Family Cooks- Here’s How to Stay Sane in the Kitchen This Holiday Season

The holidays are meant to be a time of joy and connection, but let’s be honest—if you’re the one doing the cooking, they can sometimes feel more like a marathon than a celebration. The stress of pulling off a big meal for family and friends can easily make you forget what this time of year is all about: gathering with loved ones, enjoying each other’s company, and soaking in the warmth of the season. But with a few simple strategies, you can keep the holiday chaos at bay and actually savor the moments, even while you’re juggling pots and pans. Here’s how:

Mise en Place – Prep is Key

Before you even start cooking, take a deep breath and embrace the magic of mise en place—which is just a fancy way of saying, get everything ready before you cook. The more you have prepped in advance (veggies chopped, spices measured, ingredients laid out), the less frazzled you’ll feel when it’s go time. It’s amazing how much smoother everything goes when you’re not scrambling for that forgotten ingredient mid-recipe.

You can read our Mis En Place Tip here, and learn the strategy of expert cooks!

Prep Ahead, Enjoy Later

You don’t need to do everything the day of! Some dishes, like casseroles, cranberry sauce, or even dessert, can be made ahead. Even doing small things like peeling potatoes or chopping veggies the night before makes a world of difference. The more you can tackle in advance, the more time you’ll have to actually enjoy the holiday with your family. Remember, no one’s asking you to be a superhero—do what you can to give yourself a break.

Knock out the dishes that hold up well in the fridge. Cranberry sauce, stuffings, and even pies can all be made the day before, freeing up precious kitchen space (and your sanity).

Make a Game Plan

When you’re running the kitchen, a plan is your best friend. Write down your menu and list the cooking times for each dish, then work backward to figure out when to start each one. Keep the big players like the turkey in mind, and plan around oven space and temperature. This way, you’re not stuck with a cold side dish or a burned roll because you tried to do it all at once.

Hang your schedule on the fridge or somewhere visible so you don’t have to keep checking your phone or flipping through pages mid-meal prep.

Let People Help – It’s Okay!

This one can be hard, but hear us out—you don’t have to do everything yourself. Let your guests bring a dish or ask them to help set the table, stir a sauce, or even keep an eye on the rolls in the oven. The holidays are about gathering together, and people love to contribute. Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks—it makes everything more fun, and you get to keep your sanity in check.

And if you’re up for it, set up a self-serve drink or snack station. This keeps your guests happy and busy while you finish up the cooking without feeling rushed.

Timing is Everything

Think of your kitchen like a dance floor—timing out when things go in and come out is key to making sure everything is ready at once. Start with the dishes that need the longest cooking time and work your way down. Use resting time for the turkey or roast to reheat sides, and group oven dishes by temperature to maximize your space. Once you’ve mastered the timing, you’ll feel like a pro in the kitchen.

You can take advantage of the in between windows, like when the main dish rests, that’s your window to crisp up sides, toss salads, and finish off any final touches.

Embrace the Imperfection

Let’s be real—no one will notice if you bought the pie crust or picked up pre-chopped veggies at the store. The holidays are about enjoying each other’s company, not driving yourself crazy over every little detail. If you take a few shortcuts along the way, that just means more time for you to sit down, relax, and actually be present with your loved ones.

At the end of the day, remember what the holidays are really about: time spent together. If the mashed potatoes are a little late or the rolls are store-bought, that’s okay. Your family will remember the laughs, the conversation, and the moments shared far more than whether everything was perfect on the plate. So take a breath, pour yourself a glass of something festive, and enjoy the warmth of the season—you deserve it!