8 Tips To Holiday Meal Planning
by Patty
Getz
Don't Stress over Holiday Meals, Plan ahead.
Stress is really about the unknown, do I have enough of....,
will I get this done in time? So some intelligent planning
ahead of time, will help to take a lot of stress out of
holiday meals. I have compiled a list of tips, and some
printables to help you in planning your holiday meals.
One of the most important things I ever learned, is my family
would rather have me on holidays, instead of having me slave
away at a holiday meal all day. I would rather spend time
with my family as well. There are lots of ways to reduce
your work load, increase your family time,and have a great
meal too.
1. have a buffet style meal- I have done
this a few different years, I cooked up and chopped up a
few different buffet type foods a day or two before,then
we put it all on a table and handed everyone paper plates
and plastic utensils. Add a tablecloth, and some decorations
to keep it festive, and Have fun!!
2. Ask Family Members to bring their favorite dish-
Many hands makes light work, ask each family member to bring
something, and depending on the amount of guests you have,
much of your work will be done for you. Don't be shy, most
people don't mind helping out, they just have no idea what
to do.
3. Plan Ahead - No matter what type of
meal you choose to have, planning well ahead of time, can
make all the difference. There are lots of parts of your
meal, that can be prepped a week or more ahead of time,
and placed in the freezer,pies, rolls, and cookies can all
be premade and frozen. A lot of items can be made the day
before. All of this will minimize your work on the big day.I
have put together some printables to help you do this, they
can be found here.
4. Get yourself a small Peechee type folder-like
the ones that students do their reports in. Put your meal
planning sheets and notes in the notebook with all the recipes
you plan to use.There is nothing worse than getting to the
holiday, and not being able to find the recipe for Grandma's
special stuffing. If you plan your meal, and collect your
recipe, a few weeks ahead of time, then you will be well
organized, and much less likely to stress.
5. shop Ahead- If you get your meal plan
and your recipes collected ahead of time, then you will
be able to shop the sales, save yourself money, and avoid
the crowds, NOW that is is a win,win proposition!
6. Prep the day before - Even if you have
to cook some items on the day the meal is served, you can
save yourself time by prepping ahead of time, items such
as onions,mushrooms,celery, olives,and sweet potatoes. Get
them all cut up, and place them in sealed containers in
the fridge and they will be all ready for the next day.
7.Keep it Simple- Everybody loves a good
meal, but dont plan more than you can honestly do. Nobody
wants a stressed out hostess, that never shows her face
out of the kitchen all day long on a holiday. So when planning
your menu, keep it realistic, balance things that can be
made ahead of time, with things you will make on the day
of the feast.
8.Don't be afraid to ask for help- if you
need help ask, nobody expects you to be superwoman, and
your whole future is not resting on this meal, or whether
you can do it all yourself. So be realistic, most people
do not mind lending a helping hand, and in fact a lot of
people love the socialization that happens when cooking
with another person.
Most of all, enjoy yourself, holidays with
family don't last forever, and should be cherished, not
stressed over.
From my Family to yours, wishing you a wonderful
and blessed holiday season.
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This Article Written by
Patty Getz is the owner, and editor, of Totally Frugal,
and Old Fashioned Families, and loves to spend her time
with family, in the kitchen, and teaching others, how to
have a more fullfilling life.
Webmaster and owner of
http://www.totallyfrugal.com
http://www.frugalcooking.com
http://www.oldfashionedfamilies.com
send comments to
mailto:totallyfrugal@totallyfrugal.com
this article may be reprinted, provided the byline and contents
are not changed in any way.
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