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Get Dinner on the Table Faster with These Doughboy-Approved Thanksgiving Hacks

By Pillsbury Kitchens
Updated July 9, 2024
Thanksgiving hacks approved by the Pillsbury Doughboy - quick and easy tips for a stress-free holiday feast.
Spend less time in the kitchen and more time giving thanks with friends and family with the Doughboy’s best time-saving Thanksgiving hacks. Share what you’re cooking on social with #Pillsbury!
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It’s All about Timing

Is it possible to pull off the perfect Thanksgiving meal AND reduce your stress levels? The Doughboy says yes! You got this. The ultimate hack is knowing how to spread the work throughout the days leading up to Thanksgiving, so you can focus on the most time-sensitive tasks when the big day arrives. Read on to find out exactly how and when to prep your dishes and pick up some helpful Thanksgiving cooking hacks along the way.

Logo featuring a smiling Pillsbury Doughboy giving a thumbs up, with a sign that says “Doughboy Approved

1-3 Days Before

Here’s where your prep begins. If you square away some time during the three days leading up to Thanksgiving for a few key tasks, you’ll be ahead of the T-Day game and show up to the family table as cool as a cucumber.

Cranberry sauce in a white bowl on a table.

Make Your Cranberry Sauce

Hack: Refrigerate your cranberry sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days before Thanksgiving. This will allow the flavors to marry and the sugars to set to a nice, thick consistency. Let it warm to room temp before serving and prepare for a tableful of compliments!

A pan filled with savory stuffing and colorful vegetables.

Prep Your Veggies

Hack 1: For a veggie tray, slice, cut or chop your veggies and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days before Thanksgiving. Carrots and celery sticks can be kept in water to help them stay nice and crisp. Then all you need to do is pull them out, arrange them on a tray and serve.

Hack 2: For stuffing, you can chop your onions, celery and carrots and even sauté them a day ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until you’re ready to toss them into the bread mixture. (You can cube and bake your bread ahead of time, too! Bake at 350°F until lightly toasted, allow to cool completely then store in an airtight container.)

Hack 3: For veggie side dishes, wash and chop greens, prep your cauliflower and peel and cube potatoes up to a day in advance. To keep potatoes from browning, refrigerate in a bowl of water until you’re ready to cook.

Person hand-crimping pie crust in a blue pie plate, while a whisk lays off to the side on a red and white towel.

Make Your Pies

Hack 1: Pies can be baked up to 36 hours before Thanksgiving. Once your pie has cooled, cover and refrigerate. Wait until serving time to make the whipped cream—it can become watery if stored in the fridge.

Hack 2: If you’re only a day ahead of the game, no sweat. Roll out and freeze your pie dough in the pie plate overnight. Then simply pull it out, add your filling and bake.

Hack 3: Don’t have time to make pie crust from scratch? Use Pillsbury™ refrigerated or frozen pie crust instead!

Thanksgiving Day

You’ve done all the prep work and now you’re ready for the main and sides. Here’s where the real fun begins!

A plate with a roasted turkey covered in herbs.

Roast Your Turkey 

Hack 1: Ask your butcher to break down your turkey into ready-to-roast pieces for quicker cooking. This will also help you save valuable fridge space.

Hack 2: Dry brine (rub with a salt mixture and let rest) or add dry seasonings to your turkey vs. wet brining (soaking the turkey in a salt mixture in the fridge overnight).

Hack 3: Cover your turkey with foil to ensure it browns evenly in the oven.

Mashed potatoes in a white slow cooker, with a large pat of melting butter in the middle.

Cook Your Veggie Sides & Stuffing 

Hack 1: Use a slow cooker for your mashed potatoes. This way, you can mash them directly in the slow cooker to save on dishes and easily keep them warm until serving to conserve oven space. 

Hack 2: Instead of bread cubes for your stuffing, use Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Biscuits—they’ll make it extra buttery. You can even make a few extra biscuits to serve on the side.

Hack 3: To save on oven space, use your air fryer to cook your veggies. Bonus, they’ll get extra crispy and delicious.

White gravy boat filled with gravy and a white-handled ladle.

Make Your Gravy

Hack 1: While your turkey rests, follow this simple recipe to make your gravy directly in the turkey roasting pan. This is a great option for non-brined turkeys—the drippings from a brined turkey may make your gravy too salty.

Hack 2: To prevent your gravy from becoming clumpy or grainy, use Gold Medal™ Wondra™ Flour or instant flour. It dissolves more quickly than all-purpose flour to make mixing extra easy.

Thanksgiving Dinner Checklist

Thanksgiving Dinner Checklist

We have even more ways to stress less on T-Day! This handy checklist tells you exactly which Thanksgiving foods and sides you can make from one week out to 30 minutes before mealtime.
Check The List
Check The List

Pillsbury's Best Thanksgiving Recipes

Pillsbury's Best Thanksgiving Recipes

Looking for just the right Thanksgiving dish to make? The Doughboy’s got you covered! Get your little turkeys in the kitchen and get ready to whip up lots of fun family memories with these easy and family-friendly recipes.
Get Cooking
Get Cooking
Assorted mini pies topped with Thanksgiving sides, served on small slate boards.

Day After Thanksgiving

When all the cooking is done and the big meal is over, it’s time for next-day leftovers to take center stage. Don’t let one morsel of your delicious dishes go to waste! For inspiration, take a look at our easy Leftover Turkey Recipes, like these super cute Thanksgiving Dinner Minis.

Hack 1: Keep it simple! Pillsbury™ Crescent Rolls and Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts help make any leftover recipe a breeze.

Hack 2: Brush up on the best ways to store, freeze or refrigerate and reheat your leftovers with this helpful guide.

Pillsbury Doughboy walking toward a sign that says “Roll with it”.

Roll With It

With these Doughboy approved hacks in your back pocket, your Thanksgiving meal is bound to be a huge success. And of course, no matter how or when you bring your dishes to the table, the best part of the day comes when your friends and family gather around to enjoy it. So sit back, relax and enjoy every delicious moment.