The Thanksgiving meal is the one meal of the year that you usually know what to expect and what you will be eating. Different areas of the United States have different thanksgiving traditions, plus family have their traditional dishes that must be prepared. Honor your family traditions and make the traditional foods expected. Then add a new dish that you would like to introduce. The Thanksgiving dinner is a simple meal to prepare. All it takes to pull it off is some advance planning. The best advice is to write down everything you'll do and then prioritize.

Write out the menu and a shopping list (read over each recipe and make your grocery list). 

Write out a cooking schedule and timetable. Indicate the dishes you can make ahead, those that can be frozen, and those that must be cooked at the last minute.

Read more tips at What's Cooking America

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Download the special Fork Report Thanksgiving Planning Guide here View Document