Holiday Guide

Planning

Planning for any holiday celebration is key. Prepare meals that you enjoy making and the rest will be a breeze. Follow these simple guidelines to help you relax and enjoy the gathering.

1. Determine what type of turkey you want for your feast — Fresh or Frozen?
2. Use our Plan Perfect Portions Calculator to ensure that you have the right amount of turkey and stuffing for your Holiday dinner. While you’re at it, check out our other helpful Calculators and Conversion Charts to find the answers you need to make all of your preparations a breeze.
3. Going to the grocery store is a necessity during the holidays. But it shouldn’t take you away from friends and family. Create a personalized Shopping List to help plan your big day in advance and get you in and out of the store with ease. Remember to avoid a last minute rush by purchasing your canned, frozen, and prepackaged items in advance. But shop for your perishable and fresh items closer to the date.
4. Make sure your meal comes together as you have planned by figuring out meal preparation, giving yourself enough time to set the table, garnish your dishes, and more. Discover how our Butterball^® turkey experts Bring It Together for their feasts.
5. Create a Picture-Perfect Turkey by following these simple steps. An impressive meal is easier than you think and better than you imagine. Give us a call at 1-800-BUTTERBALL or drop us an email if you have any questions. A wealth of knowledge is waiting for you now, and it’s just a click or call away.
6. Nothing sets the tone for your dinner more than the Decorations. Pastel flowers, plants or even budding branches from your yard can add a spring-like touch to your home and table.
7. Top off each place setting with an expertly folded napkin, the perfect finishing touch to a sophisticated dining experience. Elegant Napkins provides some simple ideas that will wow your guests.
8. Be creative with your place cards and table settings to fit your celebration and get everyone in a festive mood. Since holiday guests are often a diverse group, encourage conversation with helpful advice from Seating and Serving.
9. Select a wine to complement your turkey dinner with the help of our Wine Pairing section, and get tips on how to store the bottles before the big day.
10. Keep it safe. Proper food handling is critical to enjoying every meal to its fullest. See what Food Safety steps you should follow to ensure that your celebration is fun for everyone.

Preparing and Serving

Make your holiday meals as easy as possible with these preparation and serving tips that can add to the beauty of your table and your celebration.

1. Decide what preparation and cooking method fits your feast. Find all the information you need to make your main course with our guide to Roasting, Grilling, Rotisserie, Deep-Frying, or Brining your turkey.
2. Once your turkey is cooked, how do you know if it’s ready to serve? Check out our rules on how to Know When Your Turkey is Done.
3. You’ve got the turkey under control. What’s next? How about Adding Extra Flavor with stuffing and gravy? Check out our handy tips and complete your meal with something savory.
4. Set your table with a beautifully Carved and perfectly Garnished turkey by following these simple guidelines, and have a table that everyone will love almost as much as the feast itself.
5. Bring on the leftovers! We know that many people feel that Leftovers are the best part of any celebration, so we’re showing you great ways to get the most out of them all. Remember to properly store your leftovers within 2 hours of serving by putting them in sealed containers or in tightly wrapped foil in your refrigerator.

Time-Saving Resources:

Browse our Time-Saving Tips to buy yourself some extra time during the hectic holiday season.

Choose from any of our easy-to-follow demonstration videos and prepare stress-free meals:

• Choose a Turkey
• Thaw a Turkey
• Stuff a Turkey
• Roast a Turkey
• Carve a Turkey
• Turkey Leftovers