Well here we are, one week away from the big day – Thanksgiving (for us Canadians at least)! Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday; what’s not to love about celebrating gratefulness and thanksgiving, the end of harvest and beginning of a new season, being with friends and family, and all the coziness of autumn?! It’s one of my favourite times of the year.

I thought it might be helpful for you all if I rounded up some of my all time favourite thanksgiving recipes into one post, as well as some of the best tips and lessons I’ve learned over my adulting years in the art of a successful Thanksgiving (kids, soak up alllll the homemade food and festivities well you can, you lucky ducks!!).

For those of you hosting:

Deep breaths, deep breaths. God bless your sweet soul, this is no small undertaking!! But it need not be overwhelming and stressful. Let me walk you through some of the main things you’ll want keep in mind.

Do not attempt to do it all yourself!!! This is a recipe for disaster and burn-out! Make ahead and/or delegate as much as you can to lighten your load on the day of.

Accommodate for allergies. Not every single dish needs to meet every guests dietary requirements, unless there is a severe allergy that needs to be avoided completely, like peanuts. It is courteous to make sure there are some options for those with special dietary requirements (i.e. dairy free, gluten free, vegan, nut free, etc.). This doesn’t mean you can’t have dairy or gluten on the menu, rather that you have a few options without these allergens for your guests to choose from. Roasted potatoes or root vegetables would be a good dairy free option alongside mashed potatoes, or steamed vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. Have at least one dessert option that is dairy and/or gluten free for those who require it (keeping it super simple, store-bought dairy free sorbet is excellent to have on hand for dairy free guests, and gluten free guests can easily partake of ice cream with some appealing toppings).

Stock up ahead of time. I’ve totally been there – driving to every grocery store in town in search of a can of pumpkin puree or fresh poultry herbs the day before Thanksgiving. Not the most efficient use of time and you run the serious risk of coming home empty handed! In the month ahead of Thanksgiving, you want to start stocking up on the pantry staples you will need for your meal, especially the ones that tend to sell out around Thanksgiving – canned pumpkin puree, lard for pie crust, frozen puff pastry, frozen whole cranberries, cinnamon sticks and other whole spices, brown sugar, etc. Then, at least a week ahead, you can stock up on the fresh produce you need – fresh poultry herbs, butternut squash, onions, potatoes, garlic, green beans, carrots, etc. Make a list and plan ahead to pick up your items with plenty of time to spare.

Cover all the bases. If you’re new to hosting at the holidays it can be hard to think of all the details that need to be covered so let me lay out the main categories you’ll want to cover, either by preparing yourself, purchasing, or delegating to a guest.

Appetizers – This is something easily overlooked or forgotten as it’s not entirely necessary. I have found, however, that it really helps provide a welcoming laid-back environment to have a few snacks items out for guests to graze on before the meal. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or fancy! Having some grazing options also helps mitigate the inevitable, “I thought the turkey would be done by now but it’s nowhere close” situation (we’ve all been here, don’t worry!). Roasted nuts, veggies and dip, a simple charcuterie platter with bread and pickled vegetables, spinach dip and bread/veggies are all great options. If you are making these yourself, do not go to a world of effort – you don’t want to burn yourself out before you hit the main course! Pick something easy that keeps well at room temperature for a few hours that you can either make completely ahead, buy pre-made, or delegate out to a willing guest!

