This Professional Chef’s Tips to Make Your Thanksgiving Easy

Published: November 27, 2025

By Gavin Boyle

“Smitten Kitchen” chef Deb Perelman discussed her Thanksgiving hacks and how she makes a delicious meal that is easy and tasty without breaking the bank.

“A lot of my Thanksgiving menu is based around inexpensive ingredients. If you have access to a farmers’ market or you’re growing vegetables, that’s great, but if you can make just-okay ingredients taste good, you’re doing something right,” Perelman told Women’s World.

“I love Thanksgiving dishes that are in 9×13” pans, or some sort of casserole dish. I like it to have high sides, and I will make it like a game of Jenga in my oven when I’m reheating them. I’ll have three casserole dishes crisscrossed, because there’s always the question of how to reheat all of the food that you have at the same time with limited over space…” she continued, sharing tips for Thanksgiving prep. “I tend to avoid sheet pan vegetables and things that are going to lose their crisp and need to be perfect right out of the oven. I prefer things that are more baked and are more forgiving of not being burning hot when they come out.”

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While the cost to host a Thanksgiving feast is always a worry, Perelman is right that this holiday can be less expensive than even a typical dinner party. A report from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) found that the cost of a 10-person Thanksgiving dinner this year averages to $55.18, the third year in a row prices have dropped.

“It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal,” AFBF Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D, said in a statement. “Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”

Costs, however, can fluctuate across the country, especially as what is expected to make the Thanksgiving table changes depending on where you live. For example, those living on the West Coast tend to favor candied yams, while the Midwest loves green bean casserole, and those living in the upper East Coast seek out cornbread-based stuffing.

Regardless, Thanksgiving is a time for families to come together and put differences aside while enjoying a meal together. Perelman’s tips help take some of the stress out of actually making the meal, allowing those in charge of putting food on the table able to enjoy more of the time with their loved ones.

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