2020 Thanksgiving: Your Menu and Prep Roadmap

Planning the perfect Thanksgiving menu and preparing effectively are the cornerstones of a truly stress-free holiday. This comprehensive guide offers a meticulously crafted game plan, designed to help you enjoy a relaxing and memorable celebration with your loved ones, free from last-minute panic.

The Ultimate Thanksgiving Prep Timeline: A Day-by-Day Blueprint for Success

This is where the magic of a stress-free Thanksgiving truly unfolds. Below, you’ll find a meticulously organized game plan, broken down into manageable tasks for each day leading up to the grand feast. This daily approach significantly reduces overwhelm, spreads the workload efficiently, and ensures that every dish is prepared with care and arrives at the table fresh and flavorful. For added convenience, you can also download a printable PDF version of this comprehensive checklist here to keep you perfectly on track.

Sunday: The Foundation of Your Feast

• Create a Detailed Grocery Shopping List: Start by reviewing your chosen menu and cross-referencing it with your pantry staples. Don’t forget non-food items like aluminum foil, parchment paper, extra storage containers, and serving platters. This meticulous list is your shield against forgotten ingredients and last-minute store runs.
• Complete All Grocery Shopping: Purchase all necessary ingredients, including fresh produce, dry goods, and beverages like wine and other spirits. Buying early helps you avoid crowded stores and ensures availability, especially for seasonal items.
• Begin Turkey Thawing (If Frozen): If you’re using a frozen turkey, place it in the refrigerator to begin its slow and safe thawing process. This is a crucial step that takes several days. For an exact thawing time chart based on your turkey’s weight, consult my Thanksgiving Turkey 101 guide for precise instructions.

Monday: Kickstarting Your Make-Ahead Masterpieces

• Prepare Orange Cranberry Sauce: Make your orange cranberry sauce and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Homemade cranberry sauce is far superior to canned versions, and making it ahead allows the flavors to meld beautifully. (This can also be prepared and frozen up to 3 months in advance for ultimate convenience.)
• Prepare Pie Dough: Make 1-3 batches of all-butter pie dough. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Having pie dough ready eliminates a significant task on busy baking days. (Like cranberry sauce, this can also be made and frozen up to 3 months in advance.)
• Chop Celery for Stuffing: Pre-chop celery, a key aromatic for your stuffing. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Prepare Gravy Base (Without Drippings): Start your gravy by making the base, omitting the pan drippings for now. While it won’t be super flavorful at this stage, having the base ready simplifies Thanksgiving Day tasks immensely. We’ll add the rich pan drippings when warming up the gravy just before serving, transforming it into the most flavorful accompaniment to your turkey!

Tuesday: Baking and Preliminary Prepping

• Bake Your Thanksgiving Pies: Bake the easy pumpkin pie and pecan pie. Once cooled completely, cover them securely and refrigerate. Baking pies early not only frees up oven space on Thursday but also allows the flavors to settle, often improving their taste and texture.
• Prepare for Broccoli Salad: If you’re making broccoli salad, cut the broccoli florets and cook the bacon. Keep these components separate and refrigerated until Wednesday.

Wednesday: Power Prep Day – The Grand Assembly

• Bake Homemade Dinner Rolls: Bake your homemade dinner rolls. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll be ready for a quick reheat on Thursday.
• Prepare Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes (Partial): Make the twice-baked sweet potatoes, following the recipe up to step 9 (before the final bake with marshmallows). Cover and refrigerate. This saves significant time on Thanksgiving Day.
• Roast Garlic for Mashed Potatoes: Roast a couple of heads of garlic, perhaps alongside your sweet potatoes if convenient. This roasted garlic will infuse your mashed potatoes with incredible flavor.
• Assemble Broccoli Salad: Combine the pre-cut broccoli, cooked bacon, and dressing to prepare the broccoli salad. Refrigerate until serving.
• Prepare Mashed Potatoes (Partial or Casserole): Peel and cut the potatoes for mashed potatoes, then place them in cold water, cover, and refrigerate. This prevents discoloration and makes cooking quick on Thursday. Alternatively, if making mashed potato casserole, prepare it through step 8 and refrigerate.
• Mix Fall Sangria: Prepare the fall sangria. Allowing it to sit overnight lets the flavors develop beautifully.
• Chill All Beverages: Ensure all beer, wines, juices, and other drinks are thoroughly chilled and ready to serve.

Thanksgiving Day: The Grand Finale Timeline

Let’s assume your Thanksgiving dinner is planned for 4:00 PM. This timeline is designed for maximum efficiency, allowing you to enjoy your guests without constant kitchen franticness.

• 9:00 AM – Prepare the Turkey: Remove your turkey from the refrigerator. Pat it dry, season it generously, and prepare it for roasting according to the recipe.
• 10:00 AM – Begin Roasting the Turkey: Place the turkey in the oven. Important Tip: An unstuffed 18lb turkey typically takes around 4 hours to roast, allowing it to be ready for serving by approximately 4 PM with resting time. If you have a smaller turkey, adjust your start time slightly later to prevent it from drying out. Remember to factor in resting time for the turkey once it’s out of the oven.
• 10:30 AM – Bring Out the Pies: Remove your baked pies from the refrigerator to allow them to come to room temperature. This enhances their flavor and texture.
• 11:00 AM – Set the Table: This seemingly small task takes more time than you think! Set your dining table with plates, cutlery, glasses, and any decorations.
• 1:00 PM – Prepare Deviled Eggs: Make the deviled eggs. These quick appetizers are best made closer to serving for freshness.
• 1:30 PM – Prepare Orange Cranberry Spritzer: Mix the base of the orange cranberry spritzer. Hold off on adding the ginger ale until just before serving to maintain its fizz.
• 1:45 PM – Cook Instant Pot Sausage Stuffing: Prepare your Instant Pot sausage stuffing. Once done, keep it warm using the “Keep Warm” function of your Instant Pot or transfer to a slow cooker.
• 2:00 PM – Finish Mashed Potatoes or Casserole: Cook your pre-prepped mashed potatoes. Cover and keep warm until serving. If you opted for the mashed potato casserole, finish the final baking steps.
• 2:30 PM – Make Roasted Carrots: Roast the honey-glazed roasted carrots. These cook relatively quickly and can be kept warm.
• 3:00 PM – Reheat Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes: Bring out the partially cooked sweet potatoes and allow them to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes on the counter. Top with marshmallows and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbly.
• 3:15 PM – Reheat Dinner Rolls: Gently reheat your dinner rolls in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until warm and soft.
• 3:30 PM – Carve the Turkey: The turkey should be rested and ready for carving. Carve it expertly and arrange it beautifully on a large platter. This is also a good time to collect those precious pan drippings for your gravy. For detailed carving instructions, refer to my Turkey 101 guide.
• 3:45 PM – Final Gravy Prep: Reheat the make-ahead gravy base and stir in the freshly collected pan drippings. Whisk until smooth and flavorful.
• 4:00 PM – LET’S EAT! All your hard work has paid off. It’s time to gather around the table, give thanks, and enjoy the delicious feast you’ve so skillfully prepared!

I sincerely hope this comprehensive guide proves incredibly helpful in planning and executing your most stress-free and enjoyable Thanksgiving yet. Should you have any questions or require further clarification on any step, please do not hesitate to reach out. I’ll do my absolute best to provide a prompt and thorough reply!