Turkey or main meat dish (ham, roast beef, brisket, etc) – usually this works best for the host to make but by all means, do not refuse someone who is desperate to bring the main meat! On that note, some things to keep in mind when serving a large piece of meat. If your meat is frozen, give yourself plenty of time for it to thaw. A turkey typically requires 24 hours for every 5 pounds of meat to thaw in the refrigerator (that’s 4 days for a 20 pound turkey!). Alternatively, you can count on about 30 minutes per pound of mean to thaw in cold water. If your meat is not fully thawed before cooking it will take longer to cook and may not cook evenly so it’s very important to plan ahead and give yourself enough time. It won’t hurt the meat to sit in the fridge an extra day if you want to give yourself extra buffer time. Also, I like to plan to have the turkey fully cooked at least an hour or two before the time we plan to eat. Turkeys are notorious for taking longer than you though they would, so this gives some buffer time should you need to keep it in longer. This also provides the time needed to make the pan gravy, rest and carve the meat, and allow guests to reheat anything they may need to in the oven before supper. The turkey will keep warm tented with foil for at least an hour or two, do not worry! Make sure you have a roasting pan with a rack large enough for the turkey you want to cook.

Mashed Potatoes and other starchy sides – mashed potatoes do not reheat well so this is usually best made by the host. If you aren’t confident in your mashed potato making abilities, enlist the help of one of the more experienced cooks in your guest list – I’m sure someone would be happy to help! Other starchy sides like scalloped potatoes, sweet potato casseroles, rice pilaf, etc. would be good candidates to delegate to a guest, or make ahead and reheat just before eating. I shared a quick video tutorial of how I make simple mashed potatoes over on Instagram. Check out this post and my story highlights for my method.

Gravy, Sauces, Stuffing, Condiments – Much of this category will depend on what you’re serving and what you and your guests like to have with it. If you are preparing the meat, it will make sense to also prepare the gravy using the pan drippings. A fat separator comes in super handy when making homemade gravy! Sauces like cranberry sauce and apple sauce and condiments like pickled vegetables are excellent items to delegate – is there a garden enthusiast in your family who loves to pickle their own vegetables? I’m sure they’d love to bring some! Take a moment and think of the condiments and sauces usually on your friends and families tables this time of the year – do you have passionate HP sauce family members, or spicy mustard folks? Grab a bottle or ask someone to bring it along so you you have your bases covered! Stuffing is also a great thing to delegate as oven baked stuffing can be prepared ahead and heated in the oven – just make sure to factor in guests who may need to use your oven and that you will have rom and time for them to do so! On that note, I would highly encouraged a baked stuffing rather than a stuffing prepared in turkey. In order for the stuffing to of a safe eating temperature, you will end up overcooking the turkey. It’s also very messy and can make for a stressful last minute task to get it scooped out and ready to serve. If you absolutely insist on stuffing your turkey, I would suggest planning to have your turkey done well ahead of time so you can have ample time to scoop it out to another dish and keep warm in the oven.

Cooked Vegetables – These work well either for the host to make or to delegate. I like to make sure I have at least 2 cooked vegetable options so everyone can find something they like. If one is more complicated, like say a green bean casserole, I will opt for a simpler option as well, like glazed carrots. If one of your veggie sides is heavier and creamy, opt for a simpler steamed veggie as well. This provides variety and ensures that most everyone will have an option they like.

Salad – this is a great one to delegate as it is easy to make ahead and doesn’t require your guest needing to take up oven space. I would highly recommend tasking this course out!

Bread/Buns – perfect for delegating out to your family’s resident bread maker. If your guest list does not include someone famous for this bread making abilities, maybe you can pick up the torch! Bread and/or buns can be make weeks or months ahead, wrapped tightly, and frozen until the event. Thaw with a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture and you will be good to go! I have a grandmother on both sides of my family famous for her buns, so thankfully I can always count on delicious buns at the table. My sweet Grandma Iris was kind enough to pass along her famous bun recipe (the dough is made in the breadmaker, bonus!) so I’ll include that here for you.

Dessert – perfect course to delegate, again as it can be made ahead and doesn’t usually require the oven. You can always offer to provide the ice cream and/or whipped cream, as this is trickier for guests to transport. If you are making the dessert, please do yourself a favour and make it ahead! You can prepare almost any pie, square, cheesecake, etc. completely ahead of time, wrap tightly and freeze. Then all you need to do is thaw it the day ahead and prepare the whipped cream if needed.

