A Classic Thanksgiving Menu with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and homemade rolls.  I also included tips for preparing each recipe ahead of time as well as a grocery shopping list to help you make the most of your Thanksgiving holiday.

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Shopping list for Thanksgiving menu.

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I have been SO excited to share this special Thanksgiving meal plan with you all! Not only does it have my favorite tried and tested Thanksgiving dinner recipes on it, but I’ve taken time to detail out how to make each recipe ahead of time, and I’ve included a grocery shopping list! I truly hope this helps you have a stress-free, but still delicious Holiday dinner!

1. Easy, No-Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey

Roasted Turkey on a large white platter, garnished with lemons, apples, garlic and fresh green herbs.
4.99 from 9527 votes

Easy, No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey

Foolproof Thanksgiving Turkey recipe that packs all of the flavor and juiciness you expect from the perfect roasted turkey, with none of the stress! Step by step for how to cook the perfect turkey.
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5 stars

“After 30+ years of cooking turkeys a much more laborious way, we decided to give your recipe a try. A smash hit! Truly is stress-free and absolutely delicious. We made it exactly to your recipe, right down to putting the bird on a bed of chopped veggies because we couldn’t find the roasting rack. We will be making this again! Thank you for all the helpful tips too.”

Make-ahead tips;

  • Give the turkey plenty of time to thaw. A good rule of thumb is to allow one day in the fridge for ever 5 pounds of turkey. I always give myself one extra day, just to be safe.
  • Make the herb butter as instructed and store it in the refrigerator.
  • Chop vegetables and have them ready in the refrigerator for quickly assembly.

2. Perfect Mashed Potatoes

A bowl of homemade Mashed Potatoes with salt and pepper sprinkled on top.
5 from 207 votes

Mashed Potatoes

This easy Mashed Potatoes recipe will take your homemade mashed potatoes from average to fantastic! Follow my simple tips and step-by-step photos for the most perfect light, fluffy mashed potatoes!
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Add a little extra milk to make sure they’re really soft and not too thick. (The potatoes will absorb moisture as they rest.) Spoon mixture into a casserole dish or large tupper-ware. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days.
  • To reheat: Remove from fridge 1 hour before baking. Taste and add additional seasonings as needed, or milk, to make sure they are nice and soft. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until warm. You could also reheat them in a saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave.

3. Turkey Gravy

Turkey gravy in a white gravy boat being poured over turkey slices on a plate with cranberry sauce and broccoli.
5 from 2707 votes

Turkey Gravy

The BEST Turkey Gravy recipe is made with turkey drippings, is full of flavor, and only takes minutes to make! Embrace the giblets for turkey giblet gravy, or leave them out!
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make the gravy as directed.  Allow it to cool and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
  • To reheat, pour it into a saucepan and add a couple tablespoons of chicken broth or water to thin it (use your best judgement for how thin/thick you like it).  Heat it on medium low heat until warmed through (about 15 minutes).

4. Homemade Rolls

A homemade roll on a plate.
5 from 263 votes

Best Homemade Rolls

Nothing compare to these soft and fluffy Homemade Rolls, and they're so easy to make! We enjoy them all year round, and they freeze well too!
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make the roll dough, cover and refrigerate overnight. The dough will complete its first rise overnight. In the morning, just follow the recipe, starting with punching down and shaping the dough.
  • To freeze homemade rolls, first bake them as instructed and allow them to cool completely.  Then put the rolls in a gallon freezer bag and store for up 1 month.  When ready to eat, just pull them out of the freezer and allow them to come to room temperature before eating or pop one in the microwave for a few seconds, and serve warm.

5. Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing

Homemade stuffing in a casserole dish with a wooden spoon.
5 from 740 votes

Thanksgiving Stuffing

The BEST traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe, made with dried bread cubes, sausage, diced vegetables, and chicken broth.
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Prepare the entire stuffing 1 day in advance but don’t bake it (put it in the casserole dish or in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator).  This allows the flavors to settle.  Before your Thanksgiving meal, bake the stuffing at 35oF for 30 minutes.

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Additional (Make-ahead) Thanksgiving Sides:

Sweet Potato Casserole

A piece of the best Sweet Potato Casserole recipe being lifted out of a rectangle pan to serve.
5 from 6211 votes

Sweet Potato Casserole

This easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is topped with a brown sugar pecan toppings, and always steals the show on Thanksgiving.
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make the filling 1-2 days in advance and smooth into your baking dish. Make the topping and place it in a ziplock bag. When you’re ready to bake it just take it out of the fridge and sprinkle the topping on!

Funeral Potatoes

A spoonful of funeral potatoes being lifted from a 9x13 inch glass casserole dish.
5 from 4022 votes

Funeral Potatoes

These easy and delicious Funeral Potatoes (also called cheesy potatoes) are a cheesy hash brown casserole that makes the perfect warm side dish for any meal, holiday dinner, or potluck.
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Make-ahead tips:

  • To make funeral potatoes ahead of time, make the recipe through step 4 when the mixture is spread into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Store covered in the fridge for up to 1 day. Add crushed cornflake topping before baking.

