How to Prepare for Thanksgiving Without the Stress

Quick Summary

• Thanksgiving is the No.1 day for home cooking fires.
  
• Start your Thanksgiving prep now so you can relax and enjoy the day instead of panic-cooking.
  
• Stock up on essentials before the pre-holiday grocery store rush begins
  
• Try our Apple Berry Crisp recipe featuring freeze-dried strawberries for a dessert everyone will love

Table of Contents

1. Why Is Thanksgiving the Peak Day for Home Cooking Fires?
   
2. When Should You Start Preparing for Thanksgiving?
   
3. What Should You Stock Up On Before the Rush?
   
4. How Can Your Pantry Save Thanksgiving (And Your Sanity)?
   
5. This Apple Berry Crisp Will Steal the Show!
   
6. Your Thanksgiving Day Should Be About Family, Not Frantic Cooking
   

Why Is Thanksgiving the Peak Day for Home Cooking Fires?

Here's something most people don't know: Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, with more than three times the daily average, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Why? It's not that we suddenly forget how to cook once a year.

Well, it's because of the chaos.

You've got multiple dishes going at once—turkey in the oven, sides on the stovetop, pies cooling on the counter. Timers are beeping, kids are underfoot, relatives are chatting in the kitchen, and you're trying to time everything perfectly so it all comes out hot at the same moment.

In the middle of all that, it's easy to lose track of what's cooking, forget to turn off a burner, or accidentally leave a towel too close to an open flame.

Thanksgiving should be about gratitude, family, and that perfect slice of pie—not about scrambling through crowded stores at the last minute, panicking when you're out of a key ingredient, or feeling overwhelmed by too many moving parts.

That’s why we think Thanksgiving is one of the most important days to prepare for.

Let's walk through how to prepare for Thanksgiving in a way that reduces chaos and gives you back the joy of the holiday.

When Should You Start Preparing for Thanksgiving?

Right now is actually the perfect time to start your Thanksgiving prep.

Here's why: you're still ahead of peak grocery store chaos. You can browse without fighting crowds, find everything on your list, and take advantage of early sales.

Plus, starting early gives you time to spread out the work. Instead of trying to do everything the day before Thanksgiving (hello, stress and exhaustion), you can tackle tasks in manageable chunks.

Your first priorities should be:

• Making your menu and guest list
  
• Creating a detailed shopping list organized by recipe
  
• Ordering your turkey or main dish
  
• Stocking up on pantry staples and backup ingredients
  
• Deep cleaning your fridge to make room for all those dishes

As Thanksgiving gets closer, you can:

• Prep and freeze make-ahead dishes
  
• Set your table (one less thing to worry about)
  
• Confirm final headcount with guests
  
• Do a quick inventory check to make sure nothing was forgotten

When you spread the work out like this, Thanksgiving prep becomes enjoyable instead of overwhelming.

What Should You Stock Up On Before the Rush?

Smart folks know that certain items always seem to disappear from store shelves right before Thanksgiving. Stock up on these essentials now while they're still available:

The Usual Suspects (that always sell out):

• Canned pumpkin for pies
  
• Fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme
  
• Butter (you'll need more than you think)
  
• Chicken or turkey broth
  
• Light Brown Sugar
  
• Heavy cream

The Items Most People Forget:

• Aluminum foil and plastic wrap
  
• Storage containers for leftovers
  
• Garbage bags (you'll go through more than usual)
  
• Batteries for kitchen timers or thermometers

Underrated Backup Ingredients:

This is where your pantry really shines. Having backup ingredients means you never have to make a last-minute grocery run or panic when someone uses the last of something.

Consider stocking:

• Dehydrated Chopped Onions – because you'll need onions for stuffing, gravy, and side dishes
  
• Freeze-Dried Strawberries and Blueberries – perfect for desserts and breakfast the next morning
  
• Fortified Instant Nonfat Dry Milk – works in mashed potatoes, baking, and sauces
  
• Freeze-Dried Sweet Potato Dices – a lifesaver if fresh sweet potatoes are sold out
  
• Whole Egg Powder – for baking and breakfast dishes

The beauty of these ingredients is that they last for decades. So even if you don't use them this Thanksgiving, they're ready for next year or any time you need them!

How Can #10 Cans Save Thanksgiving (And Your Sanity)?

Here's something most people don't realize: #10 cans aren't just for emergencies. They're actually brilliant for holiday cooking.

Think about it. You're juggling multiple dishes, managing oven space, coordinating timing, and trying to keep everyone fed and happy. The last thing you need is to discover at 8pm on Wednesday night that you're out of a key ingredient.

