3 Easy Steps to Begin Planning a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

OK, it’s the first week of November.
Less than a month ’till Thanksgiving Day.
Time to start planning.

There’s no need to be overwhelmed by hosting Thanksgiving Dinner. We’re here to help you with your Thanksgiving dinner planning and organizing to take a lot of the stress off and make your holiday more enjoyable for you and your family and friends. Here’s 3 Easy Steps to Begin Planning a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu to help you on your way this holiday!

Thanksgiving Dinner is a celebration of family and friends. We’ve made it through lots of unexpected circumstances – power outages, fire alarms, raw turkey, last minute guests, forgotten cranberry sauce and so many more that we can now just laugh about.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be posting some tips on planning a wonderful, scrumptious traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration.

 

1. First Step To Planning a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

First, sit down with pen and paper and give some thought to your basic Thanksgiving dinner menu.

Turkey with all the trimmings, of course!

Thanksgiving Appetizers

Cheese and Crackers
Fig preserves
Vegetable Crudite with Dip
Chips/Pretzels and Dips
Nuts

Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Turkey
Gravy
Dinner Rolls (made from scratch or store-bought)

 

 

Serve Your Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Stuffing
Vegetables:
1 green, 1 orange
Potatoes
Cranberry sauce (homemade, canned, whole berries or jelly)
Olives
Pickles

Traditional Thanksgiving Desserts

Lots of desserts!

Homemade? Or ordered from the Market?

Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, and Pecan Pie!
Butter Cookies
Cheese and Fresh Fruit
Chocolate After Dinner Mints

Don’t get bogged down in the details yet, just write down your first thoughts.

 

2. Who’s Coming to Thanksgiving Dinner?

Next,
Who’s coming to dinner?
Who’s coming by after dinner for dessert?

Get your guest list together and send out your invitations so you can confirm your guest list.

One year we had a vegan guest come at the last minute. We didn’t have time to adjust the menu for him. Luckily we had lots of different vegetable dishes, and lots of pie that he thoroughly enjoyed.

Special Thanksgiving Menu Considerations

Then, any special food considerations?
Any vegan, gluten-free preferences or any other special diet concerns?
Family favorites and must-haves? And must nots!

 

3. Getting Ready For Setting The Thanksgiving Table

Now, setting the Thanksgiving table…or in our house, tables…

Check that your favorite Thanksgiving tableware is at hand.

Every Family Has Favorite Thanksgiving Tableware

Check linen: Thanksgiving tablecloths and napkins.
Polish the silverware.
Check the wine glasses and water glasses,
Coffee Cups or Mugs, Creamer and Sugar Bowl,
Dessert Plates.

Designate your elegant serving bowls, serving utensils and platters.

(Yes, we’re talking about the special turkey platter!)

Thanksgiving Dinner Tableware Ideas

Here’s  what we typically do before we begin roasting or baking anything.

We take everything that is not related to Thanksgiving out of the dining room. Then, we decide which casserole dishes, which Dutch oven and what servers will be used for the festivities, and we place them out on the table.

We put a little note on each utensil/platter combination stating its purpose.

This helps us to see what works where, and whether or not we’re short of any dishes or servingware. And there won’t be any last-minute searching for the big spoon…

Cozy Thanksgiving Table Settings

Just a few Thanksgiving Dinner tableware ideas for you to ponder. Traditional, modern, or all-white dinnerware to suit your mood and decor.

Thanksgiving Dinnerware

The warm and cozy color of autumn are reflected in these attractive table settings.

Spode Woodland Turkey 12-Piece Dinnerware SetBianca Bead Round 16 Piece Dinnerware SetNoritake Xavier Gold 5-Piece Place Setting

Thanksgiving Dinner Silverware

Thanksgiving dinner is a great time to show off your sparkling silver!

Antique Rose Point Sterling Silver Flatware Set By WallaceReed & Barton Pointed Antique Sterling Silver 4 Piece Place SettingGorham Chantilly 5-Piece Sterling Flatware Place Set

Thanksgiving Dinner Candlesticks

Elegant candlesticks set the mood for a festive Thanksgiving dinner!

Silver Plated Candlesticks, Sulgrave Manor CollectionWaterford Crystal Lismore 6-Inch Candlestick HoldersREED & BARTON Banded Bead Candlestick Holders

Thanksgiving Dinner Holiday Centerpiece

Adorn your Thanksgiving Dinner with a beautiful holiday Thanksgiving centerpiece.

Harvest Tray with Ceramic PumpkinsThomas Kinkade’s Fruit Of The Spirit Tabletop Centerpiece Thanksgiving Holiday Table Centerpiece Honeycomb Tissue

 

Check our website all month for more great tips.

Next up…making the grocery list.

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3 Easy Steps to Begin Planning a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu