There are only 2 things I don’t love about large holiday gatherings:

1. The last-minute rush to prepare multiple foods at the exact right time while everyone is waiting.
2. ALL the cleanup.

As a result, I’ve nearly perfected the art of making all our favorite Thanksgiving recipes in advance.

Even the turkey!

I’m to the point where I do almost no cooking on the actual holiday — just reheating the foods and a bit of cleanup.

I promise, everything still tastes amazing!

How to Make Your Turkey Ahead

Yes, it’s possible to make your turkey several days in advance and still serve tender, juicy meat at your holiday meal.

I’ve been doing it this way for years, and no one has complained yet. I even converted my parents a few years ago!

I’ve also heard from hundreds of you who are making your turkeys in advance. So this method works!

STEP 1 = Season your turkey as desired (I use garlic, salt, pepper, onion, thyme) and place BREAST DOWN in an oven-safe “turkey bag”.

STEP 2 = Roast turkey according to directions on oven bags (based on the weight of the turkey). Allow the turkey to rest in the juices until it’s cool enough to handle.

STEP 3 = Remove meat from the bones and refrigerate in large food storage containers or zip-top bags (save the bones for Step 4).

I usually try to cut large chunks of meat, and I separate white and dark meat into different containers (this isn’t necessary, though). You may leave some bones in or remove them all — I remove all the bones.

STEP 4 = Make bone broth with remaining bones. Put the bones in your largest slow cooker, fill it with water, and cook on low for 24 hours.

This makes the most delicious broth to use for gravy, stuffing, and when you reheat the turkey on Thanksgiving Day. (more on that below)

STEP 5 = Reheat turkey meat in slow cookers or large roasting pan, covered in broth.

About 4-6 hours before you’re ready to eat, put the refrigerated turkey meat into a slow cooker (or maybe 2 slow cookers if you’re separating white and dark meat).

Cover your meat with bone broth (store-bought stock or even water will work too) and turn the slow cooker on low for about 4 hours.

If you want to do it in the oven, you’ll probably only need 90 minutes at 250ºF — but make sure you pour the broth into the pan and cover it with a lid or tinfoil so the broth doesn’t evaporate.

Your finished turkey won’t look as pretty as a nicely dressed bird, but it will taste amazingly juicy, and you’ll save yourself so much stress and mess!

Make-Ahead Hot Side Dishes

Every recipe below can be made 1 to 4 days in advance, covered, and refrigerated until your Thanksgiving Meal.

Simply preheat your oven to 350ºF and throw everything into the oven at the same time (about 45 -60 minutes). Or cook in a slow cooker on low for 4 hours.

Make sure your food is covered with foil if you’re reheating it in the oven. This will prevent it from drying out.

• Sausage Stuffing
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole
• Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
• Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
• Roasted Carrots
• Easy Vegetable Bake 
• How to Make and Reheat Roasted Vegetables
• Gravy — make your gravy with the broth from Step 4, and reheat it in a slow cooker or on the stovetop on Thanksgiving Day.

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Desserts 

Almost any “cold” pie or dessert can easily be made the day before and refrigerated until after your meal — in fact, they often taste better when allowed to sit overnight.

NOTE: If you prefer warm fruit pies, just place your already-baked pies on cookie sheets and pop them into a 250º oven for roughly 20 minutes (do this while you’re eating the main meal).

These are some of our favorite cold pies and desserts.

• Pumpkin Pie Delight Dessert :: It’s just as delicious as your favorite pumpkin pie, but feeds twice as many people!
• Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie :: A cross between cheesecake and pumpkin pie.
• Double-High Pumpkin Pie :: Another amazing twist on a classic pumpkin pie.
• No-Bake Fruit Pies :: Tweak this recipe for raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, or peach.
• No-Bake Pudding Pie :: This is always a hit with the kids!
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie :: Another great make-ahead option.
• Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie :: A long-time favorite for me.
• Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars :: These are amazing!
• Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Bread :: Try it with applesauce instead of oil.
• Pecan Lemon Bars :: These freeze great too.
• 4-Layer Caramel Peanut Butter Fudge :: I only make this for the holidays!
• Simple Spiced Molasses Cookies :: So much flavor in this holiday treat.

Change Your Family’s Gift-Giving Culture:

We love spoiling our kids on their birthdays — special breakfasts, dinner with grandparents, sometimes a lunch date with mom or dad, occasional parties with friends, and quite a few gifts… but this is really the only time of the year we get them lots of gifts for a celebration.

We don’t do any gifts for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, or any other “Hallmark Holiday” during the year.

And for Christmas, we usually keep it very simple with a few gifts they need and items they purchase for each other from the School Love Bazaar.

We don’t do stockings, we don’t do “Santa gifts”, we don’t have any specific gift-giving routines, and we often open our handful of Christmas gifts several weeks before Christmas — so Christmas Day with our own immediate family isn’t about gifts at all (don’t worry, the kids get Christmas gifts from grandparents!)

I do have lots of fun wrapping our family Christmas gifts each year — but we spend very little money on the actual gifts, and it’s definitely not the focal point of our Christmas season.

I don’t say this to shame anyone who does things differently, but rather to point out that clutter-free gift-giving is less about limiting the number of gifts you give on any specific day and more about how you approach gift-giving in general.

Our kids don’t expect gifts for anything other than their birthday and a few Christmas gifts from relatives. And Dave and I don’t make a big deal about gifts on our birthdays, our anniversary, or even Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

We do celebrate… just not with gifts.

Before you start setting legalistic “rules” for your holiday gift-giving, I’d encourage you to first consider your current gift-giving culture as well as what your ideal gift-giving culture would be.

Focus on small changes you can make this holiday season and throughout the coming year… then continue to implement less consumeristic traditions into your family’s special days in years to come.

Obviously, if you are happy with your current gift-giving traditions, don’t feel pressured to change anything.

However, if you’d like a few ideas to help you reduce “gift clutter”, I’ve got 10 clutter-free gift-giving traditions you might consider this year!

