Thanksgiving is a marathon, and nobody wins by cooking every single dish from scratch. Even our editors pick their battles, leaning on make-ahead gravy, store-bought apps, and a little potluck energy to keep the day joyful instead of draining. These are the shortcuts that make the feast feel doable—and still completely delicious.
Keep It Tight
“This is more a tip than a task: You do not have to make tons of dishes. It’s easier to make bigger servings of fewer dishes than a similar amount of food spread across a higher number of dishes. It’s easier to shop, it’s easier to cook, and it’s easier to serve when you keep your menu tight. Thanksgiving dinner can be great with a relatively modest number of recipes: the turkey and gravy, the stuffing, a vegetable side, and maybe some kind of sweet potato dish (that’s just one example, it doesn’t have to be exactly that). Add a dish of cranberry sauce on the side and you’re done, and everyone will be happy and well fed.” —Daniel Gritzer, editorial director
Buy the Apps and Desserts
“There is nothing wrong with store-bought apps and desserts to keep you calm on turkey day. A nice cheese board, maybe some cured meats or spreads like pimento cheese dip or baba ghanoush are bites you can buy and serve before the meal, with pies from a bakery after. That way, all you’re cooking is the dinner.” —Daniel Gritzer, editorial director
Freeze the Dinner Rolls
“I’ll admit, this isn’t exactly a shortcut—it’s more of stress-reducing maneuver for a make-everything-from-scratch kind of lady like me. I’m making Jed Portman’s cloverleaf rolls this year, but instead of cramming them into my Thanksgiving baking lineup, I’m baking and freezing them the two weekends before. The trick works just as well for bakery or store-bought rolls too—buy them early, skip the pre-holiday bakery chaos, and freeze until the big day. Then the day of, I reheat them in the air fryer so they come out soft and golden without stealing precious oven real estate.” —Leah Colins, senior culinary editor
Multi-Cooker Mashed Potatoes
“To keep your stovetop from getting overcrowded on turkey day, I recommend boiling your potatoes in a multi-cooker like an Instant Pot. You can strain them and then mash ’em right in the pot, then switch the cooker over to “warm” mode until it’s time to eat. You don’t have to worry about a pot boiling over on a busy stove while you’re occupied with other dishes, and it gives you one less thing to worry about keeping hot for dinner.” —Ashlee Redger, writer
Box Stuffing
“Look, I’ve made our classic sage and sausage stuffing, and it’s fantastic—but most of my tradition-minded family sighed wistfully at the absence of a simple pot of the boxed stuff. So boxed stuffing it is! One less from-scratch dish for me to make anyways. I do ‘up the ante’ as much as I can by sautéing a mirepoix in butter before adding the mix, and I replace water with chicken stock for extra oomph. –Grace Kelly, senior editor
Outsource to Friends and Family
“Only once in my life have I made the entire Thanksgiving dinner, and it was my grumpiest holiday ever. It’s so much better when you do a potluck and let people bring what they want. This attitude has gotten me Thanksgiving meals with five different versions of guacamole and a wonderful chocolate-orange tart with zero pumpkin, pecan, or apple pies, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” —Megan O. Steintrager, associate editorial director
Make-Ahead Pie Dough
“I make and freeze all my pie doughs in their tins ahead of time, so all I have to do is fill and bake the day before the big day. No need to stress about oven space on Thanksgiving day!” —Genevieve Yam, senior editor
Cook a Chicken
“This one doesn’t translate if you’re hosting a big crowd. But on years when my Thanksgiving guest list is small, I skip the giant turkey and just roast a chicken. It thaws and cooks quicker, and doesn’t take up nearly as much space in the fridge or the oven. Plus, it’s easier to carve!” —Rochelle Bilow, editor
Make-Ahead Gravy
“I always make my gravy ahead. It turns out deeper and more savory when I’m not rushing it, and the finished gravy holds beautifully—stashed in the fridge for a few days or frozen for later. A turkey just doesn’t produce enough drippings to make gravy for a crowd. And once the kitchen hits full Thanksgiving chaos, having it done ahead is one less thing to worry about. On the day of, I just warm it gently and loosen it with a splash of stock.” —Laila Ibrahim, associate food editor
