Whether you’re cooking your first Thanksgiving meal or you’re a seasoned host, this step-by-step timeline will make Thanksgiving meal prep as easy as pie!
The holidays are the perfect opportunity to showcase fresh, local ingredients. No matter how simple the recipe, high-quality ingredients from your local farm elevate even the most traditional Thanksgiving dishes with no extra effort. Think: tender pasture-raised turkey, sourdough stuffing made from scratch, mashed potatoes made with local milk and butter, snappy green bean casserole, and homemade cranberry sauce.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's split up the shopping and food prep to avoid last minute stress — in the kitchen, at the grocery store, and on your wallet.
We’ll walk you through each stage of meal prep for your holiday dinner so that by the time Thursday rolls around, you’ll have everything ready to serve an unforgettable, locally-sourced feast for the ones you love (to feed).
While this guide was written with Thanksgiving dinner in mind, you can refer to this timeline for future holiday feasts or dinner parties. Let's dig in!
Certified Organic Thanksgiving Bundles
PLATEFUL POINTER Farms have limited quantities, so try to order as far in advance as you can, as some options sell out quickly.
Two Weeks Before
Plan your menu & take inventory of ingredients.
You should be finalizing your holiday menu two weeks before the big day. Gather recipes, bookmark your favorites, make a shopping list, and start procuring ingredients.
Take note of what you already have in the kitchen, and what you still need to purchase. Then, build a master shopping list for everything, grouping items by category (e.g. meat, produce, spices, dairy, pantry, kitchen utensils/tools, etc) to make shopping easier.
Pre-order your turkey (or other protein) & farm-fresh essentials.
Pre-order your turkey from your local farm to make sure you get the best quality. It’s worth it to know where and how your bird was raised. Not only does food from your local farm taste better, it’s better for you, your community, and the environment. Talk about feeling grateful!
Non-Traditional Centerpieces to Celebrate Don't be afraid to start new traditions with old friends. Pasture-raised turkey is traditional, but brisket, rump roast, duck, and Cornish hens are all special main dishes to feed a crowd.
Check & inspect your kitchen tools & cooking utensils.
Now is the time to locate and update your cooking tools to make sure you're prepared for the big day! Is your food processor working or did the motor finally give out? Did you forget to replace the lid to the casserole dish you broke last year?
Aside from the standard cooking utensils like roasting pans, a vegetable peeler, and a serving platter large enough to plate your main dish, don’t forget these kitchen must-haves: a reliable meat thermometer, a glass baster, parchment paper, aluminum foil, and cooking twine.
PLATEFUL POINTER Instead of purchasing kitchen tools you don't need or use on a regular basis, ask friends and family to lend you these items.
One Week Before
Finalize your holiday menu & delegate dishes.
Reduce stress and make Thanksgiving a communal effort with a potluck-style party! Delegate tasks and coordinate with any guests who are contributing dishes — you don’t want to end up with three pumpkin pies and no sides!
PLATEFUL POINTER Make sure guests know if they can use the kitchen to prep their dishes the day of the holiday dinner to avoid any confusion.
Small-Batch Additions to Make Your Meal Unique
PLATEFUL POINTER Don't forget to double check the date and time of your farm order pick up or delivery date!
Plot your plate situation & count the cutlery.
Aside from the edible part of your Thanksgiving table, you should take inventory of your kitchen tools and table settings. Count your plates and cutlery to make sure you have enough place settings (and chairs!) for each guest, and enough serving dishes for everything on the menu.
PLATEFUL POINTER Label dishes with tape or sticky notes so you know which bowl is best for the sweet potato casserole, and what works better for the green beans.
Prep your pantry with hardy storage vegetables, baking supplies & dry good staples.
Beat the holiday rush by purchasing hardy, seasonal produce and dry goods a week before the big day.
A lot of items on your Thanksgiving menu can be kept for weeks when properly stored, so stock up on pantry items, root vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, alliums, squash, and in-season fruits the week prior to the holiday meal.
Maximize shelf life by storing produce in ideal conditions — away from direct sunlight, moisture, and noticeable changes in temperature. Get more food storage tips to properly store seasonal vegetables for peak freshness.
Buy In Advance: Winter Vegetables
The Weekend Before
Swing by the farmers market for last minute ingredients.
You can never have too much garlic, butter, or eggs! Stock up on kitchen staples and fresh produce. Beat the lines at the grocery store by ordering your farm food online to pick up at the nearest distribution location.
PLATEFUL POINTER Double check your pantry staples like flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs! Don’t forget the salt and seasonings!
Start prepping ingredients.
Time to get your hands dirty! A little chopping, mixing, and prep work now will save some time (and a lot of stress) later.
Defrost your protein and pie dough. Depending on the size of your bird, it may take 3 to 5 days to defrost! Move frozen pie dough to the fridge to defrost overnight.
Prep broths, sauce, pie doughs, and gravy, all of which can be frozen until Tuesday or Wednesday evening, when you’ll need to take them out to defrost.