1. Plan an Experience Together

This is one of my (and my kids’) most favorite gift ideas any time of year — birthdays, Christmas, or “just because”.

It’s not necessarily cheaper or easier than buying a gift, but it is clutter-free, and the memories will last longer than almost any other gift.

That said, an experience gift does not need to be expensive — it could be as simple as planning a game night together with some special snacks or going for a bike ride and grabbing an ice cream cone.

Experience gifts are great for kids (from parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.), but they are also a great gift to give to that hard-to-buy-for person on your list.

Related Reading: Fun and Easy Experience Gift Ideas

2. Give an I.O.U + a Shopping Date

Growing up, Dave’s family often gifted I.O.U. coupons (I owe you) with an item or list of items they thought the other person might want. Then, after the holiday, they went out shopping together as a family to purchase some of these items (often at discounted prices since the holiday was over).

This is fun for younger children who don’t have their own money. They can simply draw a picture or write out what gift they want to give their parents or siblings, and then everyone can enjoy shopping together while Mom and Dad foot the bill (older children can pitch in with their own money).

3. Volunteer Together

Volunteers are always needed — at church, at school, in the community, or even right in your own neighborhood. Volunteering together as a family is a great opportunity to give back to those around you, to teach valuable lessons, and to make memories together.

You could pair a volunteer opportunity with a fun family dinner or dessert at a favorite restaurant for some extra togetherness.

4. Donate Money to a Special Cause

This is my favorite gift for elderly relatives who don’t need anything (not even more pictures), but you don’t want them to feel left out or forgotten.

Our kids have also been invited to peer birthday parties where, instead of a gift, they have requested $5 or $10 donations to a specific cause.

Be intentional about donating to something you think they would value, and pair it with a thoughtful card or note, explaining why you chose that specific cause or organization.

Related Reading: 5 Gift Ideas for the Person who has Everything

5. Host a White Elephant Gift Exchange

These have always been fun for me — with family, with friends, with coworkers, with neighbors. Everyone usually gets into the fun and no one needs to purchase an expensive gift. In fact, all the White Elephant Gift Exchanges I’ve participated in over the years have required the gift to be something you already have in your home (and it doesn’t need to be new).

You can use any rules you want — as long as they are agreed upon before you start the exchange. And you could also hide a $20 bill in one of the gifts as an extra fun surprise.

6. Plan a Gift Card Exchange

Ask everyone involved to purchase a gift card for a set dollar amount (I’ve participated in gift card exchanges that are anywhere from $5 to $100 — they are always fun).

As people open a gift card, they can either choose to keep their gift card or “trade” with someone else. The process keeps going until all the gift cards are opened. Sometimes the trading can get intense, and everyone is usually laughing by the end.

Related Reading: Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards

7. Draw Names & Set a Monetary Limit

If your family isn’t quite ready to give up gifts, drawing names is one of the best and easiest ways to limit excessive spending and gift-giving during the holidays — especially if you have many siblings, cousins, friends, etc. involved in the gift exchange

Simply buy one gift and get one gift — done!

Also, it’s important to set a monetary limit for these gifts — the lower you set it, the more creative people will get!

8. Give a Consumable Gift

Although I hesitate to recommend personal toiletries or food items due to so many allergies and personal preferences these days, I’m also well-aware that these can be great frugal and clutter-free gift options if you know your recipient well and are aware of any allergies or sensitivities they have.

I love consumable gifts… because they are useful and clutter-free. Plus, they do seem more personal to me (but I also don’t have any allergies or sensitivities).

Related Reading: Tips for Giving the Gift of Food

9. Give Want, Need, Wear, Read Gifts

It’s hard to tell parents or grandparents not to give any gifts to their children/grandchildren… but if your goal is to move away from the consumeristic side of the holidays, it’s wise to set a limit on gifts.

I love the classic “Want, Need, Wear, Read” which limits you to 4 gifts for each child:

1. Want: something they just really want — this could be anything!
2. Need: an item they actually need — often socks, toiletries, an item for school etc.
3. Wear: any type of clothing, shoes, coat, backpack — something they can put on.
4. Read: any type of book (could also be a music or media item)

I’ve also heard of the “3 Wisemen Gift tradition” where each person gets 3 gifts, similar to how the Wisemen gave Jesus 3 gifts.

These options are helpful when trying to limit the number of gifts others buy for your children.

10. Coordinate One Group Gift

This is always my go-to option for any teacher or coach — it takes a bit more planning and organization, but I think it makes things easier (and more clutter-free) in the long run.

I usually send an email a month or so before the gift is needed, explaining my gift-giving intentions and asking for any donations to be sent to my Venmo. Then I purchase the gift, send out an email with a picture, and sometimes do a group card with a note or at least a “signature” from the class, team, group, etc.

This also works for families too — we love doing family gifts (either as the recipient or the giver).

We got a trampoline from my parents as a family gift one year and a zoo membership from Dave’s parents. We’ve gifted other families with memberships or even something like a “Family Movie Night gift basket”.

Group gifts are a great way to cut back on excess gift clutter!

Related Reading: Our Favorite Clutter-Free Teacher Gifts

Want More Clutter-Free Gift Ideas?

I’ve written extensively on clutter-free gifts over the years!

Here’s my Ultimate List of more than 75 clutter-free gift ideas for all ages and all budgets.

I could go on… but what I’d really like to read is what YOU do with your family!

What are your favorite clutter-free gift-giving traditions?

1. Only clean what the guests see.

I’m not encouraging you to stuff things in your back closet or under your bed, but I am telling you not to waste time cleaning every nook and cranny of your home before your guests arrive.

Not only will they not notice if your upstairs hall closet is perfectly organized or if the baseboard behind your couch is dust-free, but they also won’t care (or at least they shouldn’t).

My mantra is that the house should be clean enough for my family and guests to feel comfortable… but not to the point where I spend days cleaning and organizing beforehand (because then hosting would feel more stressful).

Personally, I make sure the bathrooms and kitchen are clean, the living room and entryways are decluttered, and the floors are vacuumed/swept.

