Our favorite ways to survive Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is an interesting holiday. Some celebrate it as an American tradition. Others see it as just an excuse to get together with the family to watch some football. Still others enjoy having an extra day of work or try to ignore it completely. But no matter how you look at it, there are often two areas where many of us could use help: preparing the traditional Thanksgiving meal and dealing with the stresses that a family gathering can create — especially these days, when conversations around the dinner table are more fraught than usual.

Here are some strategies employees use Edge Use them to negotiate holiday meals to help you stay grounded around family and friends.

Kill them with Kindness Fats and sugar

I started working in the cooking industry about a decade ago, and ever since then I’ve felt uncomfortable going to a party empty-handed. Instead, I go on a calorie attack. Thanksgiving means bringing a double batch of Millie Beartree Southern Macaroni and Cheeseout of courtesy New York Times. It’s a food-induced coma (I’m using three pounds of cheese here, guys), but it’s a once-a-year thing.

The truth is, I’m a baker at heart, so I generally rotate the desserts I bring to Thanksgiving and the holidays. I may Finally get Bûche De Noël if I’m feeling ambitious and I’ll use it Recipe by Sally McKinney If you do. I’m pretty sure Lan Lam was made Cranberry tart with almond crust From the American Test Kitchen and Emergency chocolate cake From Milk Street – This is somewhat ironic The history of these two sites. Both recipes are locked behind a paywall, but there are full ones video Lessons If you want to take it.

And if you hate cooking and baking, there are no rules against buying something pre-made from a bakery or supermarket, or using a packaged mix. —Brandt Runge, business writer

Get an old-fashioned blender

I’ve spent years mixing dishes during the holidays, and left my arms burning after kneading dense cookie dough with a wooden spoon. But then, I got the KitchenAid Stand Mixer Hand Mixer, and it’s been a lifesaver for making just about anything for holiday gatherings: cookies, pies, bread, even meatballs. My model comes with a few different attachments, including a whisk, flat beater, and dough hook, all of which make it very easy to accomplish whatever I do. All I have to do is add the ingredients, choose the speed, and watch the KitchenAid get the job done in half the time it would take by hand. —Emma Roth, news writer

Make the blue apron your co-pilot

I cooked an entire holiday meal for a small group a few years ago with help Blue apron It was a great success. You don’t have to be a member to order meals anymore, and you can choose from main dishes, sides and desserts for your holiday meals. They are shipped to you with the exact amounts of ingredients you will need along with step-by-step instructions. I appreciate the details about what I can do ahead of time and when. The results were amazing and I felt it So superior. – Alison Johnson, Senior Reviewer

Canned pumpkin isn’t cheating – by a lot

Every Thanksgiving, my partner and I would bring a side dish and a pair of pumpkin pies to the family feast. At first, we were under the impression that it would be best to make the pie from scratch (well, kind of scratch – we didn’t make the crust). So every year we would buy a pumpkin, open it, scrape it, remove the seeds…it was a wonderful production. It also took a lot of time, and sometimes we had to run to the store because we didn’t have enough for two pies.

One day, my partner found an article in one of his cooking magazines that said, “Hey! Canned pumpkin is OK! There’s nothing wrong with it—it’s just easier.”

We were skeptical at first, but it’s been a busy year, so we decided to give it a try. And yes! The pancakes came out fine. We still have a lot of praise. And we were a a lot Less stressed. -Barbara Krasnoff, Reviews Editor

Give your family a message of love

Board games are a great way to have fun as well as distract family members from potentially annoying discussions. But instead of dusting off your box of Monopoly or Parcheesi, get outside Love letter. It’s the perfect introduction to designer board games, because it’s easy to learn, you can start playing in less than 10 minutes, and rounds end almost as quickly – giving people plenty of cliffhangers if they want to join in or out.

Love Letter is designed around counting and tracking cards in a very small package. You’re only given a few cards at a time, and each one performs a simple task that can knock out your opponents (or yourself) in seconds. It comes in fun licensed versions, such as Marvel Comics, star warsand Bridgerton. -Antonio G. Di Benedetto, reviewer

Charge yourself and your devices

Look, the truth is, I’m spending Thanksgiving with nicotine on my lips. But I also tend to forget a lot of things when I travel with my kids. To try to avoid this, I use Ku Xiu Qi Foldable Charging Station 2.2The best 3-in-1 charger I’ve used so far. I bought it after my colleague, Thomas Ricker, Reviewed in September He sang her praises. Provides up to 25W wireless charging for my Apple Watch, and a third pad for my AirPods. All the juice arrives at the same time. No more forgetting chargers.

Now, I’m just making sure I get this Baseus retractable cable (Recommended by David Pearce) on My bagone USB-C brickand Ko Shio. — Todd Haselton, deputy editor

The number one thing that made my holiday season more enjoyable was realizing that it’s actually okay to step away from family relationships that cause you pain. There are many reasons why this is not an option for many people. But I’m lucky enough to not have any financial dependence to worry about. There were many family members who caused me endless grief because of my being trans, and I learned that it was okay to leave those relationships.

I spend the holidays with the family that really loves me, and I don’t talk to those who don’t. – Ursa Wright, Decrypt editor

Be the family photographer

If you’re a bit socially awkward, hiding behind the camera can be very effective. It’s a bit risky, because that annoying uncle or aunt might ask, “Oh, take that!” Or “Get one from so-and-so!” or “Isn’t that cute? Get a picture!” But it’s usually a net positive, allowing you to move from room to room or get out of certain situations. Is Uncle MAGA talking about something again? Well, the nieces and nephews are playing hide-and-seek in the other room, and that precious family moment needs to be documented.

Another downside is that you may be asked to send or post photos of family members, but this also stands you in good stead (if you care about pleasing people). And these same photos make easy gifts later.

-Antonio G. Di Benedetto, reviewer

When I need to de-stress from vacation, I go for a walk. It has multiple benefits. I can breathe the fresh air and touch the grass. I do some exercise to help burn off any baked goods I’ve eaten too much. I can go buy myself a hot drink. It’s easy and fun to do in a group, if you need something to get everyone off the couch.

Maybe I’ll take a walk now. — Jay Peters, Senior Reporter