How To Quickly Prepare Your Kitchen For Thanksgiving

If the task of Thanksgiving dinner is on your shoulders for next week, it’s time to prep the kitchen NOW!

We can’t make your grocery list for you, but we can help with the kitchen to-do list.

Feel free to add, erase, or substitute - but remember to have a plan ahead of time.

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photo credit: paintedbooklady via photopin cc

Where the Heck is the Gravy Bowl?

If you are like me we tend to pull out all of the fine china and silver on Thanksgiving.   However, once we pull it out, we may be pulling out more work than we are prepared for.

• Add silver polish and rags to the grocery list and assign a family member the task of silver polishing and fine china cleaning the weekend before the big feast. 
• Also, plan on having a little more silverware than needed because someone is bound to bring a friend over for a plate and surprise your guest list.  It’s better to over plan than under plan. 
• Don’t forget to check your blender, food processor, and mixer.  If they usually don’t get a lot of yearly use they may be missing a part or two.  Better to be safe than sorry because borrowing a mixer from the neighbor on Thanksgiving morning may not be greeted with a smile.  

No need to set the table yet, but at least the table necessities will be ready to be filled with food when the big day arrives.

How Long Has This Onion Been in the Fridge?

If you’ve got to smell it…then chances are it already stinks and needs to be disposed of.  Let’s clean the fridge out of those unwanted items.  Also, please take note that certain items don’t belong in the fridge to start with. 

• The refrigerator is too cold for potatoes and turns their starch to sugar! Let’s save the sugar consumption for Grandma’s pie and not extra mashed potatoes. 
• Don’t put tomatoes in the fridge unless you are planning a mushy tomato dish.  The fridge is also too cold for them. 
• Onions don’t belong in the fridge either because not only will they make everything else smell like an onion, but they will also get too soft from the cold temps. 
• Try to remove some of the old condiments as well (like jellies and salad dressings) that may have been in there since last Thanksgiving. Please check items for dates before serving! 
  

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How Many Potatoes Do I Need To Peel...Because My Feet Hurt!

If you are having multiple people in the kitchen at one time, reserve prep areas for each person. Don’t be afraid to pull in a chair or two to make the work less stressful for all involved. If you have a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon for 20% off you can use it to splurge on cooking mats that have a soft, yet firm grip for the kitchen floors.  Place one in front of the stove and one in front of the sink.  Both areas will see high traffic and long amounts of standing on Thanksgiving. 

Grocery Store Checklist

Nearly everyone in the city is going to be looking for broth next week so plan your list around your ingredients now.  The stores are already stocking up for Thanksgiving and most items can last a week - so stock up this weekend!  Don’t forget to add more paper plates, plastic ware and plastic containers.  You are going to want to get rid of as much turkey as possible. Remember when you hand that plate of food to Cousin Joe that you most likely will never see that container again.  So splurge on the extra plastic containers knowing that you will probably not be seeing them again. 

Declutter the Counters

Fake lemons and cookbook arrangements are cute, but will take up space that you need for the prep work of dinner.  Grab a box and declutter your kitchen so that your work space can be free and clear of clutter. You can easily place the decorative items back out when the feast is over and your company has gone home.

GOBBLE!  GOBBLE!  GOBBLE!  WE HOPE YOU EAT TILL YOU WOBBLE!