Your first time hosting Thanksgiving can be terrifying. So many different meals to make, different personalities to please and lots and lots of work. We get it! Here is a little guide every one should read their first time hosting Thanksgiving. If you follow these simple tips, it will make your big day go great!

• Decide on a menu and timeline

• Ask for help and delegate

• Shop for the meal early

• Cook some dishes in advance

• Decorate early

• Prepare for the aftermath

TIP: Don’t forget to check out our grocery list / dinner prep excel

1.First Things First, Decide on a menu and timeline

The menu is the biggest part of Thanksgiving and there are a lot of different dishes, so it is so important to plan ahead! Start by making a list of everything you want to cook and have ready for the big meal. Now, figure out when those dishes need to be started, which ones need an oven vs. stovetop and what cookware you have to actually make each of them. You can use our excel here.

2. Ask for help and delegate.

Now that you know what you want and how long each item will take to make. Look at your list and start marking the items you would rather delegate. We like to delegate items that won’t fit in our oven or stovetop because we have too many dishes. For example, if you want corn bread, but it needs to go in at the same time as the turkey and you don’t have room for both in the oven, delegate that dish!

3. Shop for the meal

Shop early, make a list. The most important part of Thanksgiving shopping is getting it done before the crowds! We like to order a lot of our items from Williams and Sonoma so we avoid some of the craziness. We also make sure to call ahead and reserve a turkey at least two weeks in advance so we have the proper turkey size! Finally, make a list before you go to the store. It is always crazy at the grocery store the week leading up to Thanksgiving and it’s so important to get in and out as fast as possible. So make a list, bring a pen and get it done, fast!

4. cOOK SOME meals in advance

Making food before the day of the event is a huge life saver when you have tons of different dishes to make in a single oven. We usually like to make our pies, stuffing and mash potatoes the day before so we have enough room to make the turkey and veggies the day of. Plus, the stuffing and mash potatoes taste so much better once they have had about 24 hours to set in the fridge together!

5. Decorate early

I always suggest decorating the house the day before the event so you are not stressed the day you are cooking everything and people are coming over. Set the table, put up any decorations and get the house completely ready as if people were coming over that day.

6. Prepare for the aftermath

Make sure you add to go containers to your grocery list, and tin foil! These are just a few of the things that will make clean up so much easier. We always buy 1-2 big togo container per guest, so when dinner is over they can grab their box, fill it up and are ready to go. For a cute touch, add name tags :)