Meal Prep for Holiday Feasts

Is it your first time hosting the holiday dinner?  Or maybe you are putting together a Friendsgiving but don’t have an entire day to cook.  You want to make as much from scratch as possible, but you definitely want to have all the food ready when guests arrive AND still have some energy to enjoy the party.

Hosting a holiday feast is an occasion of joy, celebration, festivities, and unfortunately, heightened stress. It’s lovely to host family and friends for a holiday meal, but sometimes the preparation can feel overwhelming. In this video, we’ll share some strategies for hosting a holiday party with as little stress as possible. When you plan ahead and strategically meal prep, your holiday dinner will come together with ease and joy!  Easily prepare your holiday meal from start to finish utilizing these tips and tricks.

Strategies for Effective Meal Planning

1. Create a written plan

2. Start with the biggest task

1. You’ll be motivated to accomplish this task and continue you through your meal prep to do list

3. Fill inactive cooking time

1. Chop veggies

2. mise en place dry ingredients

3. wash dishes

4. Think ahead to utilize leftover ingredients

5. Label, Label, Label

1. Label with:

   1. ingredient name

   2. recipe name

   3. day of the week you plan to use it

   4. the best by date

Common Holiday Dishes Great to Prep Ahead of Time

1. Dessert

2. Thaw and marinate (if necessary) your protein(s)

3. Wash, Slice, and Dice most fruits and veggies

4. Gravy can be cooked and reheated

5. Crockpot Recipes

Additional Ideas for a Smooth Flow to Your Holiday Feast

1. Prepare the welcoming bite early so you know it’ll be ready to go

2. Clean as you go!

   1. Plan at least 30 minutes into your timeline to wash dishes

3. If you store serving dishes and tools outside of the kitchen, gather all of it ahead of time, 

4. Plan enough time to get yourself ready (shower, hair, makeup)