Give Them Stuffin’ To Talk About: Easy Hacks for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

The most rewarding part of Thanksgiving is preparing the magnificent feast and seeing the fruits of your labor come together! From making sure the turkey is cooked to perfection to getting the side dishes all ready, there are several factors that go into creating the perfect dinner. However, the meal prep can also be incredibly stressful. Here are some ways to take the pressure off yourself:

Cooking Hacks

 
Potluck
 
Consider hosting a potluck. While you take care of the main attraction, talk to your guests about bringing a side dish or dessert. This is a great way to get everyone involved in the holiday, enjoy a new and delicious recipe, and save yourself a lot of time and money.
 
Prepare Desserts In Advance
 
An easy way to save time while preparing your Thanksgiving dinner is to make your desserts ahead of time. Keep your pies covered and refrigerated until the day of your feast, and allow them to rest at room temperature. This way, all you have to do is add whipped cream and serve your guests after they’ve enjoyed a delicious turkey meal.

Cleaning Hacks 

In addition to cooking, you’ll want to clean your home from top to bottom, which adds even more to your already-full plate. Here’s how you can get your home in tip-top shape without the struggle.

Give Everyone a Task
 
In order to make sure that everything on your lists gets done—without burning yourself out—get the entire family involved. While you focus on fixing up the living and dining rooms, the others can set their attention on the bathrooms, the bedrooms, and the kitchen. By having everyone tackle the project, you can get some cooking done and your home ready just in time for your guests’ arrivals.
 
Make a Plan
 
Manage your time more efficiently with a cooking and cleaning to-do list. While your dishes are in the oven or simmering on the stove, you can load up the dishwasher, clean the countertops, and get to work on making your home spotless for your guests. Continue to alternate between cooking and cleaning until you have checked off everything on your list. Then, sit back, relax, and wait for your Thanksgiving celebration to start.

Games to Play

In addition to enjoying delicious food, Thanksgiving is about spending quality time with loved ones, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with some fun games and activities!
 
Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
 
As the adults work on getting dinner ready, keep the kids entertained with a scavenger hunt. Hide Thanksgiving themed items throughout the home, and divide the kids into teams. The first to find all the items and solve all the challenges wins a prize, such as an extra slice of pie!
 
Thanksgiving Family Feud
 
A fun way to spend time with your family is an exciting game of Family Feud. All you need are two teams, a set of questions, a poster board with answers, and a buzzer (if you don’t have one, let someone in your family make the sounds). Questions can be themed, or you can just make up questions about movies, pop culture, and more. The last team standing can play Fast Money, and if they get 200 points, break out the confetti!

Now that you have some awesome Thanksgiving hacks under your belt, we at Shea Homes® hope you have a wonderful holiday that is easy, fun, and of course, filled with family and an unforgettable meal!