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5 Ideas to Destress Your Busy Thanksgiving Schedule

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and food. But it can also be a very busy time. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the things you need to do before Thursday, don’t worry. We’ve got five ideas to help you destress your schedule. So relax and enjoy the holiday!

Ways to Free Up Time for the Thanksgiving Meal

When you are running low on time during the Thanksgiving season, it is good to look for meals that are quick and easy to prepare.

Copyright: Image by StockUnlimited

These foods are not going to take too much time, but are perfect for the holidays. Additionally, they all work for anyone living a whole-foods lifestyle.

Cook Your Turkey in a Slow Cooker or Roaster

If you are trying to prepare an actual Thanksgiving feast without a lot of time, consider cooking your turkey in a slow cooker. There are large slow cookers that will fit a medium-sized turkey just fine. Just make sure you have the sizes right.

Alternatively, you can get a large electric roaster that will fit almost any size turkey. Beyond saving you time, you also save oven space! We purchased one a few years ago and have never gone back to cooking a turkey in the oven.

Another option is to smoke your turkey.

The PitBarrel Cooker (regular or junior) can help you do just that. No fighting for oven space. Cook over charcoal with or without adding wood chips for flavor.

Check out the options at Pit Barrel Cooker.

We have the PBC Junior with a turkey hanger and are looking forward to using it this year.

The turkey is the main component of Thanksgiving. Luckily something you can enjoy even when you are on the most diets (gluten-free, paleo, whole foods).

Using a slow cooker, roaster, or a smoker outside allows the turkey to cook without needing to be checked all day. Plus, it saves you more room in the oven for other dishes.

Try Simple Vegetable Side Dishes

Whether you are making side dishes for Thanksgiving dinner without a lot of time, or you are simply feeding your family during this busy holiday season, vegetable side dishes don’t have to be complicated.

Brussels sprouts are a great option.

They are not difficult to make, are in season during the fall, and can be really delicious with just a few added ingredients.

Gorgeous Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Garlic

My family has enjoyed Bacon Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze in the past.

However, you can change things up by sauteing them with olive oil, seasonings, and cloves. This makes them nice and flavorful, but not difficult to make.

Add some chopped nuts and dried cranberries to the top of the brussels sprouts.

Another favorite is Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables.

This mixture of beets, carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes packs a serious nutritional punch while tasting great.

Roasted Root Vegetables, beets, carrots

Make Some Fall Soup

During this busy time of year, soup is the perfect dinner option.

For the most part, everything is put into one pot, so you aren’t spending a lot of time prepping, stirring, mixing, and baking just to make one dinner.

Soup is light and healthy, and easy to make when you are on a whole foods diet.

A good soup for this time of year is butternut squash apple soup. It is not difficult to make with diced butternut squash, apples that are peeled and diced, chicken stock, onions, and seasonings.

TAKE CHARGE OF MEALTIME

Weekly Meal Planner

Meal planning can be a daunting task, but with the Weekly Meal Planner, it’s a breeze!

It comes with a list of meal ideas to help you plan breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week ahead. Plus, there’s space to write down your shopping list, so you can make sure you have everything you need.

The planner is the perfect way to make meal planning easy and fun!

Simplify the Dessert

For dessert, you don’t have to spend a lot of time trying to make a mock pumpkin pie or an apple pie that is approved for the whole foods diet.

You can use apples and sweet potatoes to make a simple Thanksgiving dessert that won’t take you a lot of time.

This dessert just asks for sliced apples, sliced sweet potatoes, cinnamon, salt, water, and ghee or coconut oil. It is very quick and easy to prepare.

Using these simple ideas will help you find time to enjoy the day instead of experiencing stress.

• To save time, cook your turkey in a slow cooker, electric roaster, or smoker.
• Try simple vegetable side dishes like sauteed Brussels sprouts or oven-roasted root vegetables.
• For an easy fall soup, try butternut squash apple soup.
• For dessert, use apples and sweet potatoes to make a quick cinnamon dish.

What are some ways you simplify your meal prep during the busy holiday season?

Want some help prepping for Thanksgiving dinner?

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More Thanksgiving Themed Posts at Day by Day in Our World

5 Different Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Crafts to Make This Year
12 Tasty Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes to Try
Creamy Pumpkin Mousse with Maple Whipped Cream
Challenge Your Family to Express Gratitude This Year
Thanksgiving Movies to Enjoy Now
12 Delicious Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas

original publication date: November 19, 2016

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