Don’t freak out, but Thanksgiving is right around the corner. And if you’re hosting this year, well, you might be freaking out. Luckily, we caught up with Cathy’s Catering owner Cathy Gunn to get some tips from a pro for preparing your Thanksgiving dinner. 

Your turkey tips 

When it comes to the big bird (not that one), the pressure is on. But Gunn says not to fret, it’s much simpler than you think – that is, if you don’t complicate things. “People say to put the stuffing in your turkey because of flavor,” says Gunn. “But that means it will take longer to cook, and it will be hard to judge when it’s done.” 

She recommends sticking to the basics: some seasoning, and a few hours in the oven depending on the size of your bird. And make sure to remember to defrost the turkey for at least three days before if your turkey is frozen. 

“That’s the biggest mistake people make,” she says. “Also, I hear stories like, ‘I was up at 5 in the morning because I had to put the turkey in,’” she says. “Why? It takes 15-20 minutes per pound. Even if you get a 30 lb turkey, it’s not an all day event.” 

Don’t be afraid of dietary restrictions

“Most people doing the family dinner are aware of different allergies within their family,” she says. “Usually, you want to have some options. You don’t have to prepare your whole meal around two people, but they need something to eat.” 

Gunn says turkey is usually fine for all dietary restrictions (except for vegan/vegetarian), as long as you don’t stuff it – more on that later. Other dishes she recommends for special diets are mashed potatoes, they’re gluten free and can be made dairy free; homemade cranberry sauce, add a little sugar and some spices to your cranberries; and sweet potatoes, they’re also gluten free and have natural sweetness. 

She also recommends providing a garden salad that everyone can eat. 

Don’t leave it all to the end 

Here’s a Thanksgiving pro secret: you could prepare the whole meal ahead of the actual holiday. 

Ok, so Gunn doesn’t recommend doing the turkey ahead of time, but all of those sides – mashed potatoes, stuffing cranberry sauce – no problem. 

Assess your fridge before Thanksgiving Eve

There’s nothing worse than getting all your Thanksgiving “ducks” (or turkeys) in a row and then discovering that there isn’t enough space in your fridge. So plan ahead. 

“It’s always a good idea to make sure you have as much room cleared out as possible,” Gunn says. “And if you have a small fridge, that might mean you have to do more on the day of.” 

You don’t have to do it all yourself

Let’s face it, we weren’t all meant to be professional chefs. Some of us weren’t even meant to be home cooks. But that doesn’t mean your Thanksgiving meal has to suffer. You can make things a whole lot easier by getting parts of your meal – or the whole thing – catered. 

“We do all the sides in our store,” Gunn says. “You can come pick them up, they’ll be done a couple days before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is your one holiday that you get to enjoy the tradition and your family, and you don’t have to buy gifts. It doesn’t have to be super stressful.”