It can send a home host or hostess into a bit of a cold sweat, thinking about all the items that need to be ready at the same time for a big Thanksgiving meal in Tulsa, OK or a large Christmas dinner in New York City. The truth is, though, that organization can be a major help, and you reap double benefits. Not only are you less stressed about the meal, but the organization you’ve put into place can help you and your family throughout the year to work as a team.

Anything You Can Make And Freeze Ahead Of Time, do it!

The first step is to write out everything you’d like to make for a big meal. As soon as you can, start breaking each item out into steps to prepare and ingredients needed. You’ll want to think through perishability and shopping trips so that you can get exactly what you need in time to hit peak freshness on the big day. However, the best way to take a few items off this list is to find good freezer-friendly dishes for at least part of your meal. Even if it’s just a dessert or some freezer-friendly dinner roll dough, do some of the from-scratch cooking early and save yourself a lot of extra counter space on your holiday.

Create Out-Of-Kitchen Spaces For Helpers And Designate A Variety Of Helper Tasks

Some kitchens are truly large enough for multiple cooks – it might even be what drew you to your current home in the first place! But a lot of kitchens are actually just too small to fit a bunch of moving people who are chopping and baking and stirring. Consider how a kitchen island, a breakfast nook, or another area near your kitchen can transform into a prep station for some of your family or friends to help out. Want to really make the day memorable? Make a list of tasks, basic chopping or prepping that needs to be done, so that when someone asks to help, you can quickly set them to work without putting them in charge of a whole turkey or another delicate task.

This Is A Great Time To Label Your Pantry So Others Can Use It Well

If you have family staying in town for multiple days, chances are good that they’ll be raiding the pantry. What can you do to make your pantry user-friendly? Find that label maker! Labels do two helpful things: they help people return things to the place they found them, and help them replenish the snacks they’ve used up when they happen to have a jaunt out to the grocery store themselves.

On The Big Day, Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff And Enlist Clean-Up Help

Part of why you want every duck in a row before the big day is that you want to actually enjoy it too – maybe you’ll still be hustling and bustling all day, but you don’t want it to be a stressful mess. With items pre-apportioned and as much prep done as possible, you can do the few remaining tasks while chatting with family and enjoying some music. Then, anyone who didn’t help prep gets to do dishes and clean the kitchen while you drink a well earned beverage and sit with your loved ones.