Thanksgiving Dinner Countdown: Day by Day Plan (Shortcuts, Tips, and Tricks)

Thanksgiving is happening on November 28th in 2024, and it so happens that it’s only ten days away. If you want to have a stress-free day full of delicious food and family fun, you should follow our foolproof countdown guide and start your Thanksgiving preparations.

10 Days Until Thanksgiving Day

Finalize Your Menu Plans: We assume you’ve already compiled your guest list and confirmed RSVPs. Now, let’s focus on the food planning.

First things first—decide on the size of the turkey based on the number of guests you’re expecting.

How Much Turkey Do I Need Per Person?

This step is crucial. A turkey that's too small will leave your guests unsatisfied, while a turkey that's too large will result in an excess of delicious leftovers (who doesn't love Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwiches and Croquettes?).

A good rule of thumb is 1.25 lbs (600 grams) of turkey per person. This ensures everyone will have plenty to eat, with leftovers to enjoy later in creative dishes like sandwiches and croquettes.

To simplify things, we’ve provided an easy-to-follow Thanksgiving turkey ratio chart that you can save and use for every holiday season.

Thanksgiving Turkey Tip:

Hosting a large Thanksgiving dinner for 15 or more people? Consider cooking two medium-sized turkeys rather than one massive 25-pound bird. It’s much easier to thaw and cook two regular-sized turkeys than to manage a gigantic one.

If you prefer a simpler approach, you can also prepare a few extra turkey breasts or legs instead of cooking an additional whole turkey. This makes for easier handling and preparation while still ensuring plenty of delicious turkey for everyone.

Now that you've settled on the turkey size, it’s time to choose your cooking method. There are several ways to cook your turkey, each requiring different amounts of time. And we know, time is precious when planning Thanksgiving.

Roast the Turkey (Classic)

The classic choice for Thanksgiving is roasting. A traditional roasted turkey is always a crowd-pleaser. On average, a 15-pound turkey will need about 4 hours to roast, so be sure to start early to ensure it's ready in time for your feast.

Deep fry the turkey

Unconventional but extremely delicious. If you got the proper setup to deep fry your turkey, go for it. You will need to deep fry it outside, and also be extremely careful! There are deep-fried turkey-related accidents every year.

The time needed for deep frying a turkey is calculated using this formula: 3.5 minutes/per pound. So, an average-sized 15-pound turkey should be ready in about 52 minutes or when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Spatchcock turkey

Spatchcocking - also known as butterflying - means removing the backbone and allowing the bird to be completely open and flattened.
If you spatchcock the turkey before roasting it, you will cut the cooking time almost in half and get perfectly cooked meat throughout the entire bird. It will take about 90 minutes to thoroughly cook your bird using this method.
Spatchcocked turkey also turns out crispier, juicier, and tender. You can also still use the backbone for your gravy.

The Thanksgiving table is all about the sides for many of us, so take your time figuring out which side dishes you want to make this year and how many would be your perfect number.

• 1. Cooking Method
  Make sure you make your list of sides, keeping cooking methods in mind. If all your side dishes need to be cooked in the oven, you might run into a few issues not having enough time.

  So, choose some sides you can make ahead of time and either freeze or refrigerate for a couple of days, some sides that don’t require cooking at all (like green salads, for instance), some that can be cooked on the stove, and some that will need the oven. Don’t forget about some fun bite-sized Thanksgiving appetizers, either.

• 2. Dietary Restrictions
  Double confirm if any of your guests have food allergies or special dietary restrictions. While you don’t have to plan an entire menu around one person, making sure there’s at least a couple of dishes everyone can enjoy is a nice thing to do.

  Not to mention it’s no fun to make a trip to an emergency room on Thanksgiving day because someone forgot to mention their shellfish allergy.

• 3. Number of Side Dishes and Servings
  Just like choosing the size of your turkey is crucial for successful Thanksgiving, selecting the right number of side dishes to put on the table as well as the number of serving for each of them is just as important.

  To make this process easier, we got another helpful chart ready for you.

9 Days Until the Thanksgiving Day

You have finalized the menu by now, so let’s check if you have everything to execute it without any last-minute surprises.

1. Check all your kitchen appliances

Make sure your meat thermometer still works and your food processor is in good shape.
Sharpen the knives and check if your oven is functioning correctly.

