Benzinga's Thanksgiving Guide: Plan Strategically

Planning a Thanksgiving feast is no different from managing a portfolio: plan ahead and proceed with confidence.

Step 1: The Game Plan

Before running out to buy the Thanksgiving turkey and all the sides, it's important to take some time to create a game plan.

These are some of the basic questions you should be able to answer before hitting up the grocery store:

• How many people are coming.
• Are there any food allergies or restrictions?
• Is there enough room at the table for all the food and guests?
• Is there enough room in your fridge and freezer?
• Do you have all the necessary equipment like knives and cutting boards?

Once these questions are answered, it's time to move on to menu planning. A standard Thanksgiving feast includes a turkey, several sides and dessert. A host can feed eight people for under $50 at Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT), according to CNBC, and those on a budget may want to avoid higher-priced grocery retailers like Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)'s Whole Foods.

Now it's safe to move on to the grocery store with a list in hand of everything that's needed.

Step 2: Food Safety

Turkeys can be cooked multiple ways, including smoking, grilling, roasting and deep frying. Regardless of the method, food safety is paramount. The Food Safety and Inspection Service says a turkey is safe to eat when a food thermometer registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast.

Stuffing a turkey is not recommended, as it could block heat from cooking the interior of the turkey properly — or raw turkey droppings could drip into the stuffing. Those who choose to stuff a turkey need to understand that stuffing similarly needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

More than 1 million people are sickened each year in the U.S. by salmonella bacteria with more than 23,000 hospitalized, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Step 3: Logistics

Most kitchens are not equipped with sufficient cooking space to tackle an entire Thanksgiving menu at the same time. Different food items require different cooking temperatures, which creates a problem for those who leave all the work for the last minute. YouTuber Alex French Guy Cooking recommends hosts begin preparing for a feast as soon as the Monday prior to Thanksgiving. 

Sticking to a proper schedule days in advance ensures a host spends more time with their friends and family and less time hiding away in the kitchen.

Step 4: Inspiration

Looking for inspiration? Looking to wow your guests with a unique feast? You'll find a selection of cooking videos below for beginner, intermediate and advanced cooks looking to impress their guests.

The Turkey

• Beginner: Food Wishes' Chef John prepares a technique-free, ultra-simple turkey.
• Intermediate: BBQ Pit Boys prepares an apple cider-brined turkey roasted on the grill.
• Intermediate: Franklin Barbecue's Aaron Franklin offers a step-by-step guide to smoking a turkey.
• Advanced: Chef Tom of ATBBQ.com prepares a turducken: a turkey stuffed with chicken and duck.
• Something Different: an award-winning grand champion BBQ pitmaster prepares an Indian-inspired tandoori turkey.

The Sides

• Binging with Babish explains the basics of classic Thanksgiving sides.
• Tasty prepares 12 different sides with a twist.
• Gordon Ramsay prepares a pork, sage and apple stuffing.
• Jamie Oliver covers everything you need to know about making gravy from start to finish.

Dessert

• Twisted's list of 11 Thanksgiving desserts includes classics like apple pie.
• Tasty offers 20 fall desserts that are appropriate for a Thanksgiving feast.
• Imperial Sugar prepares a beautiful-looking pumpkin trifle with cranberry orange sauce.

Peas, the 2018 National Thanksgiving Turkey, prior to its pardon by President Donald Trump Tuesday. White House photo by Andrea Hanks.