You can see the panic in the grocery stores right now. Women, just coming home from work, running to the market trying to remember everything they need to buy for the Thanksgiving meal they will be preparing on Thursday. It’s been a long day, you’re tired and it’s easy to forget simple items you may need. Or, you’re shopping with the children and the distractions make it difficult to remember everything that goes in Aunt Betty’s famous stuffing recipe. I have a simple solution for you.
You begin to think outside the box when you have a blended family. The ravages of divorce force you to huddle together and look for ways to find consistency and security. I have discovered that for our family, holiday traditions became the cornerstone of stability. Early on, I figured out everyone’s favorite dish and then established the MENU. That’s right, MENU, unchangable, written in stone. Every year, it’s the tradition to make the same identical meal. Each holiday has it’s own. Each dish speaks to a particular family member as though it was made just for them. This is not the time to try out crazy new recipes…it’s tradition.
From my perspective, the very best part is the grocery shopping. After our first Thanksgiving, I made a menu with a corresponding grocery list for each dish. Nothing is left off, from beverages to salt and pepper… it’s all there. When it’s time to go to the grocery store, I
simply print out the “Thanksgiving Menu”, cross off the ingredients I already have and take off for the store. No more, forgotten dinner rolls, or cranberries. No more begging my husband to go to the store one more time for something I forgot. After 20 years of marriage, I’m always sure I could go shopping without the list, but I always take it to prevent an omission of something important.
With a little organization and planning you can get through this with minimal effort. I can’t cook it for you, but at least this will help. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Posted by:Linda Hawkinson