This is good enough for me… and I can do it all in under an hour.

2. Clean out your fridge!

Even though your guests might not see inside your fridge right away, chances are you will need extra fridge space for all your extra food.

I usually try to have my kitchen fridge as empty as possible when we’re hosting a big event so there’s plenty of room for extra food, drink, and leftovers.

If you have an extra fridge, consider moving your non-needed items (like various condiments). And if you don’t have an extra fridge, you might consider loading up a cooler with ice and storing the non-needed items on your back porch.

Fridge space fills up fast, and it’s nice to have a clean, decluttered fridge for your party.

3. Designate a spot for coats, shoes, bags, etc.

For the first 8 years of homeownership, we didn’t have a mudroom (or even an entryway closet), so it was important to designate a space for everyone’s coats, shoes, bags, etc.

Now, thanks to our mudroom addition, we have a fantastic spot for everyone to dump their gear.

If you don’t have a mudroom (and you don’t want everyone dropping their shoes and bags directly in front of your door), I’d suggest taking people’s coats and bags when they arrive and laying them on your bed, hanging them in the laundry room, or putting them somewhere relatively close to the entryway.

Then bring extra rugs or towels over to the entryway for all the shoes. Make sure these rugs are close enough to your door to be easily accessible, but not too close that they hinder traffic flow when guests arrive.

I’m still loving my giant mudroom rugs for all our wintertime entertaining!

4. Spread out the food and drinks.

I wouldn’t consider our house small, but it starts to feel fairly crowded when 20+ people are all huddled around the kitchen island.

I don’t like feeling crowded, so our first choice is always to entertain outside — either on the lawn, in the garage, by the pool, or in our outbuilding. However, when we’re inside, I usually try to spread the food throughout the main living areas.

For example:

• Cold Drinks: I set up a drinks station next to the refrigerator with cups, ice, water, pop, etc.
• Hot Drinks: During cold weather, I’ll set up the Keurig and hot water kettle in another part of the kitchen with coffee pods, homemade hot chocolate mix, tea bags, and all the fun toppings.
• Appetizers: I’ll often put plates of appetizers on coffee tables or side tables so people can munch while they sit around and mingle.
• Hot Foods: I use our kitchen island for hot foods, as it has access to plugs for slow cookers and it’s heat resistant.
• Desserts: I usually put desserts (with more plates and napkins) in our office, which is open to the living room and has hard floors for easy cleanup!

It doesn’t take much additional work on my part, and it forces my guests to spread out and mingle instead of all hovering in one spot.

5. Use paper and plastic.

It’s not exactly eco-friendly, but it makes clean-up so much faster and easier.

Unless you’re having a formal sit-down dinner, I highly encourage the use of paper and plastic plates, napkins, cups, and maybe even utensils.

NOTE: please don’t skimp on this — purchase large, high-quality, heavy-duty plates for the main meal so people can really load up. Save the cute holiday-themed plates for desserts or appetizers!

I usually set out Sharpie markers so everyone can label their cups (especially if kids are involved). I also set out several trash cans and recycling bags so it’s obvious where the trash needs to go… and so I (hopefully) don’t end up with piles and piles of cups and plates on my counter!

If you’re not comfortable using paper and plastic, I’d suggest scouring local thrift stores for lightweight, stackable, white plates (I like the Corelle brand as they don’t break easily) and extra sets of cutlery so you have plenty of dishes to go around.

Also, I’ve gotten into the habit of using disposable tinfoil pans whenever possible — they are lightweight, stackable, and make cleanup so much easier! I find mine at the dollar store or on Amazon.

6. Triple-line all trash cans.

Speaking of trash and cleanup… save yourself a bit of mess and put three trash bags in every trash can.

Not only does this help protect against a ripped bag that leaks gross stuff all over your trash can, but it also makes it really easy to take out the trash when it gets full. You don’t have to mess with putting another bag in… just remove the old bag, and you’re ready to go.

Also, if you use Tip #4 and spread out your food, make sure you offer trash cans (triple-lined!) at each of those food locations.

NOTE: almost every time we host anything, someone comments on how “smart” it is to triple-line the trash cans. It sounds simple, but it can be a game-changer during (and after) your party!

7. Have extra food on hand.

As the host, there are times when I make all the food. But more often, the event is a potluck where everyone brings a dish to pass.

I usually give some helpful suggestions as to the recipes or types of food I’m looking for (appetizers, desserts, vegetables, salads, etc.). However, I’ve never hosted a party where everyone showed up and brought what they said they were going to bring.

This used to bug me (a lot), but now I just plan ahead and make a few extra items that can go in the freezer if we don’t need them.

For example, I always have this super quick appetizer on hand, and I’ll usually make a few extra desserts or snacks just in case. If we don’t need them, I put them in the freezer for later — but if we run out of food, I can quickly grab them from the pantry.

Here are a few of the non-perishable foods I like to keep on hand:

• a variety of chips and dip
• tortilla chips and salsa/guac
• popcorn
• trail mix / Chex mix
• several different types of crackers
• salami, summer sausage, and beef jerky (they freeze great and last for a long time)
• a variety of block cheeses that can be quickly sliced
• hummus — great for veggies, crackers, pita bread
• this from-a-box bundt cake (it stays moist for several days and freezes well)
• Rice Chex bars — they are a great gluten-free option

RELATED READING: 10 Tips for Bringing a Dish to Pass

8. Serve a “Signature Drink”.

One way to simplify your hosting duties and save a bunch of money is to serve a “signature drink” as your main (or only) beverage option.

Obviously, water is always available (maybe coffee too), but I love serving this simple punch recipe for gatherings all throughout the year. It can easily be tweaked to fit every season, any holiday, and even different color schemes. Plus, everyone loves it!

9. Provide disposable containers for leftovers.

If possible, I like to pack up leftovers in disposable containers so we can fit everything in the fridge (our nicely cleaned-out fridge ) and wash the original dishes to send home with guests.

This is especially helpful for all-day events when unwashed dishes get smelly and baked food gets crusted on.

