Even as we prepare for smaller gatherings throughout the holidays, there is still considerable planning and holiday cooking prep that goes into making a delicious holiday meal. Our best advice is to start your holiday cooking prep early so that you can spend more time enjoying the season and relaxing with loved ones. Below are five tips to help you prepare:
Make a List, and Check it Twice
Avoid the crowds at the grocery store by gathering your holiday meal ingredients as early as possible. With smaller gatherings, you are also able to test out new recipes that vary slightly from the tried and true. Mix it up with a new sweet potato casserole or go bold with a new flavor for the turkey. Nothing is normal about 2020, get creative with your meals too!
Cook Dishes Beforehand
You did your shopping early this year, now it’s time to prep the dishes (the ones that can be refrigerated or frozen, of course). Mashed potatoes, pie crust, gravy, cranberry sauce can all be made ahead of time and frozen. Simply take them out the day before to thaw and then pop into the oven to warm them up when it’s time to enjoy them.
Prep the Turkey for Roasting
You can’t cook the turkey now, but there are a few other little tasks that you can tackle, depending on how you plan to prepare the bird. If you’re planning on brining or dry brining your turkey, that can be done anywhere between one and three days ahead of time. Or if you’re simply rubbing the bird with a compound butter before roasting it, the butter can be made and stored in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months. (The Kitchn)
Wash Table Linens
Get the tablecloth, napkins and any other linens you need washed and ironed well beforehand. No need to stress yourself over cooking and washing the day of your feast. Gather all the items you will need for your table early and set them in a bin. This way you are ready to set the table and have all of your decorations in one place.
Plan for the Cleanup
We know, no one wants to think about cleaning up the meal before you have enjoyed it, but it is actually an important step in your holiday cooking prep. By now we all know there will be a heap of dishes at the end and you want to be sure that you are ready for the task. Dish soap, dishwasher tabs, sponges and Grease Hero drain guards are all important pieces to the cleanup process.
Grease Hero drain guards make it quick and easy to properly dispose of all cooking fats, oils and grease after making the meal. You never want to send any of that down the kitchen sink drain—a grease clogged drain is a surefire way to spoil the holidays. (Find them conveniently at Bed Bath & Beyond both in-store and online, Amazon, select ACE Hardware locations nationwide and throughout our retail partners in Hawaii.)
Cheers to a wonderful holiday season!
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