Thanksgiving: Time to Stock Up On the Basics

Turkey day is about 10 days away, and it’s time to shop for some basics. Of course, ten days is a little too far for the fresh ingredients, but there are lots of things we can get ahead of time before the madness of the 3-5 days before the holiday itself.

11. Stock up on Thanksgiving staples early, fresh ingredients later.

There’s lots of things you can get early:

Dishes, napkins and silverware… Make sure you have enough. White dishes and napkins are great staples, go with everything, and can be found almost anywhere.

Oils, vinegars and other shelf stable items. Get a great olive oil to drizzle on salads, dip bread into and a great vinegar to go with it.

Decorations. Little gourds, pumpkins or corn. Spread them on the table, add to large glass bowls or one at each place setting. Bonus: they are really affordable!

Seasonings. Need salt, pepper or other seasonings? Get them now.

Garlic and other root vegetables. They keep well for a few days, and they will be running low the closer the holiday gets. Also, make sure you have your turkey ordered, or purchase a frozen one in the next few days to make sure it’s defrosted for the big day.

Coffee, tea, sweetener and other drinks. Save the juices for later, and get things that come in sealed bottles and bags of beans or tea. Also, be sure you have any sugars or honey to sweeten those drinks.