Purchase inexpensive to-go containers, use extra plates wrapped with aluminum foil or Press ‘n Seal wrap, or pull out your extra yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, and Cool-Whip containers.

Depending on your guests’ preferences and how many leftovers you have, you might even consider letting them choose their leftovers — maybe take a little sampling of everything back home for an easy leftover meal the next day.

It’s so nice to send your guests home with clean dishes and yummy leftovers. Plus, the kitchen and eating areas feel much neater and cleaner without food and dirty dishes sitting out all day.

10. Let your guests help.

This is a hard one for me… but I’m slowly getting better at it!

I have a friend who intentionally doesn’t have the food ready when guests arrive, and she puts them to work in the kitchen to help her get the meal on the table.

I’m still a bit too independent and timely to pull that off, but I do think guests generally want to feel useful when they are being hosted by a friend or relative.

Let them help restock snacks, clear the table, dry dishes, or pack up leftovers.

NOTE: Now that we have a living area in our kitchen, it’s literally the gathering spot for all our guests — they sit and chat while I finish the meal. It’s one of my favorite things about our 2020 “room swap”!

A Few Bonus Entertaining Tips:

• Keep cleaning supplies handy for inevitable spills (this is my favorite carpet stain spray).
• Consider providing printed recipe cards for some of your “signature dishes”.
• Burn candles in bathrooms (if you can do it safely) and have room spray available.
• Offer gum, mints, or even floss sticks after the meal.
• Intentionally place card games or fun ice-breaker games throughout your home.
• If you have space, set up a puzzle table and have at least part of the puzzle completed.

If you’re hosting any type of event this holiday season (or any time of year), I’m confident these tips will help you simplify and de-stress the process — and hopefully, even enjoy your party a bit more!

What are your best tips to simplify holiday entertaining?

I haven’t started thinking about Thanksgiving or Christmas yet… but I do have a few tips and resources for those of you who are planning ahead (just keep reading).

Fall is my favorite, and I’m soaking in every minute of it — raking leaves while listening to Christmas music!

I’m sharing more favorites today!

Favorite Moment = Ordinary Days

Clara took this picture of me working in the kitchen last week. She and James have enjoyed using the “cartoon” mode to take pictures of things around our house… and I thought this picture accurately depicted my favorite ordinary days at home.

Dirty dishes waiting to be washed, something cooking on the stove, more food being chopped (so much chopping going on in our kitchen), and Buster waiting for anything that might drop to the floor.

It often feels like the majority of my waking hours are spent in the kitchen… which I mostly like. It’s a cozy room with lots of windows overlooking the front yard, with views of most of the main floor, and within earshot of the upstairs and basement.

When the kids are home, someone is always in the kitchen with me — which I also mostly like.

We’ve got around 10 years left with at least one child at home, and while I know every new season has its pros and cons, I do think the “ordinary days at home”, in my kitchen, making so stinkin’ much food for people will eventually be what I miss most when the kids and their friends aren’t around every day.

1. Avoid Overstimulating Situations

Are you easily overstimulated by loud, messy, chaotic, and cluttered spaces and people?

Yup, me too!

As a result, I’m more conscious of my surroundings and avoid overstimulating environments. This is one reason I love the early morning hours of peace and quiet.

This is also why Dave and I don’t do much traveling and why we’d rather have people at our house than go somewhere else.

If you can relate, you’d likely benefit from waking up earlier to start the day quietly, taking a 15-minute walk by yourself mid-day, and avoiding overstimulating people and places (like Costco on a Saturday morning!)

Related Reading: Practical reasons to know and understand your personality type.

2. Declutter Your Environment: 

I’m not a minimalist… but I feel calmer when my surrounding spaces are visibly free from most clutter. And since my surrounding spaces are usually my home, I make an effort to keep my home neat, organized, and clutter-free (most of the time). 

Where do you spend the most time? Your kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, office, car? Be intentional about decluttering those spaces and enjoy feeling more relaxed AND productive!

Related Reading: 3 Daily routines to keep your home clutter-free

3. Get More Sleep (or even rest)

I’ve always tried to prioritize sleep — even as a teen and college student. And yes, as a mother of 4, now in my 40s, I’ve had my share of sleepless nights due to babies who never slept… and “aging”!

I rarely get 8 solid hours of sleep, but I do prioritize sleep by getting to bed on time, waking up at roughly the same time each morning, limiting screens, and “resting my eyes” (as my grandma says) for 10-15 minutes before the kids get off the bus in the afternoon.

If you’re regularly tired, lethargic, or even downright exhausted, consider ways you could get more sleep (or even more rest). And talk to your doctor if sleep issues persist. Being well rested makes a huge difference in your daily life. 

Related Reading: The Effects of Sleep on Everything.

4. Eat Simple Foods At Home

By eating at home, you’ll save time, money, and calories. You’ll also eliminate the overstimulating environment of noisy, smelly restaurants (see #1 above).

Even if your schedule is quite full or you don’t enjoy cooking, you can still enjoy eating simple foods at home by purchasing frozen or pre-packaged foods, ordering take-out, or subscribing to a meal delivery service. 

Related Reading: How I Meal Plan

5. Say “No” Regularly

For the record, Dave and I are extremely involved in our schools, church, and community. That said, I still consider saying “no” to be a vitally important skill that can simplify your life.

Saying no is more than turning down volunteer requests or shrugging off responsibilities. It’s a way to show respect (for yourself and others), a way to exercise self-control, and a way to live more intentionally.

The fact is, we are always saying no to something… don’t let it be your sanity.

Related Reading: 99 Effective ways to say “no”.

6. Monitor Your Media

It’s been more than 6 years since I stepped away from social media (both personally and for my business), and I haven’t regretted it once.

We don’t have cable, I don’t subscribe to any magazines, and I don’t have any “NEWS” or “Info” apps on my phone.

I have one Christian news source that keeps me in the loop on the basics, but other than that, I focus my mental energy on my home, our church, our schools, and our local community.

