1. Prepare, prepare, prepare Avoid last-minute stress on the day by setting yourself up beforehand. Make sure your oven is clean and working well. Plan your menu and write your shopping list well in advance. Begin preparing your food a day or two before. Write up a time plan for all cooking remaining on the day of the dinner, making sure you consider your available fridge and oven space. You can even take the time to practice any new recipes in the weeks beforehand. Consider everything, and set yourself up for success from the start. 2. Don’t be intimidated by the Thanksgiving turkey As the center point of every Thanksgiving dinner, this can be the number one stress point for beginner Thanksgiving hosts. But it doesn’t need to be. Begin with a clear idea of how you want to prepare your turkey at least a week in advance. If you haven’t been handed an old favorite family Thanksgiving turkey recipe, find one online with lots of comments and reviews, so you know it’s been tried and tested. Then let Google help with the specifics. If your turkey is frozen, consult Google on how long it needs to defrost in the fridge for. Check the weight of your turkey and work out its recommended cook time – remembering to account for stuffing if needed. Yes, stuffing really does make a significant difference to the cooking time! On the big day, prepare the turkey before you prepare anything else, and set it in its roasting tray in the fridge so that you know it’s ready to lift straight into the (pre-heated!) oven at just the right time. And remember that once it’s in there, the most you have to worry about is a little basting every now and then. Even turkey first-timers can have a perfect result with a calm and measured approach, so don’t stress! I do highly recommend picking up a cheap meat thermometer so you can be 100% sure that your bird is cooked through before carving it.
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