Which Thanksgiving Sides You Can make ahead of time

Introduction

For Thanksgiving dinner or a holiday party, sometimes there isn’t enough room or time to prepare everything. I am sure many of you are thinking about what sides you will want to make and how you need to finish preparing them. Some sides can be cooked days before with little preparation required.

Stuffing

Stuffing can be made ahead of time and frozen for later use. You can also put it in your slow cooker, bake it in a casserole, or make it without meat or vegetables! And for those wondering about the difference between stuffing and dressing: the dressing is the southern version of stuffing that is typically made with cornbread instead of bread cubes.

Cranberry sauce

• Cranberry sauce can be made ahead of time, and it freezes well. If you don’t want to freeze it, you can make it in a crockpot.
• You can also use your pressure or slow cooker to cook the cranberries.
• Or you can make them on the stovetop in about 10 minutes!

Homemade pie dough (or premade) and pie fillings

• Homemade pie dough. This is the easiest option and one you can get started on a long time ago (the night before). Make sure to chill your dough before rolling it out, so it doesn’t shrink or become tough when baked.
• Pie fillings. You can make your jam, fruit filling, and custard ahead of time, but store them in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to use. If using pre-made store-bought pies, choose ones with foil covers! They’ll keep longer than those without coverings and will not dry out as quickly as uncovered pies do after being cut into slices at Thanksgiving dinner.

Mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple, but they can be pretty time-consuming. Thankfully, mashed potatoes freeze well and reheat perfectly in a pinch.

To make this side dish ahead of time:

• Make mashed potatoes according to your favorite recipe (or follow ours).
• Spoon the mashed potato mixture into an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the refrigerator until ready to use (up to 3 days). The night before serving:
• Remove from fridge, let sit at room temperature while preparing other sides, and then reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until warm enough to serve (about 30 minutes).

Deli/store-bought veggie trays.

If you’re pressed for time, store-bought veggie trays are a great option. It can seem like much work to make homemade dips and salads for your guests, so if you don’t have time to do it yourself, go ahead and buy one! The good news is that most stores offer pre-made veggie trays full of deliciousness for guests (and their stomachs). If the store doesn’t carry what you’re looking for, try making your dip or salad dressing with accessible ingredients like ranch dressing mix and green onions.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many sides that you can make ahead of time. Not only will these help with your Thanksgiving dinner preparation and your day of cooking, they will also serve as a great addition to your next party. So worry not, the next time company comes over or you need to prepare for a holiday dinner, you will be a master at making side dishes in advance of time.