2. Match your menu to serving dishes.

It’s a good idea to match each recipe to its serving dish. That way, you won’t have a last-minute panic attack when you run out of bowls to serve mashed potatoes or green bean casserole.

Don’t forget about trays for serving your appetizers or desserts.

8 Days Until the Thanksgiving Day: Shopping Lists

Yes, shopping lists, as in two grocery shopping lists. It’s best to either make two trips to the grocery store or order your groceries online.

Grocery Shopping List #1 - Non-Perishable Items and Drinks

• Turkey!
  
• Dry, jarred, and canned goods
  
• Aluminum foil, parchment paper, plastic wrap, extra food storage containers, etc.
  
• Non-alcoholic drinks, mixers, wine, and liquor

Grocery Shopping List #2 - Perishable Items

The second list should include all fresh produce and perishable items.

After your first round of shopping is done, recheck your second list and add whatever items you might have forgotten to pick up.

7 Days Until the Thanksgiving Day

1st Round of Shopping: follow your first shopping list and do your first round of Thanksgiving shopping.

6 Days Until the Thanksgiving Day

Plan Thawing your Turkey: most of us will opt for a frozen turkey, so you must give it enough time to thaw.

Don’t underestimate the amount of time needed to thaw the bird properly. Unless your turkey is closer to a big chicken in size, you should start thawing it now.

If you have any questions about how to thaw a frozen turkey for Thanksgiving, this this article will answer all of them.

5 Days Until the Thanksgiving Day

Start Cooking: You can save yourself a lot of trouble and start making some of your Thanksgiving menu items now.

Check everything that can be made ahead of time and frozen, and get to it.

You can easily prepare your:

• Dinner Rolls
  
• Pie Crusts
  
• Sweet Potato Casserole (just leave off the topping), stuffing (assemble and freeze, don’t bake before the day), etc.
  
• Cranberry Sauce

4 Days Until the Thanksgiving Day

2nd Round of Shopping: now it’s time to stock up on all the fresh produce and see if you have forgotten to pick up anything on your first trip.

You’re all set for this week!

Mastering the Thanksgiving Week

The week of Thanksgiving is your final stretch to a perfect holiday feast. With a little preparation, you can sail through the week stress-free.

1. Restock and Refresh:Take Monday or Tuesday to do a final grocery run and check expiration dates on pantry staples.
   
2. Thaw That Turkey: Monday is your absolute deadline to start thawing your turkey. Use the cold water method at this point.
   
3. Prep Ahead: Get a head start on your stuffing by prepping bread, chopping veggies, and toasting nuts. Measure out dry ingredients as well.
   
4. Kitchen Check-In: Gather all necessary cookware and serving dishes. Ensure you have everything to bring your menu to life.
   
5. Fresh and Frozen: Transfer frozen pie crusts, dinner rolls, or other items to the refrigerator.
   
6. Clean and Conquer: Give your home a good cleaning to welcome guests.

Remember, a clean kitchen and organized pantry are your secret weapons for a smooth Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Eve Essentials

Thanksgiving Eve is all about maximizing your time for the big day. Here's how to make the most of it:

1. Bake and Assemble: If possible, bake your pies and casseroles. This will save you valuable oven space on Thanksgiving.
   
2. Prep Your Produce: Sauté and blanch vegetables to streamline tomorrow's cooking process.
   
3. Get Ahead: Transfer dishes that don't require reheating to serving plates and cover with foil.
   
4. Brine Time: Begin brining your turkey if you haven't already.
   
5. Set the Stage: Create a festive atmosphere by setting your dinner table.

With these steps, you'll wake up on Thanksgiving feeling prepared and relaxed.

Thanksgiving Day: The Final Countdown

With the bulk of the prep work complete, Thanksgiving Day is about execution and enjoyment. Here's a timeline to guide you:

1. Morning Prep: Start by prepping your potatoes for later boiling or roasting. Ensure all drinks are chilled and ice is ready.
   
2. Turkey Time: Begin roasting your turkey 4-5 hours before dinner. This allows ample cooking time and resting before carving.
   
3. Early Afternoon: Plate appetizers and room temperature dishes for easy serving.
   
4. Hour Before Dinner: Reheat and plate remaining dishes. If using turkey drippings, now is the time to make gravy.
   
5. Feast Time: Your turkey should be ready to carve about an hour before dinner.

Enjoy your well-deserved Thanksgiving feast!