No-Nonsense Guide to Hosting Thanksgiving in 2024

Hosting Thanksgiving can be equally exciting and stressful. Whether you’re hosting a small gathering of friends or a large dinner with your family, hosting Thanksgiving dinner takes a lot of planning in advance. This may mean making a guest list, extending invitations, planning a menu and decorating the space. And, of course, executing the menu by cooking in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. 

Everything involved also brings out an important question. How much does hosting Thanksgiving cost? The average price of Thanksgiving dinner in 2023 was about $58.66 to $64.38 per person, depending on the location, according to Spectrum News NY 1. Costs, however, can quickly add up depending on the food and decor you choose to host with.

However, there is no reason to stress about hosting Thanksgiving this year. With the proper planning in advance, the feast can go off without a hitch. This no-nonsense guide to hosting Thanksgiving will ensure you have everything in place when the holiday comes.

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• Planning a Thanksgiving Dinner
• Thanksgiving Decoration Ideas
• Thanksgiving Hosting Essentials

Planning a Thanksgiving Dinner

Menu Ideas for Hosting Thanksgiving

Wondering what to do when hosting Thanksgiving? Start with the menu. The menu is arguably the most important part of Thanksgiving. The meal is, of course, the major reason why everyone is gathering. That’s why it’s crucial to create a menu ahead of time. Luckily, hosting Thanksgiving often comes with a fairly standard menu, although of course, you can switch it up with alternative Thanksgiving meals!

The turkey is the main dish, however many families may also have ham or chicken. Typical sides include mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and green beans. If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving food ideas or want tips to create the tastiest versions of these classic dishes, consider taking cooking classes near you. Led by expert chefs, you can learn the secrets to making this traditional meal the best one your guests have had.

If you’re looking for ideas for hosting Thanksgiving that set your menu apart, consider making creative twists on classic dishes. Serve potatoes au gratin in place of mashed potatoes or mac and cheese. Make miniature versions of apple pie. Or replace the greens with roasted Brussels sprouts.

You may also want to factor in appetizers for guests to enjoy while the meal is being finished. This will be especially useful if you will have family or friends in the house with you all day. Having a charcuterie board with cured meats, cheese and fruits, as well as whipping up some delicious vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes, will help keep everyone’s hunger at bay throughout the day.

An overlooked part of the Thanksgiving menu is beverages. Consider whether you’re going to serve soda, wine, cocktails or mocktails and factor those as ingredients into your menu.

Finally, you’ll want to consider dessert. Pies, apple, pumpkin and pecan, especially, are the traditional choice. However, you will want to decide if you will serve other desserts alongside these traditional options.

When it comes to hosting Thanksgiving and making a menu, you’ll also want to consider any dietary restrictions your guests may have. This can be allergies, specialized diets or even picky eating kids. You may want to consider having specific food they can eat or suggest they bring their dishes.

Whatever you plan to cook, it is recommended to plan the menu about a month or two months in advance. Finalize the menu and create a shopping list based on the meal. Do your shopping a couple of days before the holiday to ensure you have everything and won’t have to do last-minute shopping the day of.

Thanksgiving Appetizers and Sides

When hosting Thanksgiving, as stated, appetizers are a great way to keep guests fed throughout the day. They’re also a great start to the meal. So, when creating your Thanksgiving menu, consider adding a few Thanksgiving appetizers to serve before or right as you sit down to dinner.

Easy items like a charcuterie board, pigs in a blanket, homemade dips with chips and cocktail meatballs are great options to serve before dinner or throughout the day as guests arrive. Parmesan breadsticks, fall soups and stuffed mushrooms are great options to serve as the meal's first course.

No meal would be complete without Thanksgiving sides. And because there are so many of them, planning them in advance is even more important. Many guests expect to have mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, green beans and stuffing. Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots and cranberry sauce are also great options. Rolls, muffins and cornbread with butter, jam and cinnamon butter pair well together.

How many appetizers and sides you have often depends on how many guests will be attending dinner. A dinner of four can be content with one or two appetizers and three sides. For eight people, one to three appetizers and three sides will suffice. Dinner with 16 people; serve at least two to three appetizers and three or more sides. As dinner guests increase, the more sides and appetizers you will need.

How to Cook the Perfect Turkey

The Thanksgiving turkey is the centerpiece of the meal. But cooking the perfect turkey might be one of the most nerve-wracking parts of hosting Thanksgiving. However, the process is relatively simple once you know what to do.

