Thanksgiving means food, family and fun - and lots of prep. Our tips will help you pull it off like a pro from start to finish.
Hosting Thanksgiving dinner for your household, or the entire family, calls for planning. From roast turkey to side dishes, dessert and a fully set table, there's no time to waste.
But you've got this - even if it gets down to the wire. With these shortcuts, tips, and hacks, you can pull off a feast with plenty of style and less stress.
1. Edit your Thanksgiving menu
Thanksgiving is about tradition, but it doesn't need to be all or nothing. To make sure the meal feels satisfying, focus on a few homemade favourites and streamline your meal prep to get out of the kitchen and spend time with family.
Want to lighten your workload? Ask Mom to prepare the stuffing or get your aunt to bring her famous pumpkin pie - most people will happily contribute to the big family feast. As the host, focus on the large menu items.
Our Meat Dept.'s Fresh Stuffed Roast Turkey (bacon-wrapped) creates a dramatic presentation, while this recipe for Ultimate Roast Turkey is a great way to cook any of our available unstuffed birds.
2. Explore your roasting options
Want to try something new this year? Roast a juicy Sterling Silver® Top Sirloin Roast with grainy mustard and herbes de Provence. Ready in under two hours, it has the presentation and taste you want for a big holiday meal, and leaves oven time for some serious side-dish action.
Feel more comfortable grilling meats? Try our Maple Plank Pork Tenderloin with Honey Dijon with Nagano Pork. It frees up the oven for other dishes - because it's ready in under an hour.
Tip: Our handy Roasting Guide makes it easy to tackle any big roast, for any size crowd.
3. Mix in ready-made and quick-fix options
It's a pleasure to cook for the people you love. But wouldn't you rather spend your time visiting with them? Ready-made items free up your time and help you stay out of the kitchen.
Pull-apart dinner rolls
Our Garlic Parmesan Cheese Pull Apart Rolls are ready in the bakery (available frozen in the Bakery Dept.) when you are. Bake ahead of time and warm them up as you're getting ready to serve dinner.
Simple Thanksgiving appetizer
Simply serve a smooth, heat-and-eat soup such as small-batch made Panache Autumn Harvest Butternut Squash Soup or Compliments Organic Potato Coconut Curry Soup. Swirl in tangy yogurt and sprinkle with fresh herbs, or top with crisp croutons for an elegant finish.
Ready-made Thanksgiving desserts
Our Canadian-prepared Compliments pies, made with apples and real pumpkin, are here to help. Serve à la mode with ice cream or with a dollop of whipped cream.
4. Think scratch-ish
With a few store-bought ingredients and a simple recipe, you can put together almost-homemade snacks everyone will love.
Try it! Our Creamy Red Pepper Spread, made with a jar of roasted red peppers, a brick of cream cheese and a few spoonfuls of red pepper jelly, is ready in 10 minutes and serves 16. It's a delicious option for last-minute entertaining.
5. Grab a tray
If you’re tackling both the turkey and your uncle Bob’s bad jokes, you’ve got enough on your plate. Why not leave the snacks to us?
Everyone loves to graze, and entertaining trays are the best way to satisfy a crowd without any prep or fuss. Just call or visit your local Safeway store to order exactly what you want: Choose from hot and cold appetizers, deli meats, cheeses, veggies, fruit, and desserts.
