How to Avoid last Minute Thanksgiving Grocery Shopping
This year you have been elected to host the Thanksgiving celebration. In many families, this is a cherished honor and not taken lightly. For some, it is an event that causes panic and stress over creating a meal and celebration that everyone present will enjoy.
- Plan. In order to have a successful holiday get together, it is vital to plan ahead. It may seem impossible to plan for things that have not happened yet, but it is possible to anticipate what you will need to prepare your meal. Do as much shopping as you can, a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. Make a list of every ingredient you will need, taking in account the possibility of using some of the items before Thanksgiving (milk, eggs, bread, etc.).
Sometimes all of the strategic planning in the world does not happen to cover everything. You can have all the major components for the dishes you are making, but lack something small like ground black pepper or basil. Small oversights like this can happen to the best of holiday cooks.
What to do when planning ahead failed:
- Improvise. Instead of making a mad dash to the grocery store, look around your kitchen. See what you have that will work as a replacement for the item(s) you are missing. You never know, this one simple mishap could lead to the creation of a new Thanksgiving favorite! If you are unsure how to proceed, or what to use as substitutions, then ask one of your friends/relatives for some suggestions.
- Call in a favor. If you are having guests over, then simply ask if you can borrow the item(s). Chances are good that one of the people coming to your celebration will have the items you need, sitting in their pantry. If no one on your guest list has what you need, try phoning a neighbor. Note: do not worry about being embarrassed for having to ask for last minute help, everyone knows that preparing a special holiday meal can be stressful and it is easy to forget things.
- Ask people to bring a dish. This can help distribute the meal preparation and take some of the stress off you! It might sound sort of tacky, but let them make the last minute race to the grocery store! All joking aside, it is a common practice in some families, for each guest to bring a dish. This can truly make the meal a family effort. This can work in small but important ways such as asking someone to bring a couple of cans of peas or a box of instant mashed potatoes. Sometimes these small items can actually save the day.
All of the careful planning in the world sometimes cannot overcome the obstacles of daily life. You can shop for your holiday meal ingredients early, with list in hand, and still end up missing some small item. Instead of having a panic-induced meltdown, take a deep breath and start making phone calls or asking people present for advice.
