I’m hosting Thanksgiving this year, and I am finally putting together my menu and grocery list for the big day! We will be having family in from out of town for Thanksgiving day, and then more family at various times throughout the weekend. I want to create a simple meal plan, but also want enough food for leftovers for the days following Thanksgiving. I love cooking and don’t mind devoting my morning to it the day of Thanksgiving. This amount of cooking will probably take about 4 hours, and I like to serve it in waves so we can snack and watch football games all day. I will need to make the desserts the day before because there won’t be room in the oven for lots of baking while the turkey is roasting.

Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

Breakfast: I will probably serve this as a brunch around 10 am

0305_edf_hampotatobake_vert
image via Martha Stewart

  • Egg Casserole, favorite recipe here
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Coffee
  • Orange Juice

ADVERTISEMENT

Appetizers: Served around noon

  • Cheese Platter
  • Prosciutto wrapped asparagus

Main Dinner: Serving around 3 pm

I found a fantastic rub for roasting a turkey last year that got a lot of compliments from my family (if you want to try it, check it out here). And if this is your first time cooking your first holiday turkey, check out this video; it gives wonderful step by step directions of how to cook a turkey.

turkey rub
image via All Recipes

  • Turkey
  • Stuffing
  • Biscuits
  • Gravy
  • Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Broccoli Casserole
  • Caesar Salad
  • Cranberries
  • Red & White Wine
  • Iced Tea

Dessert: Serving around 5pm

pumpkin cream pie
image via Martha Stewart 

  • Pumpkin Cream Pie, favorite recipe here
  • Berry Pie
  • Chocolate Cake

What are you adding to your Thanksgiving Day Meal Plan?