Does the thought of holiday meal prep make you anxious?

The next few weeks will be filled with fun, family and friend gatherings, and hopefully some delicious REAL food.  But it can also bring a fair share of stress, especially when it comes to preparing meals.  From coming up with recipe ideas to planning the logistics to accommodating different dietary needs, holiday cooking can feel overwhelming.

We want to help you reduce this stress and spend more time enjoying the celebrations.  By utilizing these meal prep strategies, you can make your holiday cooking a breeze (or at least a lot less stressful than it otherwise would be).

HAVE A PLAN

Having a plan is a magical thing.  And it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.  For the big meals (like Thanksgiving and Christmas), it’s helpful to think through the logistics ahead of time.  After all, there is only so much room available in your oven and on the stovetop.  Keep reading for more strategies on how efficiently navigate your kitchen for holiday meals.

Thinking about variety is also helpful.  Instead of ending up with three different potato dishes, try to get a variety of dishes using in-season ingredients.  And make sure there is plenty of color (including green!), and not just different shades of beige!

Don’t forget about nutritious and delicious breakfasts, snacks and sweet treats.  Many of these can be prepared ahead of time – and so many of them freeze great.  That way, you’re not stuck with all those sugar-loaded temptations as your only options.

If it helps, consider picking a theme for some of the gatherings.  Maybe a “Warm Winter’s Night” theme for one of your gatherings where you can serve soups and other comforting and cozy dishes.  Or a “Farm to Table Feast” where you can encourage people to prepare or bring dishes using their favorite in-season ingredients.

EMBRACE BATCH COOKING

There are so many things you can make ahead of time, before the holiday chaos starts.  Some examples include:

• Meats like the Seasoned Slow Cooker Chicken or the Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.  You can make a few batches of these ahead of time, and then portion them up and keep some in the fridge and some in the freezer.  These are ideal to incorporate into a variety of meals like the Loaded Chicken Salad Sandwich, the Mulligatawny Soup, or the Island Pork Salad.
• You can also make a big batch of most soups and freeze them.  There are so many ideas including the Italian Turkey Burger Soup and the Slow Cooker Mexican Chili.
• Nuts like the Spiced Mixed Nuts or the Birdseed Snack Mix.  Double or triple the recipe and keep them in your pantry or in the fridge.  They are perfect to add to salads, as a topping for yogurt parfaits or pancakes, or to enjoy as a healthy snack.  They are also excellent as a topping for dishes like the Very Berry Smoothie Bowl.
• Homemade granola like the Pumpkin Spice Granola or the Banana Dark Chocolate Granola.  Like nuts, granola will last a few weeks in your pantry and are a versatile way to feed the troops.
• For those situations when you are feeding guests for a few days, put the oven to work to batch cook some roasted veggies.  Using the “GO-TO” seasoning is a great way to season them, making them an easy addition to a variety of meals.  While you’re at it, roast a big batch of chickpeas.  With a big batch of roasted veggies and chickpeas, you are ready to incorporate them into salads, Buddha bowls, breakfast burritos, stir fries, and so much more!
• Grains like farro, rice, quinoa, or barley.  Batch-cooking whole grains and freezing them is a fantastic way to save time and add nutritious, versatile ingredients to your meals the next few weeks.  If you want a little extra flavor, cook the grains in low sodium broth instead of water.  Be careful not to overcook them since they will get a second heat-up later.  Once they cool, portion them into freezer-friendly containers or resealable bags – 1 to 2 cups portions work well.  Then, it is so easy to thaw them and incorporate them into all kinds of dishes!

SLOW COOKER SUCCESS

Using the slow cooker during the holiday season can be a lifesaver!  Not only does it free up precious oven and stovetop space, but it also lets you prepare cozy, delicious dishes with minimal effort.  In addition to making a big batch of chicken or pork, you can enlist your slow cooker as your sous-chef:

• Add your ingredients in the morning and let the slow cooker do its magic with meals like the Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup Bar, Slow Cooker Curried Butternut Chili, Slow Cooker Sweet and Savory Beef and Vegetables, and so many other ideas.
• Free up oven and stove space for your big meals with ideas like the Slow Cooker Green Bean Goodness and the Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions.
• If you are making a soup or a sauce or something you want to keep warm for an hour or two, the slow cooker is an ideal solution.  Even if you are taking something to a gathering, you can prepare it and then transfer it to the slow cooker to keep it warm.  Think about recipes like the Fire-Roasted Sloppy Joes or the Spicy Peanut Sweet Potato Soup.

MAKE IT AHEAD OF TIME

Dishes that taste better with time are a beautiful thing during the holidays.  And there are so many breakfasts and sweet treats you can prepare ahead of time.  Just a few ideas include:

• Recipes you can make the day before your holiday meal can include things like the Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce, the Christmas Cranberry Salsa, the Christmas Quinoa Salad, the Kale Waldorf Salad, and the Cranberry Apple Sausage Dressing (just to name a few).
• Overnight oats are a perfect way to enjoy a leisurely breakfast with your loved ones.  With a few minutes of prep before you go to bed, you can wake up to a delicious breakfast – just take it out of the fridge, brew a pot of coffee, and indulge.  The Black Forest Overnight Oats are an Eat REAL America member favorite, and the Pumpkin Tiramisu Overnight Oats have a great holiday vibe.
• Muffins, cookies and sweet treats can easily be made ahead of time.  You can even freeze some or all of them, and then transfer them to the fridge when you are ready to enjoy them.  Just a few fantastic choices include the Baked Oatmeal Cups, breakfast cookies including the Chunky Monkey, Chocolate Bliss, and the Pumpkin Pecan Breakfast Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut Butter Cup Power Balls, Smarty Pants Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, Harvest Pumpkin Bars, and Chocolate Chip Pecan Blondies.  You will be a planning superstar with your family!

TRANSFORM THE PLANNED-OVERS

Holiday meals almost always produce leftovers – think beyond the typical turkey sandwich!  We encourage you to call them planned-overs because there are so many creative ways you can transform them into completely new and absolutely delicious meals.  Here are just a few ideas to get your juices flowing:

• Thanksgiving Planned Over Pizza
• Turkey Curry Salad with Apples, Cranberries & Walnuts on Pita
• Cranberry BBQ Turkey Taquitos
• Turkey Bolognese
• Turkey Pho
• Smoky and Sweet Turkey Chili
• Turkey and Spinach Curry

A couple more simple tips:

• Enlist family members to help you!  Get the kids in the kitchen, play your favorite holiday music, and make it fun.  You are creating memories and teaching valuable life skills!
• Clean dishes as you go!  Consider creating a family rule that those who help prepare the meal are exempt from cleanup.  You might get a lot more help this way!

There you have it!

Embrace these tips and remember, don’t stress about perfection!  The goal isn’t to be the next Julia Child – it’s to survive the madness, enjoy some delicious food and stay healthy.  Keep in mind, the best memories are made in the kitchen and around the table!