In just over a week, most of us will sit down to a delicious turkey dinner lovingly prepared by the home chef. You’ll probably have your friends, family, and even pets surrounding the table as you relish in the savory flavors of fall. Mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, fresh baked biscuits – each of these come together to form the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. But, for some of us, we’ll be on the road enjoying the freedom of RVing. Some might meet up with family at a favorite campground, while others might plan to spend the holiday with their spouse and a few select neighbors at the RV park. Regardless of how you choose to spend your holiday, there are a few important things to consider as you hit the road to enjoy the holiday.
Prepare Ahead of Time | Whether you’re meeting up with family or heading to the RV park you can take advantage of your RV’s amenities by baking desserts and making cranberry sauce ahead of time. Both of these items can be frozen for a couple of weeks without taking on that familiar frozen food taste and allow you to not fret over how your time is spent during the holiday.
Remove Clutter | If you’re planning on hosting Thanksgiving in your RV be sure to remove or put in your basement storage (if available) items that take up valuable seating space. If you happen to be enjoying the holiday in the southern states or west coast and are expecting warmer weather, try setting up a picnic table with a festive tablecloth and enjoying the holiday and warm weather.
Less is More | Most families waste about 25% of the food they prepare on Thanksgiving. Try preparing less food in an effort to save money and space. You might even find yourself saving on calories so you can enjoy an extra slice of pie!
Avoid Disposables | Disposable plastic and paper dishes cost more and fill our landfills with unnecessary waste. Use your regular dishes and enjoy your feast without having to worry about your plates wobbling and dropping food on your lap. Or, if you’re enjoying the holiday with neighboring RVers, ask everyone to bring their own placesetting.
Plan for Leftovers | While you might leave the RV park or family’s home with lots of great memories, you’ll also likely have plenty of leftovers in tow. Plan your meals for the coming week according to your leftovers. If you have had enough Thanksgiving fare for the time being, freeze what you have and use it within the month. It might not sound appealing now, but in the end you’ll be grateful for what you have.
Planning for Thanksgiving isn’t easy, but with a little forethought you can save time and money and make the most out of your holiday. Whether you’re with family and friends or just spending time with your spouse this holiday can be your best one yet. And, because this is the season for families, you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time making memories with your family.
