Thanksgiving lands on Thursday, November 26 this year, and if you're anything like me, you're already making mental lists. There's so much to love: family around the table, gratitude, and no pressure to buy a single gift.
But let's be honest. Between cooking a big meal, keeping kids happy, and hosting relatives, it can also feel like a lot. The good news? With a little planning, a simpler menu, and some help from the whole crew, Thanksgiving can be fun and memorable without all the stress.
I've refreshed my favorite tips from past years and added some new ones, plus a handful of easy, kid-friendly recipes your little chefs can help make.
Plan ahead (your future self will thank you)
The more you do before Thursday, the more you'll enjoy the day itself. Here's a simple countdown to keep you on track:
- Two weeks out (Nov. 12): Set the menu, confirm your guest count, and ask about allergies or picky eaters. If you're using a frozen turkey, figure out your thaw date.
- One week out (Nov. 19): Shop for pantry staples, drinks, paper goods, and anything that keeps. Pull out serving dishes and label each one with a sticky note for what it will hold.
- The weekend before: Start thawing a frozen turkey in the fridge (allow about one day for every 4 to 5 pounds). Make pie crusts and cranberry sauce.
- Tuesday: Shop for fresh produce and dairy. Chop onions, celery, and veggies.
- Wednesday: Bake pies, assemble casseroles, and set the table. Kids can help with this one!
- Thursday: Cook, reheat, and enjoy.
Delegate, delegate, delegate. Assign guests a side, a dessert, drinks, or ice. A free online sign-up sheet or a family group text makes it easy to see who's bringing what, so you don't end up with four green bean casseroles (although, would that really be so bad?).
Order early. Grocery pickup slots, bakery pies, and fresh turkeys book up fast the week of Thanksgiving. Reserve yours now.
Simplify the menu
A Thanksgiving feast doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious. Focus on the dishes your family truly loves, then add one new recipe for fun.
- Make it ahead. Casseroles, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pies can all be made a day or two early and simply reheated.
- Free up the oven. Put your slow cooker and Instant Pot to work for mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, or green beans. An oven-free side is a lifesaver when the bird is taking up all the space.
- Go sheet pan. Roast sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and carrots together on one or two pans. Fewer dishes, big flavor.
- Rethink the turkey. If a whole bird feels overwhelming, try a turkey breast, a roast chicken, or something totally different. We make a brisket and a ham, because we have no turkey eaters in our house!
- Buy what you don't love making. A store-bought pie or bakery rolls are not cheating. They're smart.
Get the kids involved
Kids who help make the meal are way more excited to eat it. Plus, they learn real kitchen skills and the value of pitching in.
| Age | Kitchen and hosting jobs |
|---|---|
| Ages 3 to 5 | Wash veggies, tear bread for stuffing, stir, add sprinkles, fold napkins |
| Ages 6 to 8 | Measure ingredients, mash potatoes, crack eggs, make place cards |
| Ages 9 to 12 | Peel veggies, follow a simple recipe, set the table, greet guests and take coats |
| Teens | Own a side dish start to finish, run the drink station, carve with supervision |
Keep little hands busy while you cook:
- Cookie and cupcake decorating. Set out fall-colored icing and sprinkles.
- A craft station. Paper pumpkins, handprint turkeys, or a gratitude tree with paper leaves.
- A kids' table makeover. Cover the table with kraft paper and add crayons, Thanksgiving word searches, and coloring pages. They become the decor!
- A family recipe book. Each child contributes a favorite dish (with their own drawing) and you add to it every year.
- Parade and football. Turn on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning and let kids keep a "balloon bingo" card.
Fun recipes your kids can help make
These are simple, festive, and big on "I made this!" pride. Pick one or two and hand the kids the job.
| Recipe | Course | The kids' job |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey Cheese Ball (Taste of Home) | Appetizer | Press in the pecan "feathers" and decorate the cracker tail |
| Cranberry Brie Bites (Wonky Wonderful) | Appetizer | Press crescent dough squares into a mini muffin tin and spoon on the cranberry sauce |
| Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes (The Daily Meal) | Side | Add ingredients to the slow cooker and do the mashing |
| Kid-friendly biscuits, apple crisp, and more (America's Test Kitchen Kids) | Sides and dessert | Older kids can follow these recipes nearly start to finish |
| Pumpkin Pie Dip (Skinnytaste) | Dessert | Stir it all together and arrange apple slices and graham crackers for dipping |
| Oreo Turkeys (Delish) | Dessert | Build the turkeys with candy corn feathers, candy eyes, and an M&M beak |
Mom tip: The Turkey Cheese Ball and Pumpkin Pie Dip can both be made a day ahead, so the kids can do their part on Wednesday and you have one less thing on Thursday.
Start (or keep) a family tradition
Traditions are what make Thanksgiving feel like ours, and they don't have to be big or fancy. Here are two from my family, plus a few favorites to try.
From our house to yours:
- Breakfast pie. When I was a little girl, my grandmother always served us pumpkin pie for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning. We've carried it on with our own children. Every year we have pie Thanksgiving morning and take a picture.
- Fun shirts. Everyone in our family is assigned a family member, and we order silly Thanksgiving shirts to surprise each other that morning. Whatever you get is your outfit for the day! Silly socks work great, too.
More ideas to try:
- Gratitude circle or jar. Before the meal, go around the table and share one thing you're thankful for. Or keep a jar out all November and read the notes aloud at dinner.
- Thankful tablecloth. Use a plain tablecloth and fabric markers. Each year, everyone writes what they're grateful for and signs it with the date. It becomes a family keepsake.
- Same spot, every year photo. Take a family photo in the same place each Thanksgiving. It's amazing to see how everyone grows.
- Turkey trot. Start the day with a family-friendly fun run or walk. Many communities host one on Thanksgiving morning, and littles can ride in the stroller.
- Thanksgiving scavenger hunt. Hide mini pumpkins or turkey figurines around the yard with clues to keep kids busy while dinner finishes.
- Give back. Let kids help pick out items for a local food pantry drive, or write thank-you notes to teachers, coaches, or first responders.
Make clean-up (and leftovers) easy
Clean-up can be the most overwhelming part of the day, but it doesn't have to be.
- Start with an empty dishwasher. Run it and unload it before guests arrive. It's a game changer.
- Clean as you go. Put ingredients away and wash utensils while things simmer.
- Everyone pitches in. Older kids and guests can clear plates, rinse dishes, load the dishwasher, and wipe down the table. Put on some music and make it a dance party.
- Choose your tableware. Eco-friendly disposable plates save time with a big crowd, while cloth napkins and real dishes cut down on waste.
- Set up a leftovers station. Stock to-go containers so guests can pack up a plate on their way out. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours, and enjoy them within three to four days.
- Plan a leftovers lunch. Since we always have ham, extra ham is perfect for these Ham and Cheese Sliders on Hawaiian rolls (Sunday Supper Movement). Kids can assemble them, and they bake right in the roll package!
Focus on family, not perfection
Thanksgiving doesn't have to be perfectly executed to be a success. The rolls might burn. The pie might have a little extra "character." Someone will definitely spill the cranberry sauce.
And that's okay. The heart of this holiday is gathering the people we love and giving thanks together. So take a breath, let go of the stress, and soak it all in. These are the memories your kids will carry with them for years to come.
From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!
