We are beginning the holiday season and all the preparations will be in order for those great family meals with everyone sitting around the table enjoying each other and the food. And along with that comes the hard work. In this post, I will share how to meal plan for the holidays.
In a previous post, Thanksgiving Prep – Planning Ahead, I shared some of things I do to get ready for guests and then the big meal. This year, I am revisiting some of those same helpful hints and expanding on them with the actual tool I use. And though this year may need some adjusting, planning is always a good thing.
The holidays and especially the meals can evoke some strong memories. The smells and the sounds bring us back to some delicious times. And if you are the preparer of those delightful meals, if can also mean some stressful times when you are trying to get everything done. You just sit down and its time for dessert. The dishes are barely finished and your guests are sneaking around the kitchen for something to eat! Well my secret is to plan ahead, prep ahead and then sit down to a completely prepared meal.
I am a planner. I love planning and preparing ahead of a function. I do this for any tea I give, enjoying the menu development, and preparation or when I have guests come to stay at my house. The holidays provide a perfect time to use these skills and techniques. Let’s go through some tools and steps.
IDENTIFY YOUR GUESTS
I start the planning by identifying who will be coming to dinner. The number is important….so if Great Aunt Lolo and Aunt Barb are coming, then we need to set a couple more places. If they are bringing the gang, I will have to think on a larger scale.
The next step is identify if they are coming for a few days or just for the main meal. You will use the same approach but just expand on the planning.
This same approach is great not just for meal planning but also for things that you might need to do prior to your guests arriving – cleaning, making up rooms, shopping, etc. And the whole concept of this tool is just good planning and can be used for many things.
PLAN THE MENU
The first page of the planning tool is the menu. I will sit down and map out a menu, thinking of those favorite items that are traditional for the meal. If I am having guests, then I will map out each meal that they will be staying for. These can always change, but without a plan, it can become chaos.
Once the menu is mapped out, I identify anything that my guests might want to contribute. Depending on the holiday and who is coming, I might reach out to my guests and see if they have a special dish they would like to bring. I won’t want duplicates but also want to include those special family dishes.
THE TOOL
- MENU – The first in the packet, it becomes the platform for your planning.
- Identify items for your menu.
- PULL YOUR RECIPES….this is a crucial step for planning, shopping list needs, and prepping
- Look at each item and determine if it can be made ahead. This is a great time to think outside the box (I will give you examples here in a minute).
- Identify who is going to be making the dish. Might be all you or your Great Aunt Lolo.
- SHOPPING LIST
- Once you have your menu outlined and have reviewed your recipes, you can put your shopping list together.
- Your list may include several stores, different times, etc. Note this on your list.
- TASK / CHECK LIST
- List out those things that you need to get done. This is my thinking list – what is it that I need to get done before the day? Brainstorm all the things that keep you awake at night.
- SCHEDULE – CRITICAL STEP
- Taking your menu and your task / checklist, schedule out these items. From making your pies to setting the table. On some occasions, you need to start early. And you will want to start early to keep ahead of things.
Pre-Holiday Planning Tool 
Day Before and Holiday!
- CALENDAR
- I include a calendar. This is all about pacing, so using a calendar is helpful.
- On the actual day, I will put times in for when I need to do critical things (put the turkey in the oven, etc). When I give an afternoon tea, the schedule for the day is posted in my kitchen so I am sure to stay on task.
PREP AHEAD HOW-TO’S
So what can be prepared ahead. Well here are some suggestions.
- If having guests, breakfast meals, casseroles, or items like coffee cakes or sweet breads. And of course scones!
- Pies or their pie fillings can be made ahead of time. And even your dough can be made ahead and frozen for up to 6 months in the freezer. Or if you buy your pie dough, that can also be frozen before using. But even the pie fillings can be made ahead of time. I will make my mincemeat ahead of time and freeze it.
Pie Fillings in the Freezer 
Pre-baked Scones in the Freezer
- Stuffings / Bread – I generally make a sausage stuffing. The mixture of sausage and onion I can make ahead and freeze. I will also tear up the bread, let it dry and then bag it up.
- Sauces like your cranberry sauce can be made ahead and easily frozen. Homemade cranberry sauce can be kept in your freezer for up to 2 months.
- Appetizers are a great thing to be made ahead and frozen. Meatballs, sausage rolls are easily frozen. I will also freeze goat cheese in logs.
- Your entree may be done early, depending on what you are doing. Like for Thanksgiving, you can roast your turkey the day before and have your gravy all ready. Just make sure to keep snacking fingers out of it until the main meal!
- Any dish I look at, I will ask myself if it can be made ahead of time. Everything labeled and dated, my freezer will be bursting by the time the holiday comes around.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Using the last page of the planner and depending on the menu and plenty of coffee, I start my day early and get to checking off those items as their time stamp comes up. I have usually set the table the evening before and even labeled what goes in each serving dish – it helps expedite plating.
When dinner comes, my guests are ready to sit and enjoy one another and so am I. This approach takes some deliberate effort but is well worth it. How to meal plan for the holidays will help you get everything done and still be able to partake in the meal and you will be able to sit and enjoy a very well deserved meal as your guests shower your with numerous compliments. And you will have the satisfaction of being able to put those feet up and be pleased with your efforts. Its all good as I like to say.
