Review your menu. Write down the dishes you’re planning to make and check the recipes you’ll use. That way, you can prepare a detailed shopping list. You might want to organize the list according to items that can be bought ahead of time and those that are better purchased a few days in advance.
Clear out the fridge. You don’t want to waste time figuring out where to put ready-made dishes when the refrigerator is already stuffed. So, plan to use up what you have or toss those aluminum-foil mystery packages and the nearly empty bottles of jelly and mayo. If you still think you’ll be tight on space, pull out your cooler. You’ll be able to use it to store some perishable items or drinks the day before and on the day of the big meal.
Start your shopping. Focus on nonperishable items, like canned pie fillings, spices, and bread crumbs, and ingredients for make-ahead dishes, such as the cranberries for cranberry sauce or vegetables for soup. Apples, citrus fruit, beets, onions, potatoes, parsnips, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, garlic, and celery will also keep. Assuming you have the freezer space, pick up a frozen turkey now, but wait if you’re purchasing fresh poultry.
Cook a few dishes in advance. Soups, cranberry sauce, pie dough, dinner rolls, cookies, quick breads, and cornbread are just a few of the holiday standards that freeze well. For soups, add cooked pasta, rice, or other grains just before serving to avoid sogginess. Don’t stir in milk or cream until dinnertime; if you freeze them, they’ll separate and curdle.
Dining and Cooking