If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, feeling stressed, frazzled, and overwhelmed is easy. However, several simple tips will leave you ready to rock and roll. Consider the following:
Take Help From Others
“What can I bring?” is practically the battle cry of the typical Thanksgiving guest, one that a stubborn host might be tempted to ignore. However, allowing your guests to bring dishes takes the pressure off you and makes them feel helpful. This is a win-win you shouldn’t pass on.
Get a Head Count Beforehand
Nothing can throw a Thanksgiving dinner into chaos like unexpected guests, so getting a proper headcount is vital to happy turkey time. While this might seem obvious, beware of guests tempted to invite others at the last minute, such as roommates or co-workers. Convey to your guests that you need to know who’s coming well BEFORE the day arrives.
Have Options
From dietary restrictions to allergens to lifestyles, cooking for others is not what it once was. To cover all your bases and guests’ needs and preferences, make sure you have plenty of options to choose from. This doesn’t mean you need to plan your entire meal around one person’s particular dietary restrictions, but make sure there are at least some meat-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free selections.
Map Out Oven Space
One of the biggest challenges of cooking Thanksgiving dinner is the lack of oven space. Planning ahead, and even cooking some things the night before, helps avoid any day-of occupancy issues. Asking your guests to bring things you’d otherwise have to bake, such as dinner rolls or casseroles, can also give you, and your oven rack, some much-needed breathing room.
Relax!
Hosting Thanksgiving is a stressful endeavor, one felt by hosts all over the country. While you might want things to go perfectly, remembering what the holiday is truly about can help relieve some pressure. When people reflect on their favorite Thanksgiving dinners, they remember togetherness, backyard football games, and gratitude. No one remembers if the mashed potatoes were a bit too runny.
Hosting Thanksgiving is not for the faint of heart, but there are plenty of ways to help your day go smoothly, giving you time to feast on what’s important and ignore the things that aren’t.
The Piedmont Apartments in Avon, Colorado offers luxurious, modern homes for residents that blend privacy with epic views of the Rocky Mountains. Contact us today to learn more about mountain town living in our picturesque apartments.