This is likely not the right approach for everyone, but if you feel overwhelmed or anxious about all the “problems” in our world, it might be time to distance yourself and start monitoring your media.

I have all cell phone notifications turned off (except actual phone calls and text messages), we keep all technology out of our bedrooms, and we even rearranged our home a few years ago to make our TV less visible.

It has made a huge difference for me and our kids!

Related Reading: 5 tips to touch your smartphone less

7. Plan Ahead

You knew “planning” would make the list eventually! In fact, in many ways, the concept of planning infiltrates every one of the strategies above.

Without planning, I wouldn’t have the time or energy to keep my home neat and orderly, get to bed at a reasonable hour, make food at home, etc. 

If your life feels like it’s unraveling faster and faster, and you don’t know how to stop it, you must start planning.

Take 30 minutes before bed tonight to plan what you will eat for breakfast and dinner, refill water bottles, pack lunches, set your coffee maker, and make your to-do list.

Then set your alarm at least 15 minutes earlier and enjoy a slower start to your day (seriously, these small changes could transform your morning).

Continually look for things you can proactively do now, instead of reacting to later, and… when you “mess up” or things don’t go as planned, try to learn from the situation and keep pressing forward.

Related Reading: Prevent Burnout by Focusing on Planning and Progress

Simple living is work… but it’s worth it.

If you desire to simplify your life, there’s no better time to start than right now! 

It doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. These strategies are a great starting point… pick one and give it a try today!

You won’t regret it.

To me, meal planning is all about freedom.

It frees up brain space for other, more important matters.

It frees up time because I’m not running to the store 5 times a week for things I forgot.

It frees up energy and alleviates stress because I have the food ready when it works for my family instead of frantically rushing every night.

If you’d like to enjoy the freedom that comes when meal planning actually works for you, these tips should help!

1. Decide how many meals you will plan.

Will you plan all 3 meals per day? Just dinner? Dinner and Breakfast?

Also, do you anticipate eating at home 7 days a week, or do you have a regular “date night” or pizza night that you won’t need to plan for?

I plan all our breakfasts and dinners each week, and we generally have sandwiches or leftovers for lunch.

NOTE: if you’d like to get my meal plans delivered to your inbox every week, simply sign up for my e-newsletter — it’s free!

There is no right or wrong answer here… but it helps to be honest with yourself. If you know you tend to eat out many nights per week, then acknowledge that. Otherwise, you’ll end up planning too many meals and buying needless groceries that will eventually go to waste.

3. Plan meals based on your weekly schedule.

This is the most important piece of the meal-planning puzzle… because if you don’t plan meals that work with your weekly schedule, you won’t have time to make and/or eat the meals, and your food and time will be wasted.

For example, if you know you need to be somewhere by 6:00 on Tuesday, you can plan an early dinner at 4:45 or 5:00 so you’re finished on time.

Or if you will be gone until 5:30 one day, plan a soup or slow cooker meal so the food is ready when you get home.

If you have a wide open night, that might be a great time to try a new recipe or one that needs to bake/cook for longer. On the other hand, if family members are coming and going all afternoon and evening, it might be best to prepare a variety of wraps or salads that people can just grab as they’re rolling through.

Again, there’s not a “right” or “wrong” way to do this… it just depends on your schedule (which will likely change from week to week).

Use the list of meals you created above to plan meals based on your weekly schedule. I promise, meal planning will feel like a more valuable resource once you start planning your meals based on your weekly schedule.

4. Write your plan down.

Please don’t rely on your memory… write it down.

Whether you’re planning 21 meals for the week, or just 5, you will have a much higher success rate if you write it down.

I write one week’s worth of breakfast and dinner meal plans on our wet-erase calendar every week. This way, I can always check what’s coming up on my menu plan. You could also put it in a Google Calendar, a Notes App, or a sticky note on the fridge.

And, most importantly, my kids always know the plan, so they don’t need to ask me 83 times per day!

BONUS TIP: If you prefer to cook from a recipe, it might be helpful to gather all your recipe cards for the week and put them with your meal plan.

5. Shop and stock your kitchen.

Once you’ve come up with your meal plan AND written it down in a central location, you’ll want to make sure you have the ingredients you need to actually make the meals you’ve planned.

This does not need to be a complicated process with detailed Excel spreadsheets on every ounce of every ingredient you do or do not have in your home.

Instead, do a quick search through your fridge, freezer, and pantry to see what you already have on hand, and then make a list of items you’ll need from the grocery store.

Purchase the items you need (along with any other groceries you want for the week) and enjoy not needing to rush to the store at 5:00 for those last-minute ingredients you just realized you don’t have in the house!

6. Review your plan each day.

One of the quickest ways to blow a meal plan is by not thinking ahead.

I suggest looking ahead 12-24 hours. For example, when I’m cleaning up dinner, I prep our breakfast and look ahead to the next night’s dinner to see if anything needs to be defrosted, prepped ahead, or marinated.

I might pull something out of the freezer, chop or mix something that I can make ahead, whip up a batch of sourdough pancake batter (one less thing to do in the morning), or just remind myself what I’m making for dinner the following day.

This single step has saved me so much stress over the years!

7. Be flexible.

Life happens, and even the most organized meal plan might go out the window on a busy day.

Someone gets sick, you get held up at work, a doctor appointment runs late, you forget an important ingredient at the store, etc.

In these situations, my back-up plan is usually pasta, pancakes & eggs, or grilled cheese.

However, there are other times when plans change a day or two in advance, so I might swap a couple of recipes around mid-week.

This is allowed!

REMEMBER: Your meal plan should be a tool that serves you. It should make your life easier. Don’t let yourself get more stressed trying to stick with the plan you made on Saturday, even if your week changed on Wednesday.

More Meal Planning Resources

Want more meal planning ideas, inspiration, and motivation?

Check out 15 years of meal planning posts here!

Do you have any helpful meal planning advice?

Over the last 15 years, we’ve gone from a childless couple to parents of 4 children (and Buster)… so it shouldn’t be a surprise that we use the spaces in our home very differently now than we did when we first purchased the home.

