making my own, so I don’t order any.
- I buy as much as I can right now. This includes wine, pantry ingredients, things like crackers for the appetizers, foil containers or packaging for people to take home leftovers – EVERYTHING. And I check it off the list!
Two weeks before:
- I take some inventory of the fridge and figure out what we can eat/cook to free up space.
- I pick up any pantry ingredients or items I couldn’t get in the weeks prior.
The week before:
- I do a massive fridge clean. I clean the entire fridge, get rid of what I don’t need, make room for the turkey, the dishes I’ll make ahead of time, etc.
- I go over my master list again and see what else I may need.
THANKSGIVING WEEK
Saturday
- I grocery shop for the things that are fresh but will last until Thursday, such as milk, potatoes, squash, etc.
- I also think about next weekend and a lunch and dinner plan right now. I know that at some point we will be sick of leftovers and won’t want to eat out every single meal (and will want something light!) so I try to plan a light meal or two and have some things on hand for easy lunches and dinners during the long weekend.
Sunday
- Any miscellaneous house things and regular life things that must get done to live. Ha!
Monday
- I go over my list again. DO I HAVE EVERYTHING? Probably not. I always forget things. Always.
- I clean out my dining room and set the table. I set up my own centerpiece space – or at least as much of it as I can. I also like to set out all of my serving and baking dishes with post-it’s of what will go inside.
Tuesday
- I do one final grocery shop. Grabbing anything else I may need.
- I pick up the turkey.
- I prep my dry brine and prep my turkey, get it all together and stick it in the fridge. Let the magic happen.
Wednesday
- Our house is getting cleaned – amen.
- I’m making the lightened up sweet potato casserole. I don’t bake it yet. I measure out the topping ingredients and set them aside for tomorrow. I’ve done this for 6 years and it works great! This is a great travel dish.
- I’m also making the cranberry sauce, the pumpkin fudge brownies (bake completely and keep in the fridge until Thursday) and prepping the bread and veggies for the stuffing. I leave the bread in baking dishes and sauté the vegetables, then stick them in jars in the fridge.
- I also chop and measure ingredients out for the brussels gratin. Same goes for the salad – wash and chop everything!
- I also slice cheese and prep ingredients for the cheese board, putting olives in bowls and covering them to store in the fridge, as well as placing nuts in bowls and covering them to sit at room temperature.
- Before I go to sleep, I make sure that the kitchen is clean and the dishwasher is running!
Thanksgiving Day
9:30AM:
- Turkey comes out of the fridge to take the chill off.
- I peel the potatoes and place them in a pot of cold water in the fridge.
10:30AM:
- Prep the cheesecloth, butter/wine mixture for the turkey.
10:45AM:
- Turkey is stuffed, legs trussed, ready to go.
11AM:
- Turkey goes into the oven! A 15lb turkey using this recipe takes about 4 hours. I’m giving myself more time for a slightly larger turkey. I set an alarm on my phone so I know when to baste the turkey.
- I run the dishwasher again if needed, only so I can have a completely empty dishwasher after dinner!.
12PM:
- I make the sangria and keep it in the fridge. Also make sure coffee and dessert space is prepped!
- This is probably when I will shower and get ready myself.
3PM:
- I prep the mashed potatoes.
- I also prep the brussels gratin!
- Prep the corn.
- I take other dishes out of the fridge that have to be heated soon, like the sweet potatoes and the cranberry sauce.
- Then I clean up the mess that I probably made.
3:30PM:
- It’s cheese board time. I just set it all out along with any other snacks.
4PM:
- Take the turkey temperature. GUESTS come!
- We eat and snack and chat.
5PM:
- Turkey is out of the oven. Side dishes that have to be warmed/baked go into the oven. I start making the gravy. I love the gravy fresh with the turkey drippings. I follow my exact recipe! It’s worth it, trust me.
- I throw together the salad quickly. Everything is measured, washed and chopped so it takes a few minutes!
5:30PM:
- Eddie carves the turkey!
5:45PM:
- Fill up water and wine glasses, sides come out of the oven, everything is set out and arranged for serving.
6PM: Give thanks and EAT.
While writing it all out makes me seem like a lunatic, I do SO much prep ahead of time that the day is enjoyable. It’s not stressful and I actually love it and get to enjoy it. While there are tasks spread throughout Thanksgiving day, it’s not intense go-go-go because I do lots of prep ahead.
SO now I’m dying to know! What is your plan?
And P.S. I created a printable version for you because I LOVE YOU. xoxo
36 Comments on “My Thanksgiving Timeline.”
Pingback: My Thanksgiving Timeline. | CoffeeMachine.Equipment
You are THE BEST Jessica!! This is such a great guide! I have yet to host our big family Thanksgiving but when I finally do, I’ll be using this!
thanks ashlyn!
I LOVE THIS! Thank you so much! This will be the fourth Thanksgiving we’re hosting (always for 20-25 people), and I have such similar lists and notes that I keep and update from year to year, but like you said, I always manage to forget something. So helpful to have this to compare to!
i love that!! thanks carrie!
YESSSSS thank you for taking the time to share this! XOXO
xoxoxo you’re welcome!
This is genius! I prep as much as I can a couple days before, but the day of is always nuts because we do dinner at like 1pm.
yes!! it is hard when it’s so early. last year i cooked for eddie’s family an we ate at 1 before going to mine later. when i do that, i have to start the day at like 5am!
