making the Thanksgiving checklist
By Kelli M
@spiderdust (14760)
San Jose, California
November 11, 2023 3:09pm CST
We're trying to figure out all the Thanksgiving prep and shopping details here so the holiday can run as smoothly as possible. I think we've decided on the menu, although some things can't be prepped until shortly before Thanksgiving (which is a little frustrating, because I've been asked to work on the day before Thanksgiving and will be working long hours that whole week).
Today I will cut up bread so it gets stale and can be used to make stuffing. I'll go through all of the recipes and figure out how much butter, milk, celery, whipped cream, etc., is needed for the meal. This week I will be making meals from things I have on hand in order to empty the fridge and freezer more. Next Thursday I will take the turkey out of the freezer and let it thaw in brine in the 5-gallon beverage cooler (which is used exclusively for brining meat).
I'm torn between making a pumpkin pie and just getting one from Costco. I do have canned pumpkin and have made pumpkin pies before, but I don't know that I'm going to have a lot of time to make one. The Costco one is really good and very liked by everyone in the family, but it means going to Costco during a busy holiday season and getting distracted by all of the other things on sale... UGH. I hate buying something when I already have the ingredients for it, but it's just harder for me to "do it all" these days.
If I don't make a fruit turkey tray this year (like the one pictured above), my family will probably riot. I've been making one every Thanksgiving for probably 10 years now, and it looks different every year. It can get a little bit pricey, depending on the fruit I use, so I need to try to be economical there. It's also not something I can prep much ahead of time either. It takes about an hour to prepare, but it's gone in less than 10 minutes! Ah, well... it's tradition and it means a lot to the kids, so I keep making it.
Maybe I can have one of the older kids wedge oranges and halve grapes for me earlier in Thanksgiving week and put the prepped fruit in containers in the fridge so that's out of the way.
What do you prep ahead of time for Thanksgiving dinner, if you celebrate it?
9 people like this
8 responses
@DaddyEvil (137669)
• United States
11 Nov 23
I usually start cooking about 3 am to have everything done by 10 am so Pretty and I can eat and then she plays games online while I go to bed. Nothing is prepped ahead of time but I do buy the pecan pie.
I hope everything works out for you this holiday season. I used to volunteer to work on Thanksgiving so people with big families could have the day off.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137669)
• United States
11 Nov 23
@spiderdust Walmart used to be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas day but decided to stay open on Thanksgiving when they took away holiday pay from us... six or seven years ago.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
11 Nov 23
@DaddyEvil Yeah, they were closed on those days when I worked there, but that was more than 25 years ago. They used to pay us an extra dollar per hour worked on Sundays too, but I'm sure that's gone now.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
11 Nov 23
My store is closed on Thanksgiving day, and it's a paid day off (which I am quite grateful for). I'm going to be pretty tired that day though, having already made hundreds of Thanksgiving dinners that week for our customers.
We're also closed on Christmas day and get paid for that one too. I hope the company never changes that.
1 person likes this
@much2say (56117)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Nov 23
That fruit turkey is real cute! I would love to make it to take to my mom's, but I don't know that it will make it in the car ride. I buy up the non-perishables way ahead of time - that way I just have it (before they run out at the store!). Whatever that needs to be cut up, I do it the night before. In most cases, I can do most of the rest on the morning of Tday.
1 person likes this
@much2say (56117)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Nov 23
@spiderdust Omg duh . . . why didn't I think of that?! I should make that a Tday project for my daughter!
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
15 Nov 23
@much2say I originally got the idea from Pinterest, but I just do my own design based on what fruit I get. It's different every year.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
13 Nov 23
You could bring the ingredients for a fruit turkey charcuterie and assemble it after you get there!
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (94001)
• United States
11 Nov 23
The fruit turkey tray is genius, and I commend you for doing it at all. It sure sounds like you are awfully busy, to say the least! I hope everyone appreciates it!
For Thanksgiving, my dad took over the main course a few years ago, and my sister makes a side dish, I make a side dish, and my stepmom insists on making two. Squash pie is usually one of them, and I never object to that! Dessert is usually leftover from the day before when my stepmom visited her family for their Thanksgiving. They send the leftover desserts home with her.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
11 Nov 23
I look forward to the time when we can do Thanksgiving potlucks. Right now, everyone is either still living at home or too far away to come for dinner (with the exception of one adult child who lives nearby... I should see if he wants to bring anything). Potluck style meals definitely make things less stressful.
1 person likes this
@Tina30219 (82066)
• Onaway, Michigan
11 Nov 23
I agree get what you can get done ahead of time then you do not have so much to do the day of. We will be going to my moms my boyfriend is talking about making a pumpkin pie he is picky when it comes to them not that he will not eat them he just likes them the way his family made them.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
11 Nov 23
One of the traditional desserts involves angel food cake, strawberries, and strawberry Jello. I wonder how much ahead of time that cake can be made? The rest can be put together the night before Thanksgiving.
@LindaOHio (181931)
• United States
12 Nov 23
Thanksgiving is such a time intensive holiday. Since we can't cook much anymore, we are using frozen pies, boxed dressing, etc. Some of these things will be made the day before. We also have extra thighs and legs to make. I love your turkey tray. I hope you're having a good weekend.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
12 Nov 23
I've finished cutting up all the bread for stuffing. I will usually purchase seasoned stuffing mix, but I have been determined to make it from scratch this year since I have access to so much free bread. I wish I knew what recipe my mom used to make homemade stuffing, but I know she often bought the Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix too.
Today I'm going to test out making cranberry sauce from dried cranberries, as we have a LOT.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
13 Nov 23
@LindaOHio The best stuff takes a bit of prep time, doesn't it? 
I tested out the cranberry sauce recipe yesterday as well. I was tasty, but needs some tweaking as it never got thick. I followed the recipe, but I think next time I will use less liquid than it calls for. I want to try it using orange juice instead of water too.
I tested out the cranberry sauce recipe yesterday as well. I was tasty, but needs some tweaking as it never got thick. I followed the recipe, but I think next time I will use less liquid than it calls for. I want to try it using orange juice instead of water too.1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (181931)
• United States
13 Nov 23
@spiderdust I like my sausage stuffing the best. It takes some prep time; but it's so good.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317245)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
13 Nov 23
I like your fruit tray.
I have almost everything bought for dinner. I'll finish getting the rest tomorrow. I don't prep ahead of time. I like getting everything ready during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It depends on what time I'll be eating on when the turkey goes in the oven. I need to talk to my son about what time we'll be eating.
@LovesEverybody (4388)
• United States
12 Nov 23
My sister usually makes the turkey and brings some of it over to my house. Last year, my peer taught me how to make stuffing out of a box and I made that for the turkey my sister brought for me.
I absolutely love your fruit turkey! It looks delicious but I would hate to eat something that beautiful!
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
12 Nov 23
Oh, they gobble that turkey up right away!
2 people like this
@LovesEverybody (4388)
• United States
12 Nov 23
@spiderdust after all the work you did on it?! I think that is the way your family says their compliments to the chef!
