What’s one smart way to spread out holiday food prep (either as a guest or host) to avoid burnout?

One smart way to spread out holiday food prep is to start a week ahead. Consider it a weeklong ritual instead of a single marathon day. As the SEO & Content Lead at Cookpad, I see countless home cooks plan ahead by prepping sauces, doughs, and sides in small stages. They also recruit the help of family members and friends to transform holiday cooking into a shared tradition. I have myself memories of preparing holiday desserts with my mom, sisters and aunts. For example, prep ingredients that store well, like pie crusts, spice blends, or casseroles, early in the week and freeze or refrigerate them. Save quick-assembly dishes, such as salads or appetizers, for the day of the celebration. Invite close family and friends to come early and land a hand. This keeps your kitchen calm and gives you time to enjoy your guests instead of rushing through recipes. Ultimately, food prep is easier when it's part of the celebration itself, not the thing that keeps you from it. It can be a way to make memories together and laugh about mishaps. Jeanette SEO & Content Lead at Cookpad www.linkedin.com/in/jeanette-el-hifnawy-a2846219

I'm already planning my Thanksgiving timeline. I took over hosting Thanksgiving years ago when my husband and I moved into our new home with a big expansive kitchen area, countertop, and two ovens. As someone who has experienced burnout as an entrepreneur, and family caregiver, I feel this topic and story deeply. I was in burnout last year when I hosted Thanksgiving. My husband was newly out of cancer treatment and still couldn't eat normally. And yet, last year was the easiest Thanksgiving I hosted because I let myself off the hook and asked for help. I allowed my guests to bring more! To prepare, I shopped on Monday before Thanksgiving and made what I was responsible for Tuesday night and Wednesday so all I had to do on Thursday was the turkey and pop the sweet potato casserole in the oven. I bet you'll get a lot of people saying prep ahead. But really, asking for help, allowing my family to show up and be a part of the day not just the meal, felt really good. Additional tips I have for hosts or guests are: Finding recipes that take the least amount of time. (Hello mayo crusted bird!) Using paper plates instead of the fine dishes. Not great for the environment, but if burnout is at stake, use paper plates and toss them. There are enough dishes this day to deal with. It's okay to use pre-made pie dough if you're doing apple or pecan. The Costco pumpkin pie is great. Don't make it! It's okay to buy chopped onions. Or even frozen.

Throw stuff in the freezer way before you need it. I'm not even kidding. I used to kill myself the night before every holiday. Up past midnight, totally losing it, asking myself why I signed up for this. Then everyone shows up and I can barely keep my eyes open. Brilliant plan. So now? I cook whenever I want to. Got some free time on a random Tuesday? Cool, I'll make a casserole. Feeling motivated on Sunday? I'll bake something. Straight into the freezer. When the actual day comes, I just warm everything up and call it done. Here's the crazy part, not one person has ever known the difference. They eat it, they like it, they move on. Nobody's sitting there going "hmm, tastes like this was frozen." And I'm not hiding in my kitchen having a breakdown, so that's a win. Bringing food somewhere else? Same exact thing. Make it whenever you want during the week. Stick it in your freezer. Warm it back up before you head out. You're not freaking out last minute and you can actually relax and enjoy the day. I mean that's what it's supposed to be about anyway. Hanging out with people. Not stressing over food that everyone's gonna inhale in five minutes. Do it early, take it easy, have fun.

Rather than cooking full meals ahead of time, I prep flavor foundations a few days before the event. I make sauces, marinades, compound butters, roasted veggies, and caramelized onions, then store them neatly in labeled jars. When it's time to cook, I just pull from this "flavor bank" and assemble dishes quickly without losing freshness. It keeps the menu tasting homemade while saving hours of stress. The best part is that these elements can be reused for post-holiday leftovers too, giving the effort a second life beyond the big day.

I wake up early on the holiday, before anyone else stirs, and prep in silence with a cup of coffee and music playing softly. No distractions, no questions, no phone buzzing. It's my quiet time to season, set up ingredients, and mentally walk through the day's timeline. That peaceful hour makes everything afterwards feel smoother and lighter. It's less about efficiency and more about setting a calm tone before the chaos begins. The food tastes better when the cook feels grounded.

I shop when the store — and my stress — is quiet. Mid-week mornings are golden: no crowds, no distractions, and markdowns are freshest. I take 10 minutes in the car to reread my list and visualize the layout of the store, so I stick to the plan instead of wandering into "holiday-sale temptation." That calm rhythm keeps me from overspending and gets me back to my desk faster — sanity and savings in one run.

