Plans for Thanksgiving
This year is unlike any other. In a way, that is making me appreciate the milestones even more. The big holiday in my food-obsessed family is Thanksgiving though, and like so much else this year, it’s going to look different than in years past. When I could easily gather with friends outdoors on bike rides and picnics in the park, we might be wearing masks, but it didn’t look all that different from the year before. Now as temperatures are sending us back indoors, it’s time to adjust to the current reality yet again. The lowest level of risk is to limit holiday gatherings to folks in your household.
Normally, we have an intergenerational gathering with my aunts, uncles, grandparents and upwards of 15 people. We typically make 7 or 8 dishes, not counting turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Folks travel between the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, and Southern California as the hosting duties are shared over the years. There are planes, sometimes trains, and automobiles! This year, my partner and I are staying in town and making our own Thanksgiving, taking traditions from each of our families and ditching anything we don’t care for. With a smaller gathering, there are actually more options! There are fewer cooks in the kitchen, so to speak, so there are fewer people to try and please.
While we want leftovers, with only two of us, we’re opting to order a turkey breast, which will be 5-7 lbs. It will be a much shorter cook time, and there is no worry that the meat will dry out while waiting for the rest of the bird to cook properly. I like dark meat, but the simplicity of cooking and knowing that the leftovers will be ready to slice for turkey sandwiches is worth it to me.
If you are going to share your holiday with folks that don’t live in the same house as you, there are some changes you can make to the logistics of the meal that may lower risk. Wear masks while cooking and socializing before and after the meal. Arrange seating so that people are more spread out, keeping folks who live in one household on one end of the table with room in between for example. Make sure folks are vigilant about hand washing! Avoid buffets or passing all the dishes around the table, as it requires more hands on each utensil. You could choose to have one person serving food. If you do opt for a buffet-style meal so that everyone gets exactly what they want on their perfect plate, have everyone wash their hands before eating.
The week of Thanksgiving is the busiest time of year in grocery stores, and Eastside is no different. Do what you can now to ensure a smooth experience! Decide what your meal will look like this year and create a shopping list. You can place an order now for catering if you’re not excited by the prospect of spending this food-centric holiday stuck in the kitchen. You can also order your turkey now, or chat with our team in the meat & seafood department about changing things up this year. It’s not to early to start purchasing items with a longer shelf-life like spices, stock, butter, potatoes, a frozen pie or whipping cream. You can even try out Eastside To Go to save time and check another item off your to-do list with curbside pickup or delivery straight to your door. Of course, you’ll want to wait on any catering, turkey, and highly perishable items like fresh bread or delicate salad greens until the week of Thanksgiving. If you’re flexible, try coming in earlier in the day to avoid the busiest hours.
It’s important that we recognize this year is not going to look the same. More importantly, know that it’s okay for things to look different! Focus on what you’re thankful for. Remember that as we gather around the table for a Thanksgiving celebration, we’re coming together to celebrate what we’re thankful for!
