There’s a moment every Thanksgiving morning when I used to panic, realizing I had twelve dishes to make and exactly four burners to work with. That’s when I started asking myself: what can I actually make ahead? Turns out, almost everything tastes better when the flavors have time to settle anyway. Now I spend the days before Thanksgiving chopping, assembling, and tucking casseroles into the fridge. Come Thursday morning, I’m reheating, not racing. These 11 recipes have become my strategy for staying calm, keeping the kitchen manageable, and actually sitting down to enjoy the meal with everyone else.

Rich Creamed Spinach. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Crispy Stuffing Balls

Crispy Stuffing Balls. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Preparing Crispy Stuffing Balls ahead of time l

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