The house still looks the same on the outside, but the different ways we’ve arranged and rearranged the inside are almost too numerous to count!

As our family grows, as our children get older and more independent, as their needs and interests change, it’s only natural that we continue to tweak, change, and completely overhaul many of our rooms, closets, and organizational systems to better serve our needs.

I share a few examples of how we’ve done this in our home below — as well as some tips to help you tweak (or overhaul) various spaces in your home to better serve you and your family in your current stage of life!

The Closet Under Our Stairs:

The closet under our stairs went from office storage to a fun play area, to a little school area, to a cozy reading nook, to storage for our puzzles and games, to storage for all our musical instruments, piano books, and other musical supplies (stands, folders, etc.)

We spent little to no money on these renovations, just swapped out some shelves, furniture, and wall decor.

Musical Bedrooms:

We have a joke around our house that instead of playing Musical Chairs, we play “Musical Bedrooms” because we swap bedrooms so often.

We reconfigure furniture, rearrange closets, and swap kids in and out of various rooms at least once a year based on who needs to wake up earlier, who likes to stay up late to read, who needs more closet storage, etc. (the kids love it and so do I!)

At one point, we had 3 kids in one room and used the other bedroom as a playroom. Then Nora slept in the landing area for over a year. Now they are back to sharing boys in one room and girls in the other.

And… believe it or not, Dave and I have slept in every bedroom in our house at one point or another (even the landing area for a few months while we renovated our bedroom)!

Living Spaces:

When the kids were little, we spent the most time in our one carpeted room (the large living room on the main floor).

But as they got older (and stopped spilling as much), we realized we’d rather have a large dining room with 2 smaller living spaces… so instead of a costly addition or renovation, we simply swapped our furniture around.

Our living room became our dining room, and our dining room became a small living space off the kitchen. (Read/watch the full transformation here.)

Smaller Spaces

You don’t need to rearrange full rooms or large areas of your home for more functionality…

The arrangement of our kitchen cabinets has changed quite a bit over the years — making space for bottles and other baby gear, then swapping the baby gear for lunch packing supplies.

And as my cooking style and diet have evolved over the years, the types of food I buy are very different than 10-15 years ago, so my food storage needs have changed as well.

For example, we now have a lot of bulk grain storage.

We’ve also switched up many of our closet arrangements to better fit our changing needs.

Our master bedroom closet used to be filled with our clothing — but now that we switched bedrooms and turned our old bedroom into a den, it’s filled with extra bedding, craft supplies, games, and our TV.

We even noticed a positive difference in how our home functioned simply by moving our Christmas tree to a new spot a few years ago. Yup, it’s in the kitchen! This simple swap opened up the office area and felt much more festive because we saw the tree whenever we walked down the stairs or in from the mudroom.

We enjoyed a huge improvement in our morning routine by keeping toothbrushes for the kids in every bathroom so they’re not waiting in line.

Do your spaces serve you and your season?

If you’ve never thought about this before, here are a few questions to consider:

• Do you have different storage needs during different seasons of the year?
• Have you recently become empty-nesters or added new children to your family and now need to utilize your spaces differently?
• Do your spaces allow you to spend time on hobbies and other activities you enjoy?
• Is something too high or too low to be as practical or as functional as you’d like?
• Have your medical needs changed how you can use your space and what items you should store in various places around your home?

As life changes, as your family grows (or shrinks), as your interests and hobbies change, as you age, as your needs shift, there are countless opportunities to tweak (or totally overhaul) different areas of your home so your spaces serve you better.

To some, this might seem like extra busy work… after all, who has time to move bedrooms and closets and kitchen cabinets around?

However, after years of thinking in terms of our spaces serving our family’s needs, I can easily see the positive impact it has on the overall function of our home and life.

Not only is our home more enjoyable to spend time in, but it’s also easier to keep things neat and organized when it functions well for our needs.

How to create spaces that serve you better.

There’s no perfect answer for this… but here’s where I’d start if I were you.

1. Walk through your home with a pad of paper and pen and jot down what you like and dislike about every space in your home. Take pictures if you’re visual.

2. Sit and dream. How would you like to utilize different areas of your home? Do you think there’s anything you could realistically do (big or small) to get you closer to that “ideal” space?

3. Test and try. Move furniture around, swap closets, or rearrange your drawers — take pictures before so you can move everything back if you hate it!

4. Live with the space for at least 48 hours before you decide if the change is positive or negative.

5. Tweak and/or try again. You likely won’t get it perfect the first time, so don’t be discouraged if you need to try several furniture or closet arrangements before you find one that feels like it “works best”.

As you go through this process, pay attention to those nagging feelings of “this isn’t working well” or “I wish I had more space for”. Stop and consider why that space isn’t working and what you could change to make it serve you better.

You might be amazed at how different your spaces feel when they work for you!

Make It Easy to Get Ready at the Same Time

One of the biggest benefits of keeping duplicate supplies is that it allows multiple people to get ready simultaneously.

Of course, this will save time, but it will also reduce the number of times you have to tell someone to hurry up, remind a child to move faster, or scramble because you can’t get into the bathroom when you need it.

When everyone has access to the things they need, there’s less waiting and less frustration.

Some things still need to happen in the bathroom. But if you can move even a few steps of your morning routine elsewhere, you may find that your whole household flows more smoothly.

Don’t Let Minimalism Become Inconvenient

I appreciate the idea of owning fewer things. Less clutter means less to clean, organize, and manage. But I don’t think the goal should be to own as little as possible at the expense of convenience.

If buying a second (or third) hairbrush means your children aren’t arguing over the bathroom, or keeping extra hairspray in your bedroom saves you from rushing back and forth every morning, that extra item may be worth having.

Sometimes, the simplest solution isn’t to find a better way to share one item. Sometimes, it’s just to go out and buy another one.

This works in other areas of your home too!

You might keep scissors in the kitchen, bathroom, and office.

You might store various cleaning supplies on different floors, or basic household tools in more than one convenient location.