Beverages – also excellent to delegate as it usually involves easy to pick-up, store-bought items like wine, sparkling juice, cocktail mixes, etc. Plan to have coffee and tea on hand, as well as cream and sugar/sweetener. If your guests enjoy alcohol, it can be fun to have one signature cocktail prepared ahead of time in a larger batch. Check out my favourite food blogger who also happens to be the queen of cocktails, Deb at Smitten Kitchen, and her archive of drink recipes, there are so many delicious options! Something I like to do that requires little effort, is have a spiced apple cider going in my slow cooker (caffeine and alcohol free so it can be served to all ages at any time of the day!). Smells delicious and always makes the day feel more festive!

Decor – this has never been my strong suit and it really isn’t necessary, but I know a lot of people really enjoy this part. Plan ahead if you want to have any floral arrangements, centrepieces, special linens, etc. You should be able to prepare your decor completely ahead of time so it isn’t stressing you out on the day of. As for me, I like to buy a pretty looking pack of napkins from the grocery store and call it a day… This is something I would gladly delegate to an enthusiastic family member if they were interested in contributing, but otherwise I don’t really worry about it! I let the delicious food and precious friends & family members light up the room 🙂

Use the wisdom in the room! This may be your first time hosting, but I would guess there are at least a few others in the room with some experience under their belt. Get all the help and wisdom you can from the seasoned cooks in your family. Remember, they’ve been doing this for years! Never made gravy out of pan drippings? I can almost guarantee you someone in your family has – just ask! Do mashed potatoes intimidate you? Ask one of the older ladies, I bet they’ve made them hundreds of times. Unsure how to carve the turkey/meat? In my family, this is something we typically enlist one of the men to do and they are always happy to oblige. You might just get to know a family member better or learn something new about someone if you take the time to ask for their help!

Clean- up. This is a big part of hosting so let’s take a moment to chat. The week before you plan to host, get going on the little things you want to clean-up around the house before guests arrive. Then you won’t be stressed at the last minute when you realize guests are arriving and you didn’t give the bathroom a once over. On the day of, clean up as you go. Run the dishwasher well before guests arrive so you have time to empty it and have it ready to be loaded once the crowd comes. And after the meal, be sure to enlist the help of any willing guests to help with the clean-up. You don’t need to feel bad about asking for help, most guests are more than happy to pitch in, especially if they’ve ever experienced hosting before. Many hands make light work! Then you can all relax and enjoy one another’s company without a looming job hanging over your head. Some tips for food clean-up: Start a pot of broth straight away with the bone and veggie waste from the days festivities, or at least freeze them for later use. Make a casserole with the leftovers – you can layer meat, gravy, veggies, and finally mashed potatoes into a casserole to freeze for later or enjoy later in the week. Done and done! If you are overwhelmed with leftovers, you can either send them home with willing guests or freeze in appropriate serving sizes for later. Nothing need go to waste!

Be present. Don’t let the stresses of hosting crowd out your enjoyment of the moment. Take in the faces around you and let people get in there and help. What matters is the time spent together and the memories made. In the end, I’m sure no one will remember that you burnt the garnish or the turkey took an hour longer than expected, especially if you put an effort into being present and making the most of being together. Enjoy the day and don’t sweat the little blunders that more than likely will happen – a sense of humour can cover the greatest food offences and I am sure everyone will find a way to fill their bellies, one way or another. And this goes without saying – put your cell phones away!

