Thanksgiving Essentials

Want a single list of everything you’ll need to pull off Thanksgiving dinner this year? Welcome to my list of Thanksgiving essentials!

If you’re new to hosting Thanksgiving dinner, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed. You know you need turkey and some sides, but you’re wondering how the heck you’re going to pull it off.

First, you need a great menu. Lucky for you, I’ve got a time-tested kid-friendly Thanksgiving menu that is easy. I mean it. It’s really easy!

Then, you need to figure out what items you need in your kitchen to actually make the Thanksgiving menu. That’s where this post comes in! Today I’m sharing all of the things I need to make Thanksgiving go off without a hitch, my Thanksgiving essentials.

Cooking

Serving

Cooking

First up, let’s talk about the Thanksgiving essentials you need to actually cook the meal. These items may change based on your exact menu, but these are all of the cooking-related items I use to make Thanksgiving dinner.

Roasting pan

Most of the items on my Thanksgiving essentials list will be things I also use on an everyday basis. The big exception is a roasting pan. I basically pull out this bad boy only on Thanksgiving, but it’s an absolute must. If you need a roasting pan, you can’t go wrong with All-Clad.

Mixing bowls

You will use basically every bowl in your kitchen to cook the Thanksgiving meal. Make sure you have a variety of sizes of mixing bowls at your disposal, some of which are heat-proof (glass). My go-to mixing bowls include a nested glass set, a big honking stoneware bowl, and a set of stainless steel bowls.

Casserole dishes

So many Thanksgiving sides need a casserole dish! Make sure you have casserole dishes of various sizes. I lean on this set of three casserole dishes heavily on Thanksgiving.

Disposable pans

I don’t usually like single-use, disposable items. But I make an exception for Thanksgiving. I use disposable baking pans to supplement my regular casserole dishes. One tip for disposable pans: spring for the higher quality foil pans. You don’t want to risk the dollar store versions giving up on you.

Kitchen shears

Kitchen shears will be your best tool for prepping Thanksgiving dinner, so please make sure you have a phenomenal pair at the ready. I like to stick with a stainless steel pair for easy cleaning.

Knives

You really need a decent set of knives. Not only for Thanksgiving, but just in general. I’m a big fan of my Wusthof knives. They haven’t let me down yet!

Slow cooker

I primarily use my slow cooker on Thanksgiving to cook my green beans. But even if you like green beans cooked another way, you’ll still find a use for a slow cooker. I’ve tried a lot of slow cookers over the years, and have had the best success with the Hamilton Beach Programmable Stay or Go. The food doesn’t burn or dry out in this one!

Meat thermometer

If you’re cooking meat, you need a meat thermometer to make sure the meat is done. This is especially true when you’re cooking poultry, like turkey. Salmonella is not invited to Thanksgiving. For my Thanksgiving turkey I like to stick to an old school dial thermometer. Keep it simple.

Electric carving knife

The highlight of my husband’s year is when he gets to carve the turkey. Not because it’s tradition or anything. No! Because he gets to use the electric carving knife! He has a Cuisinart that does the job well.

Bench scraper

I love my bench scraper for transferring chopped food items from place to place every day, but never more than on Thanksgiving. This is a strange little item that really makes cooking easier.

Shaker

Another strange little item that is definitely worth its place on the Thanksgiving essentials list is a shaker. This is hands down the easiest way to make the star of the Thanksgiving show – the gravy.

Gravy boat

Sure, you’ll probably only use a gravy boat once a year. But you’ll be glad you have a gravy boat when you’re hosting Thanksgiving.

Saucepans

You’re going to use every size saucepan you have when you make the Thanksgiving meal. Saucepans are truly Thanksgiving essentials. For me, you can’t choose better saucepans than All-Clad saucepans. They heat evenly and clean like a dream.

Hand mixer

For the perfect mashed potatoes (white and/or sweet), you’ve gotta have a good hand mixer. I’ve had my KitchenAid hand mixer for the better part of two decades and it’s still mashing potatoes perfectly every time.

Rolling pin

I never thought I would be picky about something like a rolling pin, but here I am, pushing 40 and having definite opinions on rolling pins. For me, a French rolling pin is the only way to go. You have so much more control!

Pie plates

Thanksgiving is all about the pies, so you’ve got to have the right pie plates. I prefer deep dish pie plates. Thicker pies and no mess in the oven to clean up? Yes, please!

Measuring cups and spoons

You should already have measuring cups and spoons in your kitchen, but that doesn’t mean they are any less essential for Thanksgiving. These are non-negotiable items. I like stainless steel measuring cups and spoons for easiest cleaning.

Pot holders

Please don’t burn yourself cooking Thanksgiving dinner! You need good quality pot holders to make sure you keep yourself char-free as you cycle dishes in and out of the oven. I prefer the short mitts, but get whatever pot holders float your boat.

Wooden spoons

I’m sure you have a wooden spoon or two in your kitchen at least, but Thanksgiving is the time to stock up on them. You’ll need a wooden spoon every time you turn around as you cook the Thanksgiving meal. They are truly Thanksgiving essentials.

Serving

It’s not all about cooking the food on Thanksgiving. You have to serve it too! Here are my serving-related Thanksgiving essentials. Some of them might surprise you.

Paper plates & plastic cups

I detest the waste of paper plates and disposable plastic cups. But I deal with it on Thanksgiving. I feed around 20 people Thanksgiving dinner, and I just don’t have enough place settings or dishwasher space for that.

Serving platters

My Thanksgiving buffet spread is a smorgasbord of mismatching casserole dishes, disposable foil pans, and serving platters. I try to make the serving platters the centerpieces and assemble the jumble of other things around them. I stick with white serving platters so they work any time and with any food.

Folding table

Even if you are having a small group of folks over for Thanksgiving, you still probably need a folding table. My mom always set up the card table in the corner of the dining room the day before Thanksgiving and we were routinely a party of six who all fit around the table. This was food central on the big day. Get your folding table out of the basement and put it to good use!

Napkins

With all the food you’re preparing, your guests will need napkins while they eat – and lots of them! If you want to get fancy, cloth napkins are the move. If you don’t care about being fancy on Thanksgiving, just grab a pack of paper napkins at the grocery store.

Trivets

You’re going to be putting a lot of dishes on your serving area (counter, buffet, or folding table) straight from the oven. That means you’ll need lots of trivets to protect your surfaces. You really can’t have too many!

Serving Utensils

Just as you’ll need more wooden spoons than you think to cook the meal, you’ll need more utensils to serve the meal than you think. There never seem to be enough, no matter how packed the back of my utensil drawer gets. Regular serving spoons are of course Thanksgiving essentials, but so are slotted spoons and a giant fork for the turkey. If you don’t have enough to serve every dish you plan to make, the time to get more is now!

Thanksgiving Essentials