Having what you need nearby can save time and make everyday tasks easier.

The key is to be intentional. Duplicate the things that genuinely improve your routines, rather than buying extras simply because you can.

A Simple Morning Organization Project

If your mornings tend to feel rushed, take 10 minutes to think about the items your family uses most often.

Ask yourself:

• Which items do we frequently have to wait for?
• What do we always seem to be searching for?
• Which parts of our morning routine could happen outside the bathroom?
• Would keeping a duplicate of a few everyday items make our mornings easier?

Choose two or three items to start with, and find convenient places to keep them. You might be surprised by how much difference such a small change can make.

You don’t need a complete bathroom renovation, a complicated morning routine, or a perfectly organized home. Sometimes, all you need is another toothbrush in the right place!

Remember, the goal of organizing isn’t simply to own less. It’s to make your home work better for you and your family.

And if stocking up on a few extra bathroom essentials helps everyone start the day with a little less rushing, I think that’s a perfectly reasonable trade-off.

I’d love to know if you follow this anti-minimalist advice!

But you’ve got to start the night before!

One of the best ways to simplify your mornings is to stop trying to do everything in the morning. A little preparation the night before can make a big difference in how smoothly the next day begins.

Here are seven simple, specific things you can do tonight to help tomorrow morning run more smoothly. Our family has utilized these tips for a decade now — so I can attest that they work well for toddlers, teenagers, teachers, and more!

1. Pick Out Clothes the Night Before

This might seem like a small thing, but deciding what everyone will wear before bedtime can eliminate quite a bit of morning stress.

Instead of scrambling to find clean pants, searching for a missing sock, or discovering that the shirt someone wants to wear is still in the laundry, take a few minutes to get clothing ready the night before.

Depending on the ages of your children, this might mean laying out their clothes, reminding them to choose their own outfits, or fully dressing them in their clothes before they go to bed (it sounds crazy, but my younger 3 sleep in their clothes every night and it saves so much time).

Don’t forget to check the weather to make sure everyone has what they need for the day, whether that’s a sweatshirt, snow boots, gym clothes, or a coat for the bus stop.

The goal is simply to eliminate one more decision from your morning.

2. Pack Lunches & Waters Ahead

Packing snacks and lunches is a huge money-saver, but it also takes time, energy, and forethought (it’s one of my least favorite things to do).

I usually pack lunches for the younger kids, but older kids can definitely pack their own lunches.

We have a designated kitchen counter for the lunch bags and water bottles. The kids lay out their lunch bags, pick out snacks, and fill their water bottles at night (mostly with ice so they stay cold all day). Their actual food has a designated shelf in our fridge, so all they have to do in the morning is grab their food container from the fridge, grab their ice pack from the freezer, and put everything into their backpacks.

We have a friend who keeps a mini-fridge in her mudroom for school lunches, snacks, and waters. If you had room for this, it would be a cool idea.

RELATED READING: 

• Simplify School Lunches
• Simplify School Snacks (this worked well with my little kiddos)

3. Clean Out + Restock Bags Every Day

The first thing our kids do when they walk in the door after school is clean out their backpacks.

• Backpacks go on their hooks.
• Outdoor gear is put away in the mudroom.
• Dirty items go immediately into the laundry room.
• Ice packs go back in the freezer.
• Food containers are put in the fridge or dishwasher.
• Water bottles go in the designated basket on our counter.
• Lunch bags go in the pantry.
• Library books go on our designated shelf.
• Homework is done on the kitchen table.
• Any parent forms or information go on my desk.

All of this takes less than 5 minutes, and they usually do it without prompting, while they are telling me about their day and I’m getting a snack out for them.

Dave and I do the same thing whenever we get home — we take anything that doesn’t belong in our vehicles and put it away, along with anything in our bags that we won’t need again tomorrow.

This habit allows us to start each day with clean bags, reduces lost or misplaced items, keeps our vehicles very clean, and makes it easier to re-pack our bags later that night because we know where to find everything.

Later in the evening, after lunches are packed, we pack up anything we’ll need for the following day — library books, homework, sports gear, musical instruments, cold-weather gear, umbrellas, etc. and have it ready to go in the mudroom (or even in the van, if that makes sense).

RELATED READING:

• Practical Tips for Neat and Clean Vehicles with Kids

4. Plan Ahead for Easy Breakfasts

Breakfast doesn’t need to be complicated to be nourishing or enjoyable. In fact, simplifying breakfast can be one of the most helpful ways to make mornings feel less hectic.

Think about what your family enjoys eating and find a few simple options you can rotate throughout the week.

You might prepare overnight oats, bake muffins ahead of time, keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge, or portion out yogurt and fruit.

If you prefer a hot breakfast (like our family), consider which parts you can prepare in advance. Mix pancake batter the night before, prepare overnight French toast ahead of time, keep breakfast burritos in the freezer, or make a breakfast casserole when you’re preparing dinner the night before and simply reheat it the next morning.

You don’t need an elaborate breakfast menu or a different recipe every morning. If you get my weekly newsletter (which includes my meal plan), you’ll see that we usually rotate through the same 5 breakfast items (pancakes, waffles, muffins, French toast, and quiche), so I can attest to the fact that a few reliable options are more than enough.

Also, it sounds like a small thing, but even setting the table the night before can save a few minutes the next morning.

Find a breakfast routine that works for your family, and don’t feel pressured to make it more complicated than necessary.

RELATED READING: 

• Our Favorite Hot Breakfasts
• How I Do Hot Breakfast on School Mornings

5. Check the Calendar and Make Your To-Do List

One thing that can make mornings feel overwhelming is not knowing where to start when you wake up (so you just sit and drink coffee while scrolling your phone).

If you take a few minutes the evening before to look over the calendar and make a to-do list, you’ll feel more prepared from the moment you wake up.

Make note of any appointments, early meetings, school events, sports practices, special clothing requirements, or anything else that might affect your morning. If someone needs to leave earlier than usual, you’ll know ahead of time instead of discovering it while you’re trying to get everyone out the door.