#10 cans solve real Thanksgiving problems:

❌ Problem: You need diced onions for three different recipes, but nobody wants to cry their way through chopping that many onions.

✅ Solution: Dehydrated Chopped Onions rehydrate in minutes and work perfectly in stuffing, gravy, and casseroles.

❌ Problem: Fresh cranberries are expensive and go bad quickly, but you want that homemade cranberry sauce.

✅ Solution: Keep freeze-dried berries on hand year-round. They rehydrate beautifully and taste just like fresh.

❌ Problem: You're making mashed potatoes for 15 people and realize too late you don't have enough milk.

✅ Solution: Powdered milk saves the day. Mix exactly what you need, and the rest stays shelf-stable for a very long time.

❌ Problem: Sweet potato casserole is on the menu, but the store is completely out of sweet potatoes (it happens every year).

✅ Solution: Freeze-Dried Sweet Potato Dices work perfectly in casseroles and side dishes.

These ingredients don't just sit in your pantry waiting for disaster… They make your everyday cooking easier and give you the freedom to cook without that nagging worry about running out of something important.

Plus, freeze-dried and dehydrated foods retain their nutritional value remarkably well. Your family gets the same vitamins and minerals as fresh ingredients, just with the convenience of shelf-stable storage.

This Apple Berry Crisp Will Steal the Show!

Speaking of using your pantry for holiday cooking, let's talk about dessert.

This Apple Berry Crisp is the perfect Thanksgiving dessert: warm, comforting, not too sweet, and absolutely delicious. The best part? It uses freeze-dried strawberries and other pantry ingredients, so you can make it without a special trip to the store.

Trust us—this will have everyone asking for the recipe.

Apple Berry Crisp

Syrup:

• 1 Cup apple juice
  
• 1/2 Cup Ready Hour Honey Powder or white sugar
  
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  
• 1 Tsp ground cinnamon

In a saucepan, stir apple juice and honey powder or sugar together. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Whisk in cornstarch and cinnamon. Bring back to a boil and continue cooking for 1 minute. Remove from stove and set aside.

Filling:

• 1 1/4 Lbs tart apples, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
  
• 6 Tbsp Ready Hour Strawberry Flavored Creamy Wheat, dry
  
• 1 Cup Ready Hour Freeze-Dried Sliced Strawberries, rehydrated

In a medium bowl, stir apple slices with Strawberry Flavored Creamy Wheat. Spread filling into baking dish and top with sliced strawberries. Pour prepared syrup over filling and strawberries, set aside.

Topping:

• 1/2 Cup All-Purpose White Flour
  
• 1/4 Cup Strawberry Flavored Creamy Wheat, dry
  
• 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
  
• 1 Tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1 Tsp ground nutmeg
  
• 1/4 Tsp Emergency Essentials® Iodized Salt
  
• 1/4 Cup butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  
• 3 Tbsp apple juice

In a medium bowl, combine flour, Ready Hour Strawberry Flavored Creamy Wheat, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter. Using a fork, cut butter until mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in apple juice. Sprinkle topping over the filling.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the apples are tender and the top is golden brown.

Why this recipe works so well:

The Strawberry Flavored Creamy Wheat adds a subtle sweetness and wonderful texture, while the freeze-dried strawberries bring bright, intense berry flavor that holds up beautifully during baking.

Freeze-dried fruits are actually perfect for baking because they're concentrated in flavor and don't add extra moisture that can make toppings soggy.

Plus, you can make this recipe any time of year without worrying about strawberry season. That's the beauty of having these ingredients in your pantry.

Your Thanksgiving Day Should Be About Family, Not Frantic Cooking

Here's the thing about Thanksgiving: it's supposed to be a day of gratitude, connection, and enjoying time with the people you love.

But when you're stressed about whether you have enough ingredients, juggling too many pots on the stove, or running to the store at the last minute, it's hard to actually be present.

Smart preparation changes everything.

When you've stocked your pantry thoughtfully, made your lists, and given yourself enough time to prep without rushing, Thanksgiving transforms from a marathon cooking session into something actually enjoyable.

You'll have time to chat with family while the turkey roasts. You'll feel confident knowing you have backup ingredients for anything that goes wrong. You'll actually sit down and enjoy the meal you worked so hard to create.

And when someone inevitably asks, "How did you pull this off so calmly?" you can smile and say, "I started preparing two weeks ago."

Our #10 Can Collection has everything from freeze-dried fruits and vegetables to long-lasting proteins you can count on for years to come. Stock up now, and you'll thank yourself on Thanksgiving Day.