By this time tomorrow many of us will have enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast. That means today many homes are busy preparing the big meal. Here are some short-cuts to make it easier.
We checked in with a few experts for some food prep tips.
At Smith’s in South Reno, employees are busy stocking produce and every other favorite food for the big holiday. As for the star of the show - the turkey - if yours is still frozen, your top priority should be defrosting it.
Alex A. Cerda, the manager of the Meat Department says, the uncooked meat needs to stay cold, even while it’s thawing; "The best way is running it under cold water that should get it ready by noon on Thursday".
Then, of course, the big bird needs to be put in the oven.
You can get to the cooking quicker by buying a fresh turkey. If poultry's not your thing, ham is a popular favorite and often comes pre-cooked and sliced.
For many of us, it's just not Thanksgiving without an abundance of side dishes and desserts. You can start from scratch or take a few short cuts. Boxed stuffing and deli-made veggies are crowd pleasers.
Plenty of customers were doing last minute shopping the day before the holiday. Brooke Cage brought her two little ones with her and says she only needs to prepare a side dish this year; "I'm doing some healthy stuff, so we're doing Whole 30 green beans"
Billy Howard says he likes to keep it low-cal; "I'll have a little piece of ham and maybe some - a lot of - celery and some vegetables”
Other shoppers admit – they do not want to cook – at all.
If not cooking sounds good to you, but your family wants to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal, most grocery stores have a perfect solution for you.
Tomasa Galvez heads up the Service Deli; "We have express turkey dinners for $49.99, we have prime rib, we have ham dinners." Those feed from six - eight people and Smith's will accept orders as late as Thanksgiving morning. Prices vary, but Whole Foods, Raley’s and Safeway also offer pre-made meals.
There are plenty of pies available - pre-baked or frozen.
How about appetizers to keep hungry guests happy? You can get a little help there, too from the salad bar and deli. Galvez suggests putting together an antipasto platter; "They can pick olives, roasted peppers, brie cheese. We have salamis."
If you do hit the grocery store today or tomorrow, you'll have plenty of company – the checkout lines are filling up. But the good news is, everyone's in a pretty generous mood.
Happy Thanksgiving!
