Thanksgiving is just three weeks away and that means I am already starting to cook some of the foods we will be eating that day. How can I do that? With the help of my freezer that’s how.
For the last several years we have hosted Thanksgiving for about 20 people. Cooking for that many people, even though everyone brings several dishes, means there is a lot of food I have to cook. Not only that but the house, where 7 of us live and make messes, has to be cleaned and made ready for company.
If I didn’t plan ahead and cook ahead of time I would never be able to pull off hosting Thanksgiving without having a meltdown.
Would you like to have a less stressful time preparing for Thanksgiving this year, too? Here are some of the foods I cook and freeze ahead of time.
Turkey
One of the first Thanksgiving dishes I ever started preparing ahead of time was turkey, and I highly recommend making it ahead of time.
Ham
Cooking and freezing a ham ahead of time is another great time-saver.
Homemade Noodles
I used to think making noodles was very hard until my husband’s aunt showed me how. Noodles can easily be frozen and cooked on Thanksgiving day.
Sweet Potato Casserole
I love sweet potato casserole and has become a Thanksgiving staple. This year I am going to try to make a dairy-free version because I can’t eat dairy anymore.
Mashed Potatoes
This make-ahead mashed potato recipe is so rich and creamy and it freezes beautifully.
Green Bean Casserole
While I have frozen green bean casserole to save time, I have also made it the day before and put it into the refrigerator until about 45 minutes before serving Thanksgiving dinner.
Some time I am going to alter my green bean casserole recipe to use homemade cream soup to make it healthier.
Other Foods to Make-Ahead
- Green Beans: I often cook them ahead of time and reheat them in the crockpot the day of Thanksgiving.
- Corn: Same as for green beans since I use our frozen garden produce.
- Dressing: You can make dressing a day or two ahead of time and then bake it the day of Thanksgiving.
- Rolls or Bread: You can freeze unbaked rolls or simply make the rolls the day before Thanksgiving and warm in the oven right before serving.
- Desserts: Many desserts can be made the day before and some can even be frozen.
Here’s a post I wrote a few years ago about what I did on the day before Thanksgiving to prepare for a crowd.
Do you make any food before Thanksgiving or are you one of those people who likes to cook everything the day of?