You want to begin by bringing the turkey with a wet or dry brine. Do a wet brine for 12 to 24 hours before placing it in a roasting pan. Pat the turkey dry, truss the legs and tuck the wings under the turkey. Place it uncovered in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. A dry brine should sit uncovered for 24 to 28 hours in the refrigerator.

One hour before cooking, bring the turkey to room temperature and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Stuff the turkey and rub butter under the skin. Braise the turkey with herb butter, then roast it in the oven for 45 minutes. Then, add an aluminum tent above the turkey and cook for another 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 325 degrees F and cook for another hour and a half.

Check the internal temperature to ensure doneness. The breast should be a minimum of 160 degrees F and the thighs should be a minimum of 180 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 30 minutes to an hour before slicing and serving. Once you master cooking the turkey to perfection, hosting Thanksgiving won’t seem so daunting.

Thanksgiving Desserts

You have to end the meal on a sweet note, so don’t forget to factor in dessert when planning the Thanksgiving menu. Opting for three or four desserts will ensure that everyone’s tastes are met and that you have enough for all of your guests.

Pies are the traditional choice for a Thanksgiving dessert. Apple, cherry, pecan and pumpkin pies are among the most common to serve after the meal. However, you don’t only have to serve pie as the dessert option. Pumpkin cheesecake or pumpkin cupcakes are twists the classic that everyone will love. Apple cider doughnuts are another classic fall choice. You can also go completely untraditional and make cranberry lemon bars or a brown sugar layer cake.

When it comes to dessert, you honestly can’t go wrong since most people like capping a meal off with something sweet. Sticking to traditional fall flavors like apple, cinnamon and pumpkin will keep the dessert on theme for the meal. It may also be a good idea to serve a traditional dessert like pie with a few non-traditional sweets, so everyone gets something they want. Or so everyone can sample a few of the options.

Wondering how to say thank you for hosting Thanksgiving? Bringing dessert is a great option. Bringing dessert won’t interfere with the main menu but rather adds another option to end the meal with. So, even if you aren’t hosting Thanksgiving, you can still contribute by bringing dessert. 

Thanksgiving Decoration Ideas

Table Decorations

Part of hosting Thanksgiving is creating a tablescape to be a backdrop for your beautiful dinner. The tablescape consists of plates, flatware, napkins, cups, glasses, tablecloth, placemats and decor centerpieces. First, you should decide upon a color scheme, which can help guide you as you pick out other decorations and decor pieces.

If you’re looking for hosting Thanksgiving ideas, look to traditional table settings. Thanksgiving can be more of a formal meal with multiple plates and sets of flatware on the table for different courses. Or it can be more of a casual affair with a more simplistic table setting.

When choosing the linens–the tablecloths, napkins and table runner–mix and match colors, textures and patterns to create visual interest. For example, you can use a solid tablecloth, a plaid table runner and striped napkins that all coordinate with each other.

If you’re having a large gathering, you may want to consider having name cards to make finding a seat easy. You can get creative with the place cards by using faux leaves, tiles or dried oranges with each guest’s name written on them.

As for a centerpiece, you can decorate with a collection of gourds and pumpkins, faux leaves or a wreath that will add texture and color. Adding candles can create a cozy and warm atmosphere. Try art classes near you to learn how to make your own candles to decorate your Thanksgiving table.

Decorating Your Home for Thanksgiving

Decorating your home can add a stunning atmosphere when hosting Thanksgiving. Orange and yellow leaf wreaths can add plenty of color and texture throughout your home. Ceramic or wood pumpkins set on tables or a fireplace mantle will help bring in the fall atmosphere. 

Fall-themed garlands and dried flowers and grasses will add an accent of texture throughout the space. Simple touches like throw pillows and fluffy blankets will add a cozy touch to the room. When it comes to hosting Thanksgiving, you want to create a comforting and welcoming space where guests can relax while eating.

Thanksgiving Hosting Essentials

Start Planning 1 to 2 Months Before

There are many moving parts when it comes to hosting Thanksgiving. From planning the menu to decorating the day of, there is a lot to consider for the big day. So, it’s recommended to start your planning one to two months in advance.

How to host 30 people for Thanksgiving? While this is a lot, you should start by sending out invitations and notifying friends and family that you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner. Ask for reservations so you have a finalized number of guests at the beginning of the month. Regardless of how many people you’re hosting, proper prep is essential.