Toast bread and nuts for stuffing. If you’re making stuffing with fresh bread (we recommend sourdough), take it out to dry on the counter, or toast and cube it now so it’s ready to absorb all the flavors when the time comes to assemble.
PLATEFUL POINTER Soups, casseroles, pecan pies, and cranberry sauce actually taste better a few days old, as it allows more time for the dish to develop a richer flavor.
Two Days Before: Tuesday
The countdown is real, but you’re in great shape. Today’s all about prepping, baking, and infusing flavor for the big day!
Wash, chop & store your vegetables.
Wash and chop onions, carrots, celery, and any other vegetables in your dishes, so you’ll have it out of the way and can assemble on the big day. Wash and store delicate vegetables like green beans and asparagus. Store each ingredient in airtight containers in the fridge for peak freshness.
Make your mashed potatoes & casseroles.
If you're on mashed potato duty, you can make them up to two days ahead of eating. You can also pre-assemble your casseroles and reheat them in the oven on Thanksgiving Day with a bit of cream or milk to keep them from drying out.
Store them covered in the fridge, then pop them in the oven to bake or reheat on Thanksgiving.
Prepare pies and desserts.
Baking desserts ahead of time makes dessert prep a breeze on the big day. You can bake your Thanksgiving pies (think apple or pecan) and other sweets like cookies and pumpkin bread a couple days before Thanksgiving.
It's safe for custard and pumpkin-based pies to sit overnight, and allows the flavors to develop. Store them covered at room temperature or in the fridge.
PLATEFUL POINTER Don’t forget to remove frozen dishes from the freezer to defrost!
One Day Before: Wednesday
Get ready to set (the table) up for success! The big day is almost here, and a few final steps today will keep things smooth and relaxed tomorrow.
Brine your bird (if needed).
A good brine keeps your turkey juicy and flavorful. Mix up a simple brine of salt, sugar, water, and spices, then soak your bird in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. If you don’t have room in your fridge, a large cooler filled with ice (and set outside or in the basement if you live in a cold weather area) will suffice.
Prep the stuffing.
Assemble and refrigerate uncooked stuffing in a casserole dish until Thursday morning.
Peel, blanch, trim & store the rest of your vegetables.
Finish prepping the veg you didn't get to yesterday. You can continue assembling your sides. Just be sure to properly store everything in the fridge!
Chill your drinks.
Chill wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages, and and fill pitchers with water to save a step on Thursday.
Set the table.
Set the table with plates, napkins, and cutlery now, or stack them by your buffet table. Add any centerpieces or other decor, and don’t forget serving spoons and ladles! This is a great job to delegate to kids or other family members.
PLATEFUL POINTER Don’t forget those “extras” like ice! Don't have space in your fridge? Fill a cooler 12-24 hours in advance and keep it on a covered porch, or in the garage.
The Big Day: Thanksgiving Thursday
Thanksgiving Day is here, but you’ve already done most of the work! Today’s the day to tie up a few loose ends and you’ll be feasting in no time — no stress on the menu.
Morning: Turkey Time
Take the bird out of the fridge to reach room temp before roasting. Preheat the oven and start roasting according to the time and temperature from your recipe. While it’s cooking, baste every so often to keep it juicy.Times and temps will vary depending on the size of your bird, and prepping process!
Mid-Morning: Side Dishes & Stuffing
While the turkey’s roasting, you'll have a few hours to finsh prepping sides and desserts. Pop your pre-assembled casseroles, stuffing, and any other side dishes in the oven.
Early Afternoon: Make the Gravy & Reheat Dishes
Once the turkey is done, let it rest (at least 30 minutes, covered) and make your gravy from the drippings.
While the oven is still warm, reheat any sides and pre-made dishes and desserts like cranberry sauce on the stove or in the microwave.
Final Touches Before You Feast & Give Thanks
Your table is set, food is ready, and now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Extend gratitude for the delicious food on your table, and give thanks for your family, friends, and the farmers who made your meal possible, and dig in!
Afterwards
Sustainably store leftovers.
Tell your guests to bring their own containers to bring leftovers home! If you want to store leftovers more sustainably, invest in zip-top silicon bags to replace ziplock plastic bags. Steel bento boxes and borosilicate glass containers (Pyrex) can be stacked to save space and used year after year, and beeswax wraps are a more sustainable and reusable alternative to saran wrap.
Repurpose leftovers to make stock, stews & sandwiches.
Thanksgiving leftovers can be repurposed into stews, sandwiches, or simply frozen for future use. Make a delicious and nutritious stock with the leftover bones and other odds and ends. Toss the carcass into a pot and let it simmer for a few hours. Throw in the scraps of carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, and herbs for more flavor and reduce waste.
Compost.
You can compost any biodegradable food items, and even unbleached paper scraps to reduce waste. Compost vegetable skins and scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, bread, and any leftovers that went bad. Do not put meat, bones, or oily or acidic foods into the compost bin, which can slow down or inhibit the decomposition process.
Memorable meals & strong communities begin with GrownBy.
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Grow with us at @farmgenerationscoop and @grownbyapp.