Thanksgiving can be stressful and if you’re hosting, you may already be feeling it. There’s a lot that goes into the holiday dinner and between the shopping, the cooking and the relatives, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and anxious. These hacks can make your Turkey Day less stressful so you can actually enjoy the holiday.
- Sharpen your knives and shears now - Chopping 12 onions is a lot easier when your blade isn’t dull. Even if you think your knives are “fine,” get them professionally sharpened now and you’ll be thankful on Thanksgiving.
- Take a trip to the restaurant supply store - For new knives, poultry shears, a huge cutting board for turkey or all kinds of baking equipment, the restaurant supply store has reasonably-priced tools that are good enough for pros.
- Hit up the thrift store for serving pieces - Need pretty serving platters, table linens, serving spoons or any kind of cups? The thrift store has you covered and it’s budget-friendly, too.
- Stock up on containers for leftovers now - Soup containers work well, but any containers that are reusable, but cheap enough you won’t care about sending them home with guests full of leftovers are ideal.
- Get sparkling wine - Whether you’re splurging for capital C Champagne or sipping bargain Trader Joe’s bubbly, sparkling wine is perfect for your turkey dinner. It’s festive, acidic and effervescent, which makes it pair well with all the salty, fatty Thanksgiving food.
- Add burnt onions to your gravy - Not caramelized, but burnt onions give gravy a deep, roasted flavor.
- Add more acid to your Thanksgiving dinner - The traditional Thanksgiving meal is high in carbs and delicious fats, which is why chef Samin Nosrat recommends adding acid anywhere you can. For mashed potatoes, use sour cream instead of butter and cream. Finish gravy with wine for a little acidity. And for stuffing, using sourdough bread or adding dried fruit, like prunes soaked in white wine, will do the trick.
- Be a practical guest - If you’re not hosting, instead of the typical flowers and wine for host gifts, bring practical items like dish towels, containers for leftovers and serving spoons, because there are never enough.
Source: Lifehacker