7 Steps for a Mom to Have a Stress Free Thanksgiving Dinner- Hey moms out there, are you ready for the food based holiday. If not you better get cracking or you’re going to be one stressed out lady. That is never a good thing! In order for you to be able to enjoy your holiday and make it fun for everyone you should never be stressed about it, although I totally understand that “life happens.” That is the reason why I am giving you 7 steps for moms to have a stress free Thanksgiving. From the decorating to the cooking this list has got all your needs covered for you to be able to enjoy the holiday and make it a spectacular day for everyone to enjoy – including YOU! After all, moms are the strings that hold the families together and too often we put our happiness and good time last.
- #1 Don’t Freak Out – The holidays are meant to be fun, so don’t let them become a hassle. Don’t over think things, have fun with it and roll with the punches. If something you are planning isn’t working out (special plans or family, cleaning, food, decorations, etc.) then don’t do them. You will just tire yourself out and make yourself miserable. And remember, don’t compromise your plans to make other people happy, if you don’t want to go/do somewhere/something than don’t; it will make everything easier on yourself and you know the saying….. “happy wife happy life!” Your only obligation is to your own family so keep things with in-laws and friends in perspective.
- #2 Plan Ahead – If you are able you may want to start planning before Thanksgiving week. However if you can’t then you still want to start planning as early as possible. Plan your days step by step if you plan to go big for Thanksgiving; especially if you have company coming over. The first day you could decorate, second day plan the food (if you have people coming over plan what dish they should bring if you need the extra help or don’t want the entire cost on your shoulders), get the food that you need the next day and clean the next day (that’s 4 days of prep prior to the big day).
- #3 Decorations – You could do it big or small, either way you want to get it done ASAP so you don’t back up the rest of your holiday schedule. If you are going big, it could take you more than a day to do everything so make sure to consider this when planning. Get this part done ASAP, that way you can save time for the more important things like enjoying company and your family on Thanksgiving.
- #4 Food – This is probably the most important step to this particular holiday. Plan the food early and get the shopping done early and this step won’t be as stressful. If you have a lot of people coming and you don’t know how many pounds of turkey to get, plan 1-1.5 lbs. of turkey per person. And don’t forget that there are some great dishes you can prepare in advance and freeze. Check out my cranberry sausage stuffing – it’s a huge hit in my family and it’s a Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish I’ve become well known for….! Turkey? Be sure to check out my bacon wrapped turkey! It’s the perfect compliment to keep your bird from becoming dry! Oh and dessert – Try my bread pudding, as you can prep the night before and serve it at room temperature.
- #5 Company – If you have people coming over plan something for people to do. Whether or not kids are included, it would probably be a good idea to have some games planned in advance. If you assigned the guest to bring a food dish or dishware (utensils, plates, etc.) make sure to keep track on what people are bringing and make sure to confirm with them before Thanksgiving so that they remember what it is they are bringing. It may be good to keep some handy extras just in case. If you invite people that have food allergies or food sensitivities have them RSVP in advance with food options that would be okay for them.
- #6 Shopping – Don’t let it creep up on you – Calendar the days (or days) you plan to shop. When shopping for the things you need for the holiday make a list based on the stores you are getting them from; instead of having a really long list of everything you need. When you are first starting to plan, you can make a large list of all the things to buy; then put them in smaller lists based on the places you plan to shop. Remember that if you’re planning to purchase a frozen turkey you’ll need 3 days to thaw the bird (depending on the size). I generally shop the sales with different stores based on my week of running kids around – that way I’m shopping as I pay by the stores (saves on gas and time) instead of making a special trip out to a store.
- $7 Don’t Do Everything Yourself – Have your family help you prepare and clean, and have other people bring food. You don’t have to do everything. Spread the jobs out – it’s easier! Have your kids decorate, have your husband do some of the cooking, both of you do the shopping (or have him watch the little ones and you shop with the older kids that can be more of a help). Doing everything yourself is stressful and not as much fun as everybody helping out.
Now that you have your plan you should be all set for an amazing, fun filled holiday. Stop to smell the roses and don’t let stress or concern mess up your holiday. If you have to work the Friday after Thanksgiving think about disposable pans so you have a quick clean up. An unstressed party is the best kind of party, and the most enjoyable kind of party. Have fun this Thanksgiving and remember to be thankful for everything you have. Focusing on the positive always keeps you more centered~!
For more recipes or for the ones you see below head over to my Yummy foods Pinterest Board or Thanksgiving Ideas Pinterest Board.
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