Don’t stress on Thanksgiving day! Most of the meal can be prepped or even cooked ahead. Keep reading for a guide to making your Thanksgiving meal ahead so that you can enjoy the holiday.

When you work in the food world, Thanksgiving is the biggest event of the year. You think about it and plan for it and then, strangely, it’s over before it even happens. But the truth is that for most of us, cooking the big meal means that we miss out on some of the enjoyment of the holiday. Which is why, it’s a great idea to get in the habit of making as much ahead of time as possible. If the heavy-lifting is done in advance, you can enjoy the people and food around your table so much more.

Why I Love a Make-Ahead Thanksgiving

For the past few years, I’ve made the Thanksgiving meal almost entirely ahead. On the actual holiday, the only work I like to do is set the table and slide everything in the oven. Both my mom and my grandma always roasted the turkey a day ahead and did much of the work early in the week, so a make-ahead Thanksgiving has always made total sense to me.

And really, the Thanksgiving meal is natural one to prep ahead. Many of the dishes can be made as casseroles that hold up to some waiting in the fridge.

In the spirit of an easy Thanksgiving, I’m sharing how to make everything from gravy, to sides, to roasting the entire turkey at least 24 hours beforehand. And if you are looking for even more make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe than what’s in this post, check out my complete roundup: 35 Thanksgiving Recipes that Can Be Made Ahead.

Make it ahead and just enjoy eating it the big day!

Thanksgiving Timeline

2-4 Weeks Ahead

• Select Menu – Choose your recipes! I think the planning is the most fun part. If you’re having guests that are willing to bring a dish, ask what they’re bringing or (better yet) assign them something that you’d rather not cook.
• Make Grocery List – Make a list of everything you’ll need. It’s good to have a running list since you’ll think of other things to add as the holiday approaches.
• Order Turkey – Can’t forget this.
• Make Stock – Having homemade turkey stock makes it easy to make gravy ahead of time. Homemade turkey stock is also great for other Thanksgiving favorites like stuffing / dressing and green bean casserole. Use turkey wings or drumsticks to make turkey stock ahead. Freeze it until you need it. Check out this guide to making turkey stock ahead.
• Have Knives Sharpened – It’s very likely that it’s been a whole year or more (or possibly never) since you had your knives sharpened. So why not get in the habit of doing it right before the biggest cooking day of the year? Many home cooks brush this off, but you won’t believe what a difference it makes in speed and enjoyment to use professionally sharpened knives! Just google it – somewhere near you can probably sharpen them for you in a day (often your neighborhood hardware store). It’s inexpensive and will change your kitchen life. Do it.

Thanksgiving Week – Saturday / Sunday

• Fridge Clean-Out – To make space for all the holiday foods and leftovers, it feels great to start the week with a totally clean fridge slate.
• Grocery Run – Do a big grocery run on Sunday. There will always be a few fresh items that you need to get later in the week, but most of the big items can be purchased over the weekend.
• Set out Serving Plates – Choose and wash serving plates for everything you plan to cook. I keep most of these larger dishes in the basement, so I make a sticky note for each dish and then carry the pile of stickies around with me as I track down the dishes.       

Thanksgiving Week – Monday or Tuesday

• Pick up Turkey
• Set Table – If you have a separate dining table or dining room, go ahead and set the table. (We only have one space where we eat all of our meals, so I can’t set mine until right before the meal.)
• Make Ahead – This is when I prep / assemble / bake anything that’s make-ahead friendly. Put a sticky note on top with baking or reheating instructions. From my menu this includes:

• Bacon Wrapped Dates with Brie and Balsamic Honey (can be prepped up to 2 days ahead)
• 1-Hour Light and Buttery Dinner Rolls (can be made up to 2 days ahead)
• Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (can be made up to 3 days ahead)
• Homemade Green Bean Casserole (can be made up to 3 days ahead; wait to add topping)
• Focaccia and Bacon Stuffing (can be made up to 3 days ahead; wait to add liquids)
• Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Casserole (can be assembled up to 2 days ahead)
• Cranberry Sauce (can be made up to 3 days ahead)

Thanksgiving Week – Wednesday

• Make No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake (wait to add toppings until right before serving)
• Roast and Carve Turkey (use this make-ahead turkey recipe)
• Make Gravy (use this recipe to make gravy without pan drippings)

Thanksgiving Day

• Set out drinks and glasses
• Set table (if not already done)
• Reheat and bake food
• Serve and enjoy!

And that’s it! A roadmap to a fun, simple, hopefully relaxing make-ahead Thanksgiving. Whether you’re gathering with many or few this year, I hope you find ways to make it feel special.

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

Get the full list of Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes here.