One-Oven Holiday

Getting the full cast of beloved sides on the holiday table can feel like working through a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle. Often the oven, monopolized for hours by that lovely turkey, is the bottleneck. But you can have your turkey and sweet potatoes, too. A smart combination of making dishes ahead of time, taking advantage of no-oven cooking methods and welcoming a little help makes all the pieces of that giant puzzle fall into place.

Our simple recipes make a template for you to maximize time and oven space for the tastiest (and most stress-free) Thanksgiving prep possible. You’ve got this! Sit down with a notepad the weekend before Thanksgiving and make a basic timeline. We promise it’ll payoff — in the most delicious ways possible.

1. Serve a hearty salad.

Instead of a veggie side you need to make at the last minute, embrace a substantial salad you can assemble in advance. This Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Grapes just gets tastier as it sits ready and waiting for go time in the fridge.

2. Trust your turkey.

Every year there’s a new hack promising the best turkey ever. We’re happy to reassure you that this Classic Roast Turkey, with no tricks up its sleeve, is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s fun to try something new, but if you want maximum sanity, stick to the basics — you won’t have to fret about an unfamiliar recipe or technique that requires tons of monitoring and guesswork.

3. Time your sides right.

We all love casseroles on Thanksgiving. We also love turkey. That makes the oven in high demand, often for recipes that call for different baking temperatures. But you can use the half hour it takes for a roasted turkey to rest to get our Orange-Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole piping hot, complete with its crown of beloved browned marshmallows. The key is to bake the sweet potatoes and assemble the casserole ahead of time, so the only thing left to do is reheat.

4. Consider oven alternatives.

Embrace countertop appliances! Whip up mashed potatoes in a multicooker up to three hours ahead and keep them at the ready on the “keep warm” setting. Serving a small gathering? Our Savory Slow-Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy has you covered. Other favorites you can make in the slow cooker to free up your oven include stuffing, green bean casserole and corn pudding.

5. Assign sides or desserts.

Feeling overwhelmed? Guests often love to pitch in. Ask them to bring something that doesn’t need to be heated. If they don’t cook, it could be rolls or pie from our Bakery. Or a salad from our Deli. Or, with a little time and baking ahead, they can make homemade Four-Ingredient Pumpkin Pies, which use canned pumpkin pie mix and premade crusts to keep things simple.

Looking to host a get-together that’s healthy and germ free? Our stores have everything you need to make it easier.

Disinfecting Cleaners

It’s a good idea to wipe frequently touched surfaces and items between use — both before guests arrive and while they’re in your home. Disinfecting wipes are a convenient option for quick cleanup.

Hand Sanitizer

Encourage clean hands by placing a few pump bottles of hand sanitizer around your home — for example, near the front door, on a kitchen countertop or in the dining room.

Disposable Towels

Rather than having guests all dry their hands on a single towel, consider investing in a container of disposable hand towels for the big day.