Simplify Your Holiday Dinner

If you are the one hosting the holiday meal you know how stressful that whole situation can be. But it really doesn’t have to be that way.

Holiday Meal Simplified

It takes a lot of time and coordination to pull off a holiday dinner with all the fixings by yourself. So why not get some help? Here’re a few ways to help simplify your holiday meal.

Get a little help from the store

Does the thought of making a main dish with a couple of side dishes and bread to boot just seem like way too much for you to take on? If it is, why not purchase a few dishes from the store. There are lots of frozen side dishes you can grab to go with the dinner from twice baked potatoes to mashed potatoes. Also, lots of stores have dishes ready-made at the deli counter all that is left to do is to heat up the dish.

Bag the Baking

If baking really isn’t your thing then drop by the bakery and pick up some rolls and a pie. Rolls are a great item to get from a local bakery or the grocery store. All you will need to do is heat them up a bit and they are ready for the table in no time. Pies and rolls are also great for guest to bring, so be sure to let others help out with the dinner if they offer.

Have a Potluck Holiday Dinner

As I was growing up my mom hosted most of our holiday dinners but she didn’t do all the food herself. It seems everyone who came would bring a dish too. It’s a great way to celebrate the holiday as everyone can bring a favorite dish and the person hosting only needs to make the main dish. This is a great way to simplify your holiday dinner.

Freezer Cook  and Pre-Cook

This may seem odd that I am offering freezer cooking as a way to simplify your holiday dinner but it can really help. By making the rolls or pies a week before, it can really take the pressure off of you on the holiday. I also have made the stuffing ahead, prepared the sweet potato casserole the night before so all I had to do is pop it in the oven at the appointed time.

Last year I even cooked our Thanksgiving turkey the night before and made some turkey stock from the bones. Then the next day I sliced the turkey and added some of the turkey broth I had made the night before to reheat it in. The turkey was wonderfully moist and we didn’t have much left over so I know it was a big hit. I will be doing the same this year too.

Make Simple Dishes

Who says you must have turkey on Thanksgiving? If chicken is easy for you to do make that instead. Don’t like the trouble of making a sweet potato casserole. Try making twice baked sweet potatoes instead or better yet just serve baked sweet potatoes with a topping of butter with some brown sugar mixed in. Who knows, everyone may enjoy the simpler fare so much it will become a new tradition.

What’s a way you simplify your holiday dinner?

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5 thoughts on “Simplify Your Holiday Dinner”

  1. I’m so glad that you showed us how to make turkey broth in the crock pot from the leftover bones last year…I’ve done it three times now, and it is so good! I hate thinking about how much I wasted in past years by not making broth. My family loves the soup recipe too!

    This year, I’m definitely going to make my rolls and pie and prep for the stuffing the day ahead. That will help me get dinner on the table with a lot less trouble.

    1. I’m so glad to hear you and your family love the turkey soup kit idea. I know I’m looking forward to the soup after Thanksgiving this year. I’ll be making our turkey on our wood fired BBQ. I love the flavor of the broth with the wood smoked turkey it is so good. I’m making our turkey the day before and reheating it in broth for Thanksgiving. I gave it a try last year and everyone loved it so much that I’m doing the same this year. It turns out so moist and yummy. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

  2. We simplify Thanksgiving by going with the flow. If we’re having hot, southern summer-like days, who wants to heat up the house with roasting turkey? Who wants to sit down to a big traditional meal. Thanksgiving is a frame of mind anyway, it’s really about the bounty in our hearts not on our tables. I will be looking for your slowcooker broth recipe!

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