For those of you attending a thanksgiving get together as a guest:

Do not show up empty handed! This is a huge undertaking for your host and every little bit helps. Ask the host specifically what you can bring and if you have a favourite dish you like to make, offer to make it! If you love to make salads, say “Can I bring a salad?” Or if dessert is your forte, let the host know you would love to bring one. I can’t imagine anyone turning down a contribution to the meal. Be sure to ask your host if there are any known allergies to be aware of in the guest list and plan around them if you can. If there’s a severe peanut allergy, you probably want to leave the peanut brittle at home! If there is a dairy allergy, cheesecake is probably not the best dessert option, but a pie or crisp that guests can opt to leave off the whipped cream or ice cream would be a better fit. Check out the recipe links above for plenty of ideas of some fool proof thanksgiving favourites everyone is sure to love! If the hosts will not let on for any ideas of what to bring, it can never hurt to show up with a bottle of wine or sparkling juice, a batch of roasted nuts, pickled veggies, fruit or vegetable platter, or other snack-y bites. If food and cooking feel completely out of your realm, a heartfelt card or hostess gift is always a nice gesture – a little potted plant, a small flower arrangement, a pretty tea towel and wooden spoon, a cute thrifted gravy boat, any little thing to show you appreciate your host!

Pitch in! Unsure of what you can help with? Just ask! Can I drain the potatoes for you? Would you like me to mash those? I can whip up the gravy if you’d like? Need me to chop those? Would you like me to carve the meat? Can I set the table? Any dishes needing washing? Trust me, there will be plenty of things for you to do if you just ask. Get in there and see what’s happening – learn something and pitch in where you can. This is where lots of the best memories are made, in the kitchen where all the action is! If nothing else, there will certainly be something for you to help clean-up after supper – dirty dishes, putting food away, sweeping the floor, wiping surfaces, etc. Show your appreciation by pitching in and making a lighter work load for your sweet host.

Remember your manners. You know this, I’m sure, but let’s cover some basics. Take a reasonable amount of food and wait to take seconds until everyone has eaten (parents, watch your kiddos and make sure they are taking reasonable portions!). If you don’t like something, keep it to yourself (no one needs to hear about how you didn’t like what they made!). Try your best to finish it or dispose of it discreetly. If you aren’t sure if you will like something, take a small amount so you aren’t on the hook for a whole pile of it. Don’t speak with food in your mouth. Don’t interrupt. Listen and ask questions, do not monopolize the conversation (something I’ve been known to be guilty of… sorry!). Thank the host and anyone who prepared food or contributed. Give specific compliments for things you genuinely enjoyed or noticed. Avoid controversial subjects, especially if you’ve known them to be contentious in the past (if there is a truly pressing issue, it would be better to deal with it one on one with the individual rather than in a large group setting anyway!). Be thankful, grateful, gracious, and kind. This is how you make the holidays a sweet and memorable experience. Hopefully most of this is second nature, but we can all use the reminders right?

I sincerely hope each of you has a special Thanksgiving filled with special memories with the ones you love and times of reflection for all the many blessings we can be grateful for. I would love to hear if you have any other tips or family favourite recipes to share with us, so leave them below in the comments! Happy Thanksgiving!

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This post includes affiliate links, meaning I made a small commission at no extra cost to you, should you decide to click through the links and purchase anything. These are my honest opinions and I would never recommend anything to you I didn’t absolutely love and use on a regular basis. Hope you find these lists helpful!

Breadman 2lb Professional Bread Maker – I’ve had this bread maker for years and I absolteluly love using it, especially for the dough cycle. It makes homemade bread and bun making a breeze!

Hamilton Beach Set N Forget Programmable Slow Cooker – While I love my instant pot, I do like having a slow cooker around especially during the Holiday’s! It’s perfect for transporting make ahead food to a gathering or making something ahead of time when you are hosting like Apple Cider or Spinach Dip. This one has always worked great for me and I’ve had it for years.

Cuisinart Stainless Steel Rectangular Roaster with Rack – this is the perfect roaster for big cuts of meat like Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef, Chicken, etc. The rack keeps the meat out of the drippings so it cooks evenly and crisps all over. A must have for the Holidays!

OXO Fat Seperator – this comes in so handy when preparing gravy from pan drippings. Simply pour the pan drippings through the strainer. The fat will rise to the top and you can pour out the pan drippings through the spout that drains from the bottom. Genius!