52 Days ’Til Christmas – Plan Your Thanksgiving Menu (with Free Thanksgiving Planner)

This post is part of the #100DaysTilChristmasChallenge – one small step every day to make the holidays more joyful and less stressful.

Thanksgiving always sneaks up faster than we expect — and nothing calms the chaos like having your menu mapped out early.

Today’s challenge is to plan your Thanksgiving menu using your Thanksgiving Planner (or your own notebook if you prefer). This printable planner walks you through every stage of Thanksgiving prep — from building your menu and grocery list to organizing recipes and delegating dishes.

Throughout the month, we’ll be using the Thanksgiving Planner on multiple days as we move through menu planning, grocery shopping, home prep, and hosting.

You don’t have to have the planner to follow along — but newsletter subscribers get it free inside the Holiday Hub.

💌 If you haven’t grabbed your free Thanksgiving printable yet, you can subscribe and download it here

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Now, let’s plan your Thanksgiving feast.

🧩 Decide How Much You’re Actually Cooking

📘 Use Page 4 – “Thanksgiving Details” and Page 6 – “Potluck Planner”

Before you start filling out your menu pages, decide how much of Thanksgiving dinner you’ll actually be cooking yourself.

Are you the full-spread host who enjoys doing it all, the delegator who lets everyone contribute, or the Type B host who says, “Just bring a side — surprise me”?

If you’re taking charge, use the Thanksgiving Details page in your printable planner to list the dishes you’ll handle and note any help you’ll need.
If you’re sharing the cooking, the Potluck Planner page makes it easy to assign dishes — or just jot down who’s bringing what.

💡 Pro Tip: Decide early who’s covering appetizers, desserts, and drinks — those are the most common last-minute scrambles!

🦃 Choose Your Main Dish

📘 Use Page 26 – “Turkey Planner”

Your main course sets the tone for the entire meal. Will it be a traditional roast turkey, honey-glazed ham, or something unexpected like prime rib or a vegetarian centerpiece?

Your Turkey Planner page in the Thanksgiving Planner is perfect for recording:

• The weight and thawing time
• Brine or marinade recipe
• Cooking temperature and method
• Any special tools you’ll need

🕐 Quick guide: Plan about 1 lb of turkey per person (1.5 lbs if you want leftovers). A 20-lb turkey takes roughly 4–5 days to thaw in the fridge.

🥔 Map Out the Sides

📘 Use Pages 15-16 – “Menu Ideas” and “Final Menu”

Let’s be honest — the sides are where Thanksgiving really shines. Think balance and variety: something creamy, something fresh, something hearty.

Use your Menu Ideas page to brainstorm by category:

• Appetizers: Deviled eggs, veggie trays, or a charcuterie board
• Sides: Mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce
• Salads: Something green, pasta-based, or fruit-forward
• Desserts: Pumpkin pie, apple crisp, cheesecake

Then move your final selections to the Final Menu page of your Thanksgiving Planner to lock them in.

💡 Pro Tip: Choose at least one “make-ahead,” one “day-of,” and one “delegated” side dish — your future self will be grateful.

🥧 Plan Desserts & Drinks

📘 Use Page 15-16 – “Menu Ideas & Final Menu” (Desserts Section)

Dessert is the finale of the feast, and drinks tie it all together.

On your Thanksgiving Drinks page, jot down a mix of options for adults and kids — wine, sparkling cider, a cozy cocktail, or a signature mocktail. Then use the desserts section of your Menu Ideas page to make sure you’ve got something sweet for everyone.

🍷 Ideas: Pumpkin pie, chocolate pecan pie, bread pudding, or a simple no-bake cheesecake.
💡 Pro Tip: Offer a warm + cold combo, like pie with ice cream or cider with cookies.

🍳 Organize Recipes & Prep Schedules

📘 Use Pages 17, 22-24 – “Recipe List” and “Cooking & Baking Schedule”

Now that your menu is coming together, it’s time to organize the how.

Use your Recipe List pages in the Thanksgiving Planner to write down ingredients, prep times, and serving sizes for each dish. Then switch to your Cooking & Baking Schedule pages to map out what can be made ahead of time versus on the day of.

A sample prep timeline might look like this:

• 3–4 days before: Make cranberry sauce, casseroles, pie crusts
• 1–2 days before: Chop veggies, bake pies, prep salad dressings
• Thanksgiving Day: Roast turkey, cook mashed potatoes, heat casseroles

💡 Pro Tip: Test one new recipe early this week — it takes the pressure off Thanksgiving Day and doubles as a family dinner!

🛒 Start Your Shopping & Budget Lists

📘 Use Pages 21 – “Shopping List” + Pages 7-8 – “Budget Overview”

Even though we’ll create your Holiday Grocery List in just a couple of days, it’s smart to start now.

Use your Shopping List and Thanksgiving Inventory pages to note ingredients you’ll need or items to restock. Then, head to your Budget Overview section to estimate costs and plan purchases.

Your Thanksgiving Printable makes it easy to see everything at a glance — no more sticky notes scattered across the kitchen.

💡 Pro Tip: Check your pantry staples early — spices, flour, sugar, and baking powder quietly lose potency over time.

🧾 Keep Notes for Next Year

📘 Use the Notes section on your “Final Menu” or “Thanksgiving Details” page

As you finalize your plans, use the notes space in your Thanksgiving Planner to jot down what worked, what didn’t, and any “next year” ideas.

Things like:

• “Double the mac and cheese.”
• “Skip the new cranberry recipe.”
• “Green bean casserole = always gone first.”

Those quick reflections will save hours next fall when it’s time to plan again.

🍽️ A Menu That Brings Peace, Not Pressure

A well-thought-out menu makes the entire holiday smoother — fewer frantic moments, more time to actually enjoy the day.

By planning your menu early and keeping everything in one spot with your Thanksgiving Planner, you’ll feel more prepared and a lot less rushed.

📘 Planner tie-in: Clip together your Menu Ideas, Final Menu, and Shopping List pages — they’ll be your go-to reference when we move into grocery planning day later this week.

🗓️ Today’s To-Dos

✅ Decide which dishes you’re cooking and what you’re delegating
✅ Fill out your Menu Ideas and Final Menu pages
✅ Start your Recipe List and highlight ingredients to buy early

📥 Don’t Forget

You can follow along using your own planner or notebook, but the Thanksgiving Planner printable keeps everything in one organized place — menus, grocery lists, recipes, prep schedules, and more.

It’s completely free for newsletter subscribers, and it’ll be featured throughout this month’s 100 Days ’Til Christmas series.

👉 Grab your free Thanksgiving Planner Printable inside the Holiday Hub. Subscribe in form above.