In charge of the big Thanksgiving feast this year? With a little organization, you’ll be able to put on a dinner that will dazzle, but still leave you with enough energy to enjoy the day. Here are a few things I do each year to prepare for the big feast.

Finalize the guest list.
• At least 2 weeks prior, I find out how many people I am cooking for—especially the number of children versus adults.

Plan the menu.
• I browse magazines and cookbooks in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. They provide great inspiration and I usually end up with a few new tips or recipes.
• I always ask my guests if there is anything they would like me to include on the menu.  Everyone has traditions and Thanksgiving favorites, and I love finding out what those are.  This can be a great help in the planning process, and your guests – especially those that are away from family and possibly breaking their own tradition for the first time – will appreciate the gesture.
• Balance the menu with easy and challenging recipes…and err on the side of easy. Yes, it’s a once-a-year, pull-out-all-the-stops feast, but don’t go too crazy with complicated recipes you’ve never made before.  It’s fun to try one or two new things, but given the sheer amount of food that needs to be prepared, old standbys save time and stress.
• If a guest offers to bring something, take her up on it. You’ll need all the help you can get.

Go shopping!
• If you’re planning to use a frozen turkey, make sure to buy it ahead of time. Unless you have a tiny turkey, you’ll need at least 2 to 3 days for thawing. If you plan on brining your own turkey, you will need to take this into account as well.  I just buy pre-brined, frozen turkeys to keep it simple (think Butterball).
• When buying a turkey, plan for 1½ pounds per person.
• Buy as many of your ingredients one week prior to Thanksgiving as you can. This helps alleviate last-minute shopping stress.  I do a quick trip to the market one or two days before Thanksgiving for fresh veggies and other perishables.

Make a schedule for Thanksgiving Eve & Day
This is the one thing I do each year that SAVES me. Without my little post-it note schedule, I’d be in trouble!
• I make a list of everything I’m planning on cooking and how long each item takes to prep and cook.
• I determine what can be made the day before and then cook those items on Wednesday.
• Next, I write out a detailed schedule…minute-by-minute…of Thanksgiving Day.  This is KEY, especially when working with one oven/stove. 
• Once I have the schedule set, I write it out on post-it notes and attach those to the wall above my oven. 
• As I cook, I write down what time items go into the oven, if it deviates from the schedule. This scheduling process is the key to my Thanksgiving success!

Have fun!
This is the most important tip of all. If you’re not having fun and enjoying yourself, what’s the point?  Happy Thanksgiving!

Jane Maynard is a wife, mom, blogger and graphic designer  living in the Bay Area. A busy mama who loves good food and simplicity, Jane shares weekly meal planning ideas and other yummy inspiration on her food blog, This Week for Dinner.