Holiday Cranberry Fruit Salad

Side profile of a clear bowl filled with fruit including red and green grapes, apples, cranberries, whipped cream and kiwi.
5 from 5 votes

Holiday Cranberry Fruit Salad

Layered fruit salad, topped with fresh cranberries and an amazing vanilla yogurt whipped cream makes a delicious, festive side dish for the holidays. 
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Cut all of your fruit the day before and store it separately. (Be sure to toss the apples really well in lemon juice so that they don’t brown).

Cranberry Fluff Salad

A clear cup full of cranberry salad fluff with three fresh cranberries on top.
5 from 335 votes

Cranberry Fluff Salad

An easy Cranberry Salad recipe made with fresh cranberries, pineapple, cream cheese, and fresh whipped cream. It's that holiday side dishes that people go CRAZY for! 
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make the entire dish the day before and refrigerate overnight.

Apple Cranberry Fruit Salad

Apple Cranberry Fruit Salad | Tastes Better From Scratch
5 from 42 votes

Apple Cranberry Fruit Salad

Apple cranberry fruit salad with fresh fruit, fresh cranberries, mini marshmallows and whipped cream!  This recipe is a must-make during the holidays!
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Cook cranberries as directed and refrigerate overnight. Combine other other fruits (not marshmallows) and refrigerate overnight, separately. Stir the two together before serving, adding marshmallows and topping with whipped cream if desired.

Creamy Fruit Salad

Creamy Fruit Salad Recipe from TastesBetterFromScratch.com - all of my favorite fruits mixed with mini marshamallows and coconut and coated in greek yogurt! A healthy side and delicious!
4.95 from 199 votes

Creamy Fruit Salad

This creamy fruit salad recipe, using Greek yogurt, is sweet and creamy without the added calories!
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Drain the fruit and combine it in a bowl the night before. Drain the juices in the morning and then add the yogurt, marshmallows and coconut.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli salad with bacon, craisins, almonds and a creamy dressing, served in a wooden bowl with a hand towel in the background.
4.95 from 143 votes

Broccoli Salad

Everyone loves this easy Broccoli Salad recipe made with bacon, almonds, craisins and onion in a delicious creamy and tangy dressing. Serve it at a potluck or bbq or as a side dish for holiday dinner.
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make entire salad 1 day in advance!

Fresh Cranberry Relish

A clear glass bowl of fresh cranberry relish with an orange slice on top.
4.99 from 870 votes

Fresh Cranberry Relish

This 3-ingredient cranberry relish has been a family favorite for generations! It’s sweet and tangy and perfect paired with Thanksgiving turkey or even for topping on chicken or pork
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make up to a week in advance and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Deviled Eggs

The best Deviled Eggs recipe on a silver platter, sprinkled with paprika and ready to enjoy.
5 from 830 votes

Deviled Eggs

This Classic Deviled Eggs recipe is always a winner, made with simple ingredients including pickle relish, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper.
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make the day before. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mini Cheese Balls Bites

Mini Cheese Ball Bites appetizer recipe on TastesBetterFromScratch.com
5 from 265 votes

Mini Cheese Ball Bites

Mini Cheese Ball Bites are the perfect party appetizer that’s easier to eat and more practical then a large cheese ball! 
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make the day before but don’t place the pretzels in them until you are ready to serve.

Classic Cheese Ball

Cheese ball being spread on a cracker with a plate of crackers and the rest of the cheeseball in the background.
5 from 2615 votes

Classic Cheeseball

This Classic Cheese Ball recipe makes the perfect party appetizer. A cheese ball made with cheddar cheese, cream cheese, green onion and spices, and coated in chopped pecans.
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Make-ahead tips:

  • This can be made serval days in advance.  If you are making this more than one day in advance, wait to put to the nuts on so that they don’t get soft.

Perfect Pie Crust

A homemade Pie Crust ready to bake or fill!
4.98 from 1485 votes

Perfect Pie Crust

This easy homemade Pie Crust recipe is the BEST for any type of pie, whether filling with your favorite flavor, blind baking or freezing for later use.
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make the dough and flatten it into a disc. Place in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze until the day you make the pie. Remove from the freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling out.

Absolutely Amazing Pumpkin Pie

A slice of homemade pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
5 from 5570 votes

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

The BEST Pumpkin Pie recipe is perfect in every way, and you can choose to serve it with a simple homemade caramel pecan topping that takes it over the top!
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Make-ahead tips:

  • Make and bake the day before. Allow to cool completely. Make topping and cover and refrigerate both separately, overnight. Warm topping in the microwave and spoon on top.
Make sure to check out all my PIE Recipes and Thanksgiving Recipes!
Shopping list for Thanksgiving Menu.

Also, don’t miss my list of Leftover Turkey Recipes!

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. Thanks for this list and all of the tips. I’m just wondering how many people this will serve? Thanks again. This is very handy!!!