Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving with Baby

Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving with Baby

Contributed by Olivia Leon, Yummy Mummy Marketing Director and Party Planning Enthusiast.

My husband and I have always loved to entertain friends and family. Before we had our baby we would throw dinner parties and brunches on the weekends. We always volunteered to host family occasions and holiday parties. We thought we wouldn’t have the time or energy to keep doing this after our son was born, but that wasn’t the case at all. We just had to change our approach a bit and let some of the details go. Here are seven helpful hints to survive hosting Thanksgiving dinner with a little one.

1)      Preparation – Make a list of everything that you need to do, clean, buy and cook. That way you won’t be running to the supermarket for the fifth time Wednesday night, or starting a cleaning project Thursday morning that could have been tackled the week before. Being organized saves time, money and stress.

2)      Get started now – Once you have created your list, see what you can do now. Is there a dish or two that you can make this weekend and freeze? Review your recipes and then check your pantry and food inventory, especially your spices. For the most part, spices don’t really go bad, but they do lose their flavor after a while, so it is always a good idea to double check the dates on the packaging.

3)      Shortcuts are a beautiful thing – Are there premade desserts, or partially prepared dishes that will cut down on your prep time? If you love to make your grandmother’s stuffing from scratch, go for it, but maybe you can get a premade pie. And check out grocery delivery services like Fresh Direct or Pea Pod. Some stores will even cook and deliver the turkey. Saving time and energy on supermarket shopping is a beautiful thing.

4)      Make it a Group Thing – People often ask what they can bring. I used to brush the offer off and tell them to just bring themselves, or a bottle of wine. Well after I had a baby, that all changed. Now I always accept the help and encourage friends and family to bring their favorite or signature dish, or if they don’t like to cook, they can pick up the dinner rolls or the centerpiece. Just take a look at your list and see what you still need.

5)      Designate a Caretaker – If you are planning to have several children at your Thanksgiving party, consider picking an older cousin to watch over the little ones and possibly even organize an activity or two. It gives parents a break and a chance to catch up with others.

6)      Kid Friendly Menu - If you are going to have several children at the event, consider grabbing some chicken nuggets and fries. It allows the kids to feel part of the big meal without worrying if they will want to eat the adult dishes. And if you have a baby who is up to solids, but not quite ready for real food, try a mashed sweet potato, possibly with some butter or leftover vegetable broth. It stays on theme but is baby friendly.

7)      Enjoy a glass or two of wine responsibly – It is fine to enjoy a glass or two of wine while you are entertaining, even if you are still breastfeeding. If you are concerned about alcohol content in your milk, you can simply use a milkscreen pad to test the presence of alcohol in your milk. https://yummymummystore.com/milkscreen-8-pack.html

The most important thing is that when the party starts, take the time to enjoy your friends and family. After all, you did all this work just to see them. So have fun and don’t forget to take some pictures. When your baby is all grown he or she will love looking back on them.

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