Simplify Thanksgiving Meal Prep: 4 Easy Steps
There aren’t many holidays that evoke as much stress as Thanksgiving. The pressure to have amazing food and a clean home is undeniable. The most important thing is to prepare in advanced. Don’t leave all of the cooking and cleaning to the day before. Optimize your kitchen’s functionality with the proper tools and organization.
Dig out Infrequently Used Gadgets
It is true that kitchen gadgets often end up buried in a kitchen drawer, but they are most useful when preparing several large dishes from scratch. If you don’t have any gadgets you may want to look into purchasing several useful tools. They will be worth the money, even if they are only used for major holiday cooking. Some useful tool are mandolins, oven racks, vegetable peelers, and herb scissors.
Remove Clutter and Decorations
Nothing hinders cooking like junk. Kitchens are magnets for kid’s homework, mail, and charging cords. Remove the clutter. You can put it in a box to sort later, or put it away as you go if you have time. Don’t let clutter creep into the kitchen in the days leading up. Decorations may also get in your way. Place year-round decorations in a closet until after the holidays. Keep Thanksgiving themed pieces out of the kitchen until the day before. This will give you more space to move around and prepare meals.
Clean and Organize the Refrigerator
Give the refrigerator a thorough cleaning before grocery shopping. Of course check all expatriation dates and remove any spoiled food. Wipe down the entire refrigerator and defrost the freezer as needed. An open box of baking soda will remove any stale odors. Make space for large items like a defrosting turkey and configure adjustable shelves. Designate a space for leftovers and condiments that are likely to be used.
Stock-Up on Seasonings and Nonperishables
Shop for groceries in stages so that you can spread out the cost and save space. Start by shopping in your own pantry for food that you may have overlooked. Then buy nonperishable foods, ingredients, and dry seasonings that you need. Consider items that guests need like sugar substitutes. Salt and pepper can go faster than you think when there is a large number of guests.
Thanksgiving is one of the best days of the year to connect with family, but don’t let stress take away from a good time. Take it easy on yourself and preparations into as many small pieces as possible. Good kitchen organization will make cooking easier and more enjoyable.