I buy pre-cut veggies and portioned proteins from our local restaurant supplier. It's a game-changer for holiday cooking. Instead of spending an hour on onions, I have more time to get the sauce right or figure out the plating. If you're hosting, give this a try. Let someone else handle the basic prep so you can actually enjoy the party when your guests arrive.

One smart (and fun!) way to avoid burnout is to delegate! Ask guests to bring a dish so you're not handling everything yourself. You can even make a list of categories to choose from, like a pie for dessert, a veggie side, a carb-heavy dish, rolls, or a cake and let people choose what they'd like to contribute.

One smart way we avoid holiday burnout is by ordering the turkey already cooked and prepped. We usually get the largest cooked turkey Publix offers and pick it up the day before. That way, everyone can focus on the fun part, splitting up the side dishes and desserts.

I believe the smartest way is to batch tasks in threes. I cap myself at three items at a time and I do not start another batch until all three are done. Prep veg and dressings the night before, label containers, and stack them in order of use. Mix and chill doughs earlier in the day so the oven works while you plate cold sides. I set a timer for each trio, clear the bench, and reset before the next set. If something runs long, I swap in a backup rather than add a fourth task.

What I hate the most about food prep for holiday is that I spend hours working on it, and usually end up without even trying half of the dishes I have prepared. This has been driving me nuts in the past, so I've decided to make a change in my approach to it. Last year, I've started preparing food in advance, and making twice the amount. The part that's dedicated for the party goes straight into the freezer and waits for its time to shine among the guests. The second half serves as my dinner the day I work on it. As a result, I'm not spending as much time in the kitchen in the days just before the party, I can eat all the good things I've prepared, and I avoid any kind of burnout. Of course, not all foods can be put in the freezer, but you would be surprised how much time you can save with proper planning and execution of this plan.

Being the person who does all the cooking and hosting for my family, it is inevitable that I get burned out due to the amount of tasks that accumulate in the final forty-eight hours. But what I have done to make holiday food prep free of stress is to make the appetizers the main event prep-wise and complete them a week ahead of time. Most people pay attention to the larger dinner items, but the appetizers are what people spend hours eating so if you finish them early, you save massive amounts of time and mental energy on the actual day. I choose three to four appetizers that can be frozen or stored well in the refrigerator, things like already rolled up mini quiches or a seasoned cheese log that requires no more than unwrapping. This strategy has allowed me to find 65 percent more free kitchen time for my Thanksgiving morning just for the turkey and sides. That change means I can focus totally on the quality of the main dinner and not race around trying to get through the starters as well as the feast.

Hello, This is Dr. Rron Bejtullahu, from SonderCare. I am an ophthalmologist with a family-owned clinic that has been in operation since 1987, so I understand a lot about working long hours and trying not to become a professional burnout. The smartest way to space out the task of preparing food for a holiday and avoid exhaustion is through the Three-Day Prep Rule for hosts. Here, instead of trying to do all of the preparations the day before or the morning of the celebration, give designated cooking assignments during the three days before the big event. This rule encourages you to spend no more than two hours each day on cooking so that you do not get burned out. Day one can be the day to make non-perishable baked goods such as pies and cut all of the vegetables that will be needed for recipes later in the week. Day two is ideal for making all sauces and complex side dishes that keep well in the refrigerator such as gravies or cranberry sauce. Day three should be reserved just for preparing the main protein such as the turkey or ham and anything that needs to be served fresh. This division reduces the total amount of time you've spent cooking down by about 50 percent, meaning you'll be able to enjoy the people you're entertaining without feeling totally drained. Kind Regards, Dr. Rron Bejtullahu Medical Doctor and Ophthalmology Email: rron.bejt@sondercare.com Company: SonderCare Bio: hhttps://www.sondercare.com/author/rron-bejtullahu-md/

The smartest way to avoid holiday prep burnout is to separate the planning from the doing. We don't get exhausted from the physical act of chopping; we get exhausted from the constant, low-level decision-making—"What's next? Do I have enough salt? What pan do I use?"—which drains our executive function. I often suggest creating a "CEO Day" a week out. For one hour, be the CEO: finalize the menu, write the complete grocery list, and create a detailed timeline. Go as far as deciding which serving dishes and utensils you'll need for each item. When it's time to cook, you are no longer the CEO; you are the "line cook." You simply follow the plan. This single shift stops your brain from constantly switching tasks and protects your cognitive resources, letting you be more present and less stressed.

