Thanksgiving With Kids
It’s that time of the year to get organized for Thanksgiving. Having two kids means I definitely need to plan ahead. Today I am going to share how I get ready for Thanksgiving with kids!
Kid Friendly Menu
Every year it is struggle to plan a kid friendly menu. My children are pretty pick eaters, but over the years I have figured out a menu for them. I usually make a smaller whole turkey or two smaller turkey breasts. My kids prefer white turnkey meat. Then I make a side dish that my children will definitely eat, such as homemade mac and cheese. I recommend making a side dish your own children are guaranteed to eat. Next, we have cranberry sauce (I prefer canned) and mashed potatoes. Finally, we have rolls and one or two vegetable side dishes that hopefully the kids will eat. They usually like a corn and cream cheese casserole or strawberry salad. Overall, my advice is to keep the menu simple with items that adults and kids will enjoy!
Prep Work
Depending on the age of your kids, get them involved in the prep work. The day before I like to make one or two pies. This is something my kids enjoy helping me with. Make it a family activity, and get the kids involved in making your family’s favorite desserts. Kids can help set the table too. You can do the glass items, but they can help with the center piece, silverware and napkins. As for the centerpiece we like to make or buy a paper thankful tree. Then on Thanksgiving we write down what we are thankful for on paper leaves that we attach or tape to the tree. This is a sweet activity for the whole family to reflect on their blessings and start the holiday with feelings of gratitude!
Scheduling and Clean Up
Something to keep in mind is your child’s schedule especially if your child still needs a nap. When our children were younger and still needed one or two naps, we would eat our Thanksgiving meal for lunch or as an early dinner. That way the whole family can enjoy the meal without the kids being cranky and tired. I also try to keep breakfast simple for the kids since I will be cooking all day and in and out of the kitchen. So the day before the holiday I make some muffins, so the kids can have those the morning of Thanksgiving. Lastly, I have the kids help with clean up too. They can help clear their plates especially if we use some kid friendly Thanksgiving themed paper plates. My children like to help load the silverware into the dishwasher too and can help dry dishes too.
Favorite Recipes
Here are some of my favorite kid friendly recipes. My children enjoy this simple yet delicious mac and cheese that can be made in the pressure cooker. We like to make strawberry salads too like this one. My family enjoys a cream cheese corn casserole with green chilies or without if your kids don’t like spicy food. This year I want to try a yummy punch the whole family can enjoy. This one sounds amazing!
Overall, I just try to keep Thanksgiving low key and fun for the whole family. By planning a simple menu and getting the whole family involved in the prep work and clean up, it makes the holiday less stressful and more focused on the blessings of the day. I hope this post helped you start your Thanksgiving planning. I hope your week is a lovely one!
