on Oct 19, 2024 27 Comments Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! I enjoy the time with family, giving thanks for all of our many blessings. However, preparing a holiday feast can be a bit intimidating – unless you have a good plan. That’s why this Make Ahead Thanksgiving Meal Plan and recipes are the perfect way to enjoy a stress-free holiday! Rather than becoming anxious thinking about all there is to cook or to do, I use the tips I learned from my Mama and Grandmother. They shared these valuable lessons on how to prepare our favorite family recipes for Thanksgiving – all the while staying relaxed and enjoying the day. These Make Ahead Thanksgiving Tips and recipes are truly some of the best – and I think you will be thankful for them, too!
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Let’s be honest. While the turkey may be the star of the show, the side dishes are clearly the favorite! Well, and desserts. I think this is something that many of you are interested in as well since I’ve received so many emails and messages throughout the years wanting tips on how to plan the perfect Thanksgiving. Now, let’s discuss how you can plan a beautiful Thanksgiving meal that allows you to truly enjoy the day!
Additional Main Dish Recipes:
Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe Smoked Turkey Roast Chicken Recipe Baked Ham Recipe
Make Ahead Instructions: Cook and slice the turkey according to directions. Arrange on an oven-safe serving platter or on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover and leave at room temperature for up to 1 hour before reheating in the oven. Be sure to reheat until the temperature reaches 165º F. If you would rather not prepare such a large turkey or if your Thanksgiving guests prefer white meat for their turkey, you will love my easy tips for make-ahead Roast Turkey Breast.
Make Ahead Turkey Gravy
This homemade turkey gravy is so easy to make. It does not require drippings and can be prepared well ahead of time to make your cooking and holiday even easier. Make Ahead Instructions: Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, simply reheat in a medium saucepan until it reaches a rolling boil. If it is too thick, add a bit more stock until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare giblet gravy a day in advance, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat it before serving. Make Ahead Instructions: Make cranberry sauce up to 10 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or for up to a month in the freezer. If frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Desserts
One of the ways to keep the day as stress-free as possible is to prepare the desserts earlier. From pies to cakes, prepping with make-ahead Thanksgiving desserts is definitely the key! Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare the dressing without baking and store it in the refrigerator up to two days ahead or in the freezer up to two weeks in advance. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator two days in advance and bake on Thanksgiving Day. Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare mashed potatoes up to 3 days in advance and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container that is also oven and microwave-safe. Add mashed potatoes to a freezer-safe airtight container up to two weeks in advance. If frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, remove the container from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before mealtime. Add more pats of butter on top of the potatoes and reheat them in a 350º F oven for about 25 minutes or until warmed throughout. If the mashed potatoes seem a bit drier than you’d like, add a little cream, chicken stock, or vegetable broth to them to make them creamier.
Other Potato Recipes
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare green bean casserole up to one week in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on Thanksgiving Day. Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare broccoli cheese casserole without baking up to one week in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or 3 months in advance in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator in advance and bake on Thanksgiving Day. Make Ahead Instructions: Cook eggs up to four days ahead, prepare them as deviled eggs and plate them on the serving tray the day before. Serve cold. Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare without adding topping or baking up to a week ahead. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator. Place the crumb topping on the casserole and bake on Thanksgiving Day to serve warm or the day before to serve cold. To freeze: Prepare sweet potato mixture and spread into casserole dish. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Make streusel topping mixture, place on top of casserole, and bake as directed. Make Ahead Instructions: While you’ll need to wait for Thanksgiving Day to assemble your salad for freshness, you can go ahead and prepare your Pomegranate Vinaigrette a day or so in advance. Just store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When ready to serve, give it a good shake and transfer it to a dressing container. Voila!
More Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Salad Recipes
Apple Walnut Salad Apple Cranberry Salad
You can see from my plan and recipes there are so many dishes you can make ahead of time for Thanksgiving! It’s so easy to plan your menu with this Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Guide so that you can fully enjoy the holiday with family and friends! Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare up to two days in advance, wrap well, and store in the refrigerator or for up to 3 months in the freezer. If frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat or serve cold. Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare up to two days in advance. Store in the refrigerator. Serve cold. Make Ahead Instructions: Bake the pie ahead and allow it to cool completely. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, store the pie in a freezer-safe container covered well with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the frozen pie in the refrigerator overnight. Then, slice and serve as normal. Make Ahead Instructions: Bake according to the recipe directions. Allow to cool completely. Store the whole recipe or cut it into individual pieces and separate them with parchment paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator or allow them to soften for a few minutes before serving. For even more Thanksgiving Menu Ideas, you may want to check out my Thanksgiving Recipes section. Happy Thanksgiving Day Prep!Robyn xo Originally published in 2014. Updated with clearer recipe links and make-ahead instructions.