At home, holiday cooking is on a schedule to cook a pre recipe, akin to a competition cook. Three days before, I do all the low risk work that will baseline, i.e. brining, chopping vegetables, par baking sides, labeling all out by reheating time temperature. Proteins are rolled, rubbed, and wrapped to allow flavor to be developed without the need to do it on the day. Guests are also able to remove individual preparatory tasks crossed off the list should they make it in advance, such as making dressings or garnishes, but no the heavy lifting. This kind of breaking it down ensures the consistency of flavor and also energy where it is needed most: timing the final cook. When you combine creativity in decision-making with last-minute scramble, then burnout occurs. When these have been split up, then you may enjoy the food as any one does. The most substantial dishes are done when the cook sits down to dinner when he is hungry, rather than when he is tired

I've discovered that approaching preparation like a slow simmer rather than a last-minute scramble is the best way to maintain your sanity over the holidays. I divided the work over several days, chopping veggies one night, arranging the table the next, and reserving the enjoyable parts, like sauces or desserts, for the morning of the event. I don't feel like I'm running a marathon in the kitchen because of it. I approach timing in the same manner that I would a campaign. Making a few deliberate preparations in advance makes everything go more smoothly and be more pleasurable. The smell of something half-prepared and the quiet hum of the refrigerator, while the rest of the world is still catching its breath before the big day, are also soothing.

A smart way to pace out holiday food preparation is to look at it as project management, not a one-day cooking marathon. I divide my menu into three categories: "Make-Ahead," "Day-Before," and "Same-Day." Sauces, casseroles, and pie crusts are the things for which I prepare a batch ahead of time — they freeze well, and with that downtime in the freezer, they taste even more delicious when you're ready to eat. The day before, I prepare some chopping, marinate only the sweet potatoes, and set up the table so the actual holiday is zen and not chaos. When I'm hosting, I also ask family or friends to "own" something for the masgouf, rather than just "bring something". It allows everyone to feel that they're a part of the celebration, and also takes a huge weight off my shoulders. And if I'm the guest, I'll offer to prepare or bring something that travels well, like roasted vegetables or dessert. Whether you're hosting or traveling, pacing your prep and delegating early will turn the former rat race into a (nearly) effortless team effort.

As the Founder and CFO of Event Staff, I oversee large-scale hospitality operations, so I know that the best way to avoid holiday burnout is to plan like a professional kitchen. Spread your food prep over several days instead of doing everything at once. Start by shopping and chopping ingredients two days before, then prepare sauces, casseroles, or desserts the day before. On the day of the celebration, you should only be reheating, finishing, and plating. Even small actions make a big difference. Set the table early, label serving dishes, and organize utensils ahead of time so the day feels effortless. If you are a guest, bring something that travels easily and can be served with little preparation. The key is timing and rhythm. When every task has its place on the calendar, you can focus on hosting and connection rather than exhaustion.

A few weeks before the holiday, I make a few "freezer MVPs"—dishes that hold flavor beautifully when frozen, like soups, casseroles, or pie fillings. I rotate one into my regular weekly meals and set one aside for the big day. When the holiday comes, half the work is already done, and no one suspects a thing. It's a quiet time-saver that keeps the kitchen from feeling like a production line. I get to actually enjoy the gathering instead of hovering over the stove pretending I'm on a cooking show.

Since Thanksgiving is coming up, I'll share how I usually handle it (can be applied to any other occasions). I like to spread the work across four days so I'm not killing myself at the end. I start a week ahead with anything that freezes well: pies, stuffing muffins, and mashed potatoes. Getting those done early clears up me major fridge space. I used to be afraid that freezing influences taste and texture, but after doing that for years it proved wrong. So don't be afraid. Then, two days before, I roast and debone the turkey, then make the broth and cranberry sauce. That one step saves me hours of chaos on the actual day. The night before, I set the table, prep drinks, and make one cold salad that sits overnight. Pineapple fluff is my pick because it just somehow tastes better the next day. On Thanksgiving morning, I don't rush and take my time. As the house already smells good, everything's under control, and I only need to reheat, make gravy, and bake rolls. Spacing it like this means I'm never rushing or stressed, and I can actually sit down and enjoy the meal I spent days making.