Disaster-proof your holiday feast: Testing recipes before the big day

By Laura Sampson

Whether you’re cooking for a crowd for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving or any feast with friends and family, one of the most stressful things is the cooking. What if you could ease that stress with a little ingenuity and work beforehand?

Do you know the feeling when your stress levels climb prepping for a holiday or a big birthday event? Add on the stress of cooking for a crowd. That’s some pressure, for sure.

The secret to less stress in the kitchen during the holiday season is to test recipes before the big day. You’d never promise to make a wedding cake without knowing how to bake it, would you? The same applies to any meal where your food will be the star.

Reasons to recipe test before the big day

There are several reasons to try a recipe, or multiple recipes, before cooking it for a crowd. Do you have all the tools called for? Is your kitchen up to snuff? Do you have the right sizes of pots, pans and mixing bowls to pull this off? Don’t let a recipe like whipped potatoes fool you by calling for a hand mixer to finish off the dish.

Kitchen confidence

To start with, can you even manage to make the recipe? This is a big one because oftentimes we assume the steps will be easy but in reality, it’s just too much. Making it beforehand answers a lot of questions that may cause stress leading up to your big day.

Time management

When you’re cooking for a crowd on a big day, time can seem to slip away. Making sure you can make the recipe in the allotted time can make the day easier.

Remember food writers and recipe developers are professionals. They work hard to ensure the times are correct in their recipes but what may take them 10 minutes might take you 15. Just a few steps like that can set you back.

Recipe personalization

When you make a recipe, you’re always looking for ways to make it yours. Recipe testing in advance allows you to know if you like the recipe. And if you should make any changes. You don’t want to take chances on your big day.

How to test recipes

It’s best to not start with all new recipes for a big meal. Make several recipes or dishes you’re comfortable with and add one you’re unfamiliar with.

New to baking bread rolls? Maybe that’s your new special recipe for Thanksgiving. Spend the first couple weeks of November working on your bread-baking skills or learning how to make a bread wreath.

Remember, not every dish has to be complicated even for special occasions. You can just serve green beans as a side dish instead of a homemade green bean casserole. A simple green salad is just fine to serve with dinner; no need to make a huge impressive salad.

Make it in advance

With all that recipe testing going on, you’re bound to have a great version of your new favorite dish finalized and ready to cook for the big day. If it can be made in advance and frozen before the big day, do it. And take that worry off your plate. This one is a game changer and happy home cooks do it all the time.

Ask for help

When friends or family ask “What can I bring?” that’s the perfect time to ask for help. Don’t want to mess with pre-dinner drinks? Have someone bring a cooler and let them prepare and hand out drinks.

That triple-layer raspberry pretzel salad that you want to make this year? It will taste so much better when you haven’t stressed out over it and stayed up all night trying to make it work. Hand the recipe off to a friend or family member and let them make it.

Chances are, as guests, they are not stressing out over a big meal or worrying about it at all. And everyone is going to ask what they can do. So why not just let them help? It takes some of the stress off you and they feel useful. It’s a win-win situation.

Make it a wonderful day

When it comes down to it, testing recipes isn’t just about the food itself – it’s about setting yourself up for a calm, enjoyable day with friends and family. By tackling recipes in advance, you’re setting a stress-free stage where you can focus on what matters: Enjoying time with the people you’re cooking for.

And remember, not everything on the table has to be complex or impressive. A few tried-and-true dishes can anchor the meal, while one or two new recipes add just the right amount of flair. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, and accept those offers from friends and family who want to contribute. When everyone pitches in, the meal becomes a team effort, and you’ll spend less time feeling like a one-person show.

With a little prep and some honest delegation, you’ll find yourself savoring not only the meal but the moments around it. And special days get to stay special.

Laura Sampson of Little House Big Alaska is on a mission to teach modern family-oriented home cooks how to make old-fashioned foods new again. She shares her passion for home cooking, backyard gardening and homesteading on her website and blog.