How To Host Thanksgiving Dinner: 6 Easy Tips

By Kelli Quinn

The holiday season is here, which means it's time for special family gatherings and delicious dinners! Hosting Thanksgiving dinner is a big event, but a little planning can make things easier and less stressful. Here are 6 Thanksgiving dinner tips to help you plan (And maybe make sure the cook has some fun, too!).

1. Create a Menu

Thanksgiving planning is a delicate balance: you want a table full of everyone's favorites, but you also don't want to make food that no one wants or end up with too much that will be thrown away. Avoid the pitfalls with a menu. Start with the main dish (in this case, Thanksgiving turkey) and any gravy or sauce that goes with it. Potatoes—mashed or scalloped—are another essential. Then, add stuffing (or dressing) and bread to the list. Next, choose your Thanksgiving side dishes. Consider one 'green' side (green bean casserole counts!) and one 'orange' side, such as carrots or sweet potatoes. Then, the fun part: Dessert! Pumpkin pie is traditional, but Fall's flavors open a world of possibilities: apple crisp, maple-infused blondies, and cinnamon snickerdoodles can have a spot at the table, too. 

Pro tip: When possible, involve your guests in the menu planning. This gives them a chance to let you know if they have any allergies or sensitivities. If a guest has a 'must-have' dish that you won't have the time or ingredients to make, offer them the chance to bring it to share as a potluck contribution. 

2. Make as Much Food Ahead of Time as Possible

Don't try to make all of your food the day of Thanksgiving; that will result in too much stress. Instead, plan on some Thanksgiving meal prep to save yourself time on Turkey Day. 

You may be surprised how many Thanksgiving favorites can be made in the days leading to the meal. Just make sure everything is properly stored in the fridge or freezer. Here is a list of foods that can be made ahead then reheated: 

• Stuffing
• Any type of casseroles
• Vegetables 
• Gravy
• Baked desserts (such as pie, cake, or cookies)
• Soup
• Cranberry sauce
  

Pro tip: If you make the green bean casserole ahead, hold off on adding the crunchy onion topping until you reheat it. Refrigeration can make the onions soggy. 

3. Set Up Your Table the Night Before

Instead of scrambling around the dining table Thanksgiving Day, set everything up the night before. Arrange your place settings with festive plates, gold utensils, red or orange cloth napkins, and drinking glasses. Create a cohesive fall color scheme with the help of a fall-themed tablecloth or runner, along with placemats. 

Pro Tip: Don't forget to make time in the days before Thanksgiving to clean the areas of your home where your guests will gather. That includes the dining room, kitchen, living room, and bathroom. 

4. Make A Timeline to Stay Organized

In order to stay on track, set up a timeline for yourself. That way, you'll know exactly when to place which foods in the oven and when to serve certain dishes.

The best way to create your Thanksgiving dinner timeline is to start at the end of the night and go backwards. Map out how long each item will take to prepare and cook, and plan out when you want to work on each dish. You can even set alarms on your phone to alert you when it's time to put something in the oven.

Pro tip: The turkey is the star of the show and like most divas, it takes its own sweet time to get ready. If you have a frozen one, start by thawing the bird slowly in the fridge. Usually, it needs 24 hours per 4 pounds of weight to thaw. A 16-pound turkey needs about 4 days to get oven-ready. Make sure to integrate this thawing time into your timeline.

5. Decorate Your Home Several Days Before 

In order to create the entire vibe of your Thanksgiving dinner, you'll want your home to be full of festive Fall decor! Don't wait until the last minute for Thanksgiving decorations; start a few days before to make your home look beautiful.

Here are some Thanksgiving decorating ideas to make your home feel warm and welcoming:

• Display a Thanksgiving centerpiece on your dining table - fill a decorative bowl with pine cones and fabric pumpkins and set up some red and orange candles nearby.

• Hang up fall wall art in your entryway, dining room, and kitchen that features sentiments such as "thankful", "blessed", and "family".

• Include several turkey-themed accents throughout your home, whether it's incorporated into a centerpiece or displayed on a side table.

• Decorate your home with warm colors such as orange, red, and beige.
  

Pro tip: If small children are coming to dinner, set out some crayons and paper and encourage them to draw pictures or make hand turkeys you can add to the decor.

6. Clean Out the Fridge

An important (but often overlooked) part of hosting dinner is making sure there is enough room in the fridge for all your food prep and Thanksgiving leftover storage. 

When you start meal prep, designate an area of your fridge for your Thanksgiving spread. Make sure you don't prep more food than your fridge has room for. Then, after dinner, ensure you have enough space for all your leftovers. 

If you seem to run out of room for your Thanksgiving leftovers, remember that you can always send your guests home with some food! Buy some disposable food containers ahead of time that your guests can take with them after the dinner party.

Pro Tip: Proper storage is essential to keeping food delicious and safe. Leftovers should be refrigerated as soon as possible after serving and can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Remember, if it looks or smells funny, toss it! 

Now that you've learned some tips on how to host Thanksgiving dinner, check out some more Thanksgiving table inspiration with our selection of serving dishes, decorative kitchen towels, and more!