Ha after seeing this amazing plan and breakdown I kind of want to tell my sister-in-law that I’ll host instead! She is super fly by the seat of her pants and while it works for her, it TOTALLY STRESSES ME OUT!
hahahaha!!!
Do you mash the potatoes at 3 and then reheat? I always mash last but then I hate having the mess at the end.
at 3 i’m going to start boiling them, so i’d say they would be finished around 4. in previous years, i have drained them and kept them in the pot. sometimes i’ve also mashed and got them ready, then keep them covered in the pot and heat over VERY low heat (and stirring occasionally) right before serving,
but! this year i am considering making instant pot mashed potatoes (ugh even though i hate the instant pot) – i’m going to try it this week and see how it works!
I am an obsessive planner too and love the detail of this. I have yet to host thanksgiving, since we don’t live near family and have made the 3 hours drive for a day-trip the past several years. Interesting to see you eat so late! If we aren’t eating by 1:30pm people get cranky haha! (myself DEFINITELY included) Since I only bring a couple of the dishes, I know I can’t fully appreciate all the prep my MIL is doing the day before and how early she gets up to have everything ready earlier in the day.
thank you so much brittany!!! xo
Pingback: My Thanksgiving Timeline - 4 Week Thanksgiving Timeline - TheDirtyGyro
Thanks! I am 66 but only my 3rd Thanksgiving as my aunt always did it. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
same to you!!! thanks JC! xoxo
Love this. ❤️ I’ve hosted Thanksgiving one time … 13 years ago. I am hoping I can make it another decade or so without having to host!
Omg i I can’t believe how much your timeline resembles one I have kept in a binder with my recipes for years!! My table decor is definitely not as lovely as yours but I do set up days ahead. Also, you are literally the ONLY person I know of besides me that sits down to Thanksgiving dinner at 6:00! My friends think it’s crazy but it works for us. Thanks for sharing as always! You definitely go the extra mile for your readers.
I LOVE IT!!
my family has never eaten early – EVER. like we ate dinner when i was growing up at like 8PM, haha. so 6 feels early!
eddie’s family usually eats early at like 12 or 1 (and we just go to both) but since i’m hosting this year, we’re doing 6!
Pingback: My Thanksgiving Timeline – 4 Week Thanksgiving Timeline – Chow Hub
Love this!! I also love to do as much as possible the day before, and running the dishwasher a ton is a huge tip I love too. Also I make that sweet potato casserole every year and I did that turkey last year and they were both a huge hit!! I usually do the crumbly topping all the way across the sweet potatoes.
love that!!! xoxo
Pingback: My Thanksgiving Timeline - 4 Week Thanksgiving Timeline - Cravings Happen
Pingback: Currently Crushing On. - How Sweet Eats
I never remember to clean out the fridge/freezer and then I end up doing it in the midst of the chaos because there’s no room. You inspired me to do that this weekend and start my grocery list and chore list. I have used organic canned sweet potato puree to make my casserole and it saves lots of time and dishes.
amazing!!!
i might try the puree, that is a great idea!
This is super helpful, thank you for sharing! I admire your dedication to making a nice meal to share together, it seems like a lot of work, but it’s good that you can plan and be organized and enjoy it! I get pretty stressed when I’m hosting and wish I didn’t!
Pingback: Brussels Sprouts Gratin Recipe - The Best Brussels Sprouts Gratin
This is my first year hosting thanksgiving. We just bought a house and family is driving in! Im so excited and was glad to read this blog to get an idea! I love the eating around 5 or 6. Time to do things and not feel so ruahed!
Pingback: Scalloped Potatoes - Asiago Scalloped Potatoes, Two Ways
YUP. I was nodding emphatically during this ENTIRE post. I don’t host Thanksgiving, but I do host Christmas Day and Easter Day, and 3-4 large BBQs during the summer, and my prepwork for all these events is pretty much the same thing as what you’ve described here. Lots of planning starting about a month out, and constant lists, ingredient inventory, pantry/fridge checks and cleaning, silverware/plate counting, and grocery store runs are all a part of it.
I’m also REALLY glad to see I’m not the only person who makes a day-of timeline down to the hour (and sometimes half-hour) about what needs to be prepped, refrigerated, baked, cooled down, etc, and when. Sometimes I feel like a lunatic for being this detailed, but, I swear, it helps! I feel like it’s COMPLETELY worth the extra work. I’m a naturally anxious person, and having my lists for each day of the week leading up to The Event really helps me stay calm and focused. I know what I need to do each day, and I know I don’t have to worry about the next day until…the next day! And, I must say, when I follow my “Crazy Girl Holiday/Event Prep Schedule”…everything goes off without one hitch. :-D SO WORTH IT.
Thanks so much for sharing your timeline with us!! It’s nice to see what someone else does to stay sane during the holidays! :-) Happy prepping!
This is so great! I have a crazy day-of timeline written out for my Thanksgiving, too. For me, it’s not the “doing it” that’s stressful, it’s the figuring out what to do – and when – so that everything’s done on time. So, if that’s all done, the actual cooking on the day is lots of fun! Great idea that your checklist includes cleaning out the fridge. I just added that to mine. A couple years ago I made a pumpkin cheesecake that leaked out of the bottom of my springform pan and burned all over the oven, so I now have a line item for “clean oven” written in for Tuesday night, ha!
Pingback: Friday Faves | foodiecrush
Pingback: Cranberry Goat Cheese - Whipped Cranberry Goat Cheese Spread