Thanksgiving Host Survival Guide

It’s the most WONDERFUL time of the year! Well, If “wonderful” means “stressful, busy, and exhausting”, right? We bend over backwards this time of year, but we love it because we do it for the people we love. And if you happen to find yourself tasked with hosting something like the Thanskgiving day feast, well that adds another layer of “love labor”, but in my opinion it makes the day even more enjoyable! Having had two years of Thanksgiving host experience under my belt, I’m excited to share with you my “Thanksgiving Host Survival Guide”!

So you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year…

Don’t panic. Hosting should be fun AND inviting, not intimidating. In a world filled with pinterest-worthy tablescapes and letterboard menus, sometimes we confuse “hosting” with “performing”. But hosting should not be a performance, it should be a warm service that allows you to also enjoy the fruit of your labor with the people you love! If you are running around “performing”, the atmosphere you’re creating is not as welcoming as it would be if you were gently “serving” your guests instead. Each of the tips I’m about to share with you are keeping this in mind so that you and your guests can enjoy a relaxing holiday together!

Thanksgiving Survival Guide – 10 Hosting Tips

Plan your menu. I’ve included mine below so you have a reference! I’ve also indicated “who does what” (which things are “matt’s job) and a few “quick recipes” for you to play around with (find my cornbread casserole here, green bean casserole on the menu on the right and sweet potato casserole at the end of this post)! That’s the beauty of your Thanksgiving menu… most of recipes are adaptable and difficult to mess up so you can eyeball pretty much everything!

2. Shop Early (2-4 days). This is probably a given, but I figured I could help with that! I’ve attached my shopping list for the menu above. Also, don’t stress about the turkey! You can usually find a great one a few days prior – I’ve never had an issue with it anyway (last year I got mine from Trader Joes the day prior).

3. Set the table before guests arrive. I actually keep my table set as a part of my “Winter Tablescape” and that is especially helpful when food is prepared! I would suggest to keep your tablescape simple and central so you have plenty of room to set food. You may actually need to remove some of your dÃ©cor… so my suggestion is to keep it uncluttered from the start! I decorate with a small wood box in the center and add a few seasonal greens + large pinecones. I finish it off with a woven table runner in the center and call it good! I like using this thick woven table runner (found on amazon – an Anthropologie dupe) because it doubles as a cooling mat!

4. Create your “food prep timeline” a few days prior and consider the help you’ll have! I’ve included mine below as a reference. To help yourself enjoy the day with loved ones, I would recommend to prep as much as you can ahead of time so that the day of you only really need to worry about oven times and throwing together some finishing touches!

Thanksgiving Day Food Prep Timeline:

8 AM – start meat (husband wake up call)
9 AM – Serve and enjoy breakfast casserole
10 AM – Mimosas
11 AM – begin mashed potatoes. When finished, cover and store beneath oven. This can wait a couple hours if you want, but it’s nice to get it out of the way early because it is a long process and they are not sensitive to over-cooking!
12 PM – serve lunch “charcuterie board”.
1 PM – bake cornbread casseroleÂ
2 PM – remove casserole from heat and store in microwave or beneath oven. Bake greenbean casserole + sweet potato casserole (same temp – 375).
2:30 PM – Cover and store all casseroles beneath oven with potatoes. Overflow can be stored in microwave. Begin brussel sprouts ( or whatever your more labor intensive and time sensitive dish is).Â
3 PM – Finish and store sprouts with other casseroles. Recruit help to set table with condiments, serveware, etc. as you begins stuffing (box stuffing makes this easy but still a last minute job). Turkey and meats to be cut if finished. Â
3:15 PM – finish and store stuffing beneath oven and begin turkey gravy with pan drippings. Dinner rolls in oven.
3:30 PM – All dishes to join rolls in the oven for the final 5 minutes and then turn off heat/ crack the oven. keep foil on.Â
3:45 PM – Dinner bell! Everyone to the table as you begin to bring out food. Recruit help to keep it warm longer! Place hot desserts to re-heat in warm oven while you eat dinner so they are ready to go right after!
4 PM: Pour the wine, say grace, and ENJOY!Â

5. Consider “non-dinner” foods for people to enjoy while they await the final act! I like to keep these easy. For breakfast, I throw together a quick crockpot casserole the night before and let it cook overnight so it takes zero effort from me the next day. For lunch, I prepare (literally, “pre – make”) a charcuterie board to set out for people to nibble on. They should be full from breakfast, and since dinner is earlier than usual, this is really just to keep their stomachs exercised! Here is a picture of what I made last year:

6. Start the day with a mimosa and sip as you cook! Keeps the edge off as you follow your timeline and converse with loved ones! Surely you will have recruited a few helpers to join you in the kitchen for the day, enjoy their company and make the most of your day while you enjoy your labor of love! Here’s one of my favorite holiday cocktails (that I will not be enjoying this year…)

7. Bring the food to the table at the same time! I’ve included a diagram of my table set up below as a reference. To keep everything warm until the big moment, utilize all your oven space as well as the drawer below the oven (many people think this drawer is for storage, but it’s actually for keeping food warm). Throw finished casseroles, potatoes, etc. in here so they keep the heat of the oven without cooking. Dishes that aren’t prone to over-cooking can remain in the hot oven with others to save space (such as covered mashed potatoes). Keep everything covered in foil until all dishes have arrived at the table!

8. Time to FEAST! Make your announcement and don’t be afraid to assign jobs! Ask people to grab their plate, fill their glass, help you bring food, butter, sauces to the table, etc! Trying to do it all with a big group can leave food sitting out and getting cold while you try to grow 20 hands. People are happy to help after they’ve been enjoying your snacks and beverages on the couch all day… Let them!

9. As the host, you get to decide how the eating will commence! If you’d like everyone to go around and say something they’re thankful for first, do it! If you’d like your spouse to bless the food, let him know! This is your home and your feast, so don’t hesitate to execute it in the way you’d like!