Home for the holidays? If you’re the designated host of a Thanksgiving meal, check out this step-by-step guide to hosting in your new home!

Guest List

The first step to hosting Thanksgiving is finalizing your guest list. Make sure a time has been set and everyone has been invited. It is ideal to serve your meal between 1 and 5 PM, depending on how much you’re planning to serve.

Menu

The next step is figuring out your full menu! You will want to consider your turkey (or meat alternative!), sides, desserts, and drinks. Consider requesting allergy information from your guests, as well as dietary preferences. You may even have your guests bring a side or dessert to share!

The most common dishes you’ll spot on a Thanksgiving table include turkey, stuffing, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, rolls or bread, macaroni and cheese, and cranberry sauce. For dessert, you will see a variety of pies, such as pumpkin, apple, and cherry.

Timeline

You’ll want to set a timeline to make sure your food is ready when you want it to be! The biggest part of this is ensuring that your turkey has cooked for plenty of time. Consider how many guests you will have when purchasing your turkey. 10 guests could equate to a 15-pound turkey with no leftovers. Be sure you have enough space and time to cook sides while the turkey is cooking!

Shopping List

The fourth step as you approach the Thanksgiving Day festivities is creating a grocery list and completing your shopping! You will want to make sure you have all the ingredients for each of your items in plenty of time. Keep in mind that stores are busy during the holiday season!

Decorate

You may want to consider decorating! Thanksgiving is a great time to place fall decorations inside and outside your home to set the mood for your gathering.

Hosting

Finally, all your planning and preparation is about to pay off! Before guests arrive, make sure you have plenty of space and that you have as much or as little help in the kitchen as you need. Enjoy your time with food, family, and friends!

Hosting Thanksgiving can seem like a stressful occasion, but it doesn’t have to be! Be sure you are prepared with this list and enjoy a day full of food and fun. Create new traditions or honor old ones. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks!

A Step-by-Step Guide to Hosting Thanksgiving