During the months before hosting Thanksgiving, you’ll also want to create and finalize the menu. Along with the finalized menu and with your guest count number in mind, you’ll have a better idea of how much of each ingredient to buy. Preparation a month or two before will ensure you’re ready the day of.

Gather Your Materials in Advance

Prepping the food is essential, but it’s also important to gather your materials in advance. The week before the holiday, ensure you have all of your Thanksgiving hosting essentials. Ensure you have a turkey roasting pan and a platter to serve it on. You’ll also want to have serving dishes and bowls. Utensils like a knife to cut the turkey and spoons to serve the sides are must-haves.

Consider cooking essentials you may only use on the day of, like a turkey baster and meat thermometer. Ensure you have enough pie dishes or cake pans to bake dessert. And pick out trays or risers to display all your food on.

Take a moment to write out serving or display materials you may need and take stock of what you have the week before. What you don’t have or what you can’t borrow, be sure to purchase in advance of the holiday. Preparing in advance ensures hosting Thanksgiving goes smoothly.

Only Cooks in the Kitchen

Hosting Thanksgiving can be incredibly hectic. Control a little of the chaos by making a rule of only allowing cooks in the kitchen. Anyone who is helping with preparing the Thanksgiving feast can be in the kitchen, but everyone else has to stay out. This ensures there aren’t kids running in the kitchen or too many people accidentally getting in the way.

Set out a few Thanksgiving activities to keep your guests–especially small kids–occupied until dinner is ready. Having games or other things to do will also help pass the time until you can eat.

Along these lines, it’s also important to figure out who is helping you in the kitchen. This can often be determined by how large of a space you have to cook. You don’t want to overload the kitchen and not be able to move around. Or you may opt for your guests to take shifts in the kitchen to cook certain parts of the meal. As the one hosting Thanksgiving, you’ll be in charge of the kitchen logistics.

Designate and Delegate

Being able to designate and delate is a major Thanksgiving hosting essential. As the host of the Thanksgiving meal, you can take it upon yourself to delegate jobs to some of your guests. While you may be in charge of the initial planning, it will be hard to pull off the entire dinner on your own. So, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

You can designate people to help cook the meal and delegate tasks in the kitchen to ensure all the dishes come out properly and on time. You can also designate people to set the table before dinner. Have someone in charge of looking after and entertaining the children.

Hosting Thanksgiving can require a lot of moving parts. Having a few helping hands will ensure the meal runs smoothly from start to finish.

Practice New Recipes Beforehand

Hosting Thanksgiving isn’t the right time to try a new recipe. So, if you want to cook something unique or bring something new to Thanksgiving dinner, it’s a good idea to practice the recipe beforehand. A week or two before, make the recipe and ensure you have everything you need to do it. Preparing it in advance will also allow you to make any adjustments to the flavor or the yield.

However, if you do want to try a new food, consider an easy recipe like a Thanksgiving charcuterie board. These are simple to execute on the day off and still a crowd-pleasing option. Another option is to try a new recipe and serve it as an appetizer before the meal. This way you won’t throw off the main courses while hosting Thanksgiving.

Make a Cooking Schedule

A Thanksgiving meal has multiple courses and dishes, so it’s a good idea to create a cooking schedule to follow the day of. Take note of how long each dish takes to prep and cook and create a schedule with that information in mind. 

A cooking schedule will help you know which dishes to make and in which order. Plus, you’ll know what dishes can go in the oven and at what time to ensure every dish comes out hot and ready for the meal. This is a logistical preparation that many people overlook when hosting Thanksgiving.

Prepare for the Unexpected

One of the most essential tips when hosting Thanksgiving is to prepare for the unexpected. No matter how much you plan, there are often hiccups the day of. That often comes with hosting a large gathering. You may have unexpected guests that show up at the last minute, so it’s always a good idea to prepare a little extra food to accommodate. Hosting Thanksgiving can be fun and rewarding. With some preparation and a little flexibility, you’ll be able to have a wonderful meal.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to attend with friends and family, but hosting Thanksgiving can be a feat. Hosting Thanksgiving can take plenty of planning, but it doesn’t mean it has to be stressful. By planning in advance and using this no-nonsense guide, you’ll be able to create a Thanksgiving meal your friends and family won’t soon forget. Hosting Thanksgiving can be easy when you know exactly what to do.

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