Like I mentioned recently in Stress-Free Picture Book Thanksgiving Dinner Help, Thanksgiving’s by far my favorite holiday! All that’s expected is a good meal and getting together with family and friends. Not much more to be thankful about than that.

Of course, if you’re the one putting that uniquely traditional dinner together and are not comfortable in the kitchen, the challenge of pulling it off successfully can be overwhelming. I’ve sure been there, and relieving that stress is what this post and others like it are all about.

The two most important keys to putting together a successful and stress-free Thanksgiving dinner are planning and timing. That means making sure you have all the ingredients you need in advance (stores are usually – and thankfully – closed on Thanksgiving Day) and coordinating cooking timing in the kitchen.

To help you get the ingredients you need as efficiently as possible, click this link or the picture below for a grocery shopping list to make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 6-8 people that includes roast turkey, gravy, bread stuffing, fresh cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and pie dessert. Of course, just adjust those quantities as needed based on how many people you expect to join you for Thanksgiving dinner.

And, though though it’s a little early to start actually preparing any Thanksgiving dishes, click this link or the picture below for a timing guide that lays out clearly just about everything you’ll need to do to put together a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

More about specific Thanksgiving recipes to follow that we’ll have fun putting together!