Cindy Rushton

Tag: Holidays

  • Avoiding Thanksgiving Stress

    Are you getting stressed just thinking about the Holiday season approaching? There are quite a few reasons why Thanksgiving may give us the jitters. From the stress caused by having to plan a 3-course meal for 20+ people to being questioned again by your aunt when you will start having kids or why you’ve gained 10 lbs. Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to reduce this kind of holiday stress.

    Plan as much ahead of time as you can.
    From getting an early head count to planning the menu well in advance, you’ll feel much better knowing that you have at least one part of the day under control.

    Lists are your best bet to avoid getting stressed out. Keep a master list of everything you need to do, along with smaller daily to-do lists and of course grocery lists. And then of course there’s the “Honey Do” list, which brings us to…

    Ask for help.
    Get your family to help clean and get ready for the big day. They can run errands for you, help set the table, decorate and cook along side with you.

    Ask every guest to bring a single dish. With everyone chipping in it will quickly add up. Ask those family members and friends who are “culinary challenged”, to bring some chips, drinks, or even napkins and paper plates.

    And, get them to help clean up afterwards.
    No one expects you to handle everything on your own. If you try and feel frazzled, they’ll feel uncomfortable and won’t enjoy the day as much.

    Are you worried about getting drilled about the same questions?
    Practice in advance how you’ll answer those questions. If you know you’ll get questions about weight gain or your husband’s lost job, prepare yourself in advance with answers.

    Practice your answers to some of the questions you’ll be getting. If you can repeat the answers out loud enough before the event, you’ll feel more confident answering them when the time comes.

    If you still feel uneasy about the event, tackle it with a friend or hang out with a like-minded family member. Or have a secret signal with your husband for “help” so he knows to come rescue you.

  • Planning the Family Thanksgiving Meal the EASY WAY!

    The family unanimously decided that you are in charge of the Thanksgiving meal this year. Can you pull it off? Yes, with a little bit of planning ahead of time, you can throw a great family Thanksgiving get together without stressing or staying busy for weeks. The key is advanced planning

    Step 1: Make A Guest List.
    It’s next to impossible to determine how much food to buy and cook without knowing how many mouths you will be feeding. Contact friends and family early and request they RSVP by a certain date. Follow up with them in the weeks before Thanksgiving to make sure you know who is and isn’t coming. Plan for at least 2 extra guests – more if you are entertaining a larger crowd.

    Step 2: Plan the Meal
    Once you know how many guests you’ll have, then the fun begins. You get to dream about food. Of course, there are the old standbys like ham and turkey that you will probably be preparing, but there’s so much more to a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.

    First, contact family members to find out what they can each bring. That will help you to adjust your menu plan accordingly. Take note of everyone willing to bring a dish – even if they aren’t sure yet what to bring.

    Make a list of Appetizers, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Breads, Salads, Soups, and Desserts. What would be your favorite Thanksgiving meal of all time?

    Do you have anyone with special dietary requirements? Perhaps your Uncle Stan is diabetic or Aunt Sally is allergic to peanuts. Be sure to keep their needs in mind while you’re planning. Try to offer some lighter, lower calorie alternatives to balance out some of the “heavier” traditional dishes.

    Step 3: The Master Plan

    Once you determine what you’ll be serving, it’s time to break it down into manageable tasks.

    Contact the people who didn’t know what they wanted to bring and assign them a dish. If you’re short on desserts, ask them to bring one. If you dread making mashed potatoes, see if they wouldn’t mind bringing them. Anything you can’t delegate will be up to you to make of course.

    Now, you know what everyone else is bringing, you can make a grocery list and a timeline of the items you’ll be cooking.

    Take a little time and sit down to make your grocery list. Keep recipes handy so you know exactly what you need. Don’t forget some of the spices you only use a few times a year (like sage). What tools (like a disposable roasting pan) are you going to need to prepare the meal? Don’t forget to stock up on extra napkins and paper towels. If you are planning on using disposable table clothes, plates etc. make a list of those items as well.

    Get as much done as early as possible.
    Did you know you could even freeze some mashed potato recipes weeks in advance? It’s true! Get started early on the shopping of non-perishable items for the party. Cross items off of your master shopping list as you get them.

     

     

    Need more encouragement? Need some practical how-to’s? Grab Cindy’s books and audios for HALF OFF! Just use the coupon code: ALLTHINGSNEW