Then, make a short to-do list for yourself.

This doesn’t need to be a detailed schedule or an elaborate productivity system. Just jot down the things you need to remember or accomplish the next day — I call this my “Top 5 List,” and I’ve been making one every evening for nearly 2 decades!

I find that getting these things out of my head and onto paper (or into your phone) makes it easier to relax in the evening. Instead of mentally running through tomorrow’s responsibilities while I’m trying to fall asleep, I have a plan I can refer to in the morning.

And remember, your to-do list doesn’t need to include everything you could do. Focus on what actually needs to happen.

6. Give Yourself 10 Extra Minutes

I know this sounds obvious, but one of the simplest ways to make mornings less stressful is to build in a little breathing room.

If everyone needs to be in the car at 7:30, don’t plan for the entire family to finish getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, and gathering belongings at exactly 7:27.

Real life happens. Someone can’t find a shoe. A child spills milk. You remember something that needs to go into a backpack. These things aren’t necessarily emergencies, but they can feel like emergencies when you’re already running late.

Try working backward from the time you need to leave.

Based on that time, decide when everyone needs to be dressed, when breakfast should be finished, and eventually when everyone will need to wake up.

Then bump that time up 10 minutes earlier.

I’d personally rather give my kids 10 extra minutes to finish breakfast or get ready so they don’t feel frazzled and rushed. I figure they won’t get much out of 10 minutes of sleep, and it could make all the difference in helping us make the bus on time!

Also, I always wake up at least 15 minutes before the kids so I can quickly make my bed, get dressed, use the bathroom, and turn on a few lights.

Technology Note: I didn’t mention this when I originally wrote this post 8 years ago, but we don’t let our kids use any technology before school because it distracts them and wastes time. They simply wake up, get ready, eat breakfast, and head out the door.

7. Go to Bed on Time

Of all the ways to improve your mornings, this might be the most important one (and the most often-overlooked)!

It’s tempting to stay up late finishing chores, scrolling on your phone, watching one more show, or trying to squeeze a few more things into the day. And sometimes, staying up a little later is worth it.

But if you’re consistently tired when your alarm goes off, even the best morning routine can feel difficult.

Getting enough sleep makes it easier to wake up, think clearly, be patient with your family, and handle the little inconveniences that inevitably come along.

Establish a reasonable bedtime for yourself (and your kids), and do what you can to stick with it. If you have a few tasks to finish in the evening, try setting a time when you’ll stop working and begin winding down.

A rested mom is better equipped to handle a busy household than an exhausted mom who has checked every item off her list!

A Calmer Morning Starts the Night Before

You don’t need a complicated morning routine, a perfectly organized home, or children who never lose their shoes to have a better start to the day.

Often, it’s the little things, done consistently each day, that make the biggest difference: choosing clothes ahead of time, packing lunches, checking the calendar, and getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

You might not need to implement all 7 of these ideas, either.

Start with one or two that would make the biggest difference for your family and see how they work. Small changes are much easier to maintain than trying to overhaul your entire routine overnight.

And as you work toward calmer mornings, remember that the goal isn’t simply to get everyone out the door on time. It’s also to create a better atmosphere in your home.

Our mornings are often the last few minutes we have with our families before everyone heads off in different directions. Rather than spending that time barking orders, searching for missing belongings, and rushing everyone along, we can make a little room for conversation, encouragement, and a kind goodbye.

We can’t guarantee that every morning will be peaceful. But with a little preparation and a few simple habits, we can make it easier to send our families into their days feeling loved, supported, and ready for whatever comes next.

Pancakes:

Pancakes are quick, easy, and usually don’t get many complaints from kids!

It only takes a few minutes to mix up a batch of pancake batter, but you can mix it up the night before if you’re short on time. Simply fire up the griddle when you wake up, and hot pancakes are only minutes away!

Note: This is the XL griddle we’ve used and loved for years.

Pancake Recipe Ideas:

• Light and Fluffy Pancakes (a classic recipe)
• Whole Grain Oat Pancakes
• Sourdough Starter Pancakes
• Puff Pancakes (these are in the oven)
• Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes (grain-free)

Waffles:

Belgian waffles are a close second for favorite hot breakfast foods in our house. I often use the same batter for either pancakes or waffles — sometimes letting the kids choose which one they want.

It’s very easy to mix up the batter the night before, and any leftover batter keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days too.

The biggest downfall of homemade Belgian waffles is that we could only make one at a time — until I found this “double decker” Belgian waffle maker!

Waffle Recipe Ideas:

• Light and Fluffy Waffles
• Make-Ahead Waffle Mix

French Toast:

The third most popular breakfast food in our home is French Toast — and this one really is super simple (my kids make it for themselves all the time).

We love using sourdough or cinnamon bread for French toast as it’s very sturdy and holds up well to being dipped in eggs. However, almost any bread will work. Baked French toast is also a great way to use up slightly stale or freezer-burned bread, rolls, buns, etc.

I keep a large zip-top bag of bread crusts and leftover bread chunks in our freezer at all times. I use this bread whenever I make baked French toast, croutons, or sausage stuffing. It’s an easy way to reduce wasted bread.

French Toast Recipe Ideas:

• French Toast Sticks
• Overnight French Toast Casserole
• Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

Eggs:

At this point in our lives, we go through roughly one dozen eggs every day (often more). However, they are relatively frugal and fairly nutritious, so I’m OK with that.

Plus, there are so many ways to enjoy eggs for breakfast (and throughout the day).

Egg Recipe Ideas:

• Easy Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs (these are the best!)
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Fried Eggs
• Omlettes
• Hearty Egg Casserole
• Egg Sandwiches (like an Egg McMuffin, only better)
• Breakfast Burritos with Egg and Sausage

Hot Cereal:

My kids will occasionally have a bowl of cold cereal as a snack, but in general, we are not a cold cereal family (I never liked it as a kid either).

For the record: Dave loves Cheerios

Hot cereal, however, is a different story. It’s so hearty and filling, and I love serving it with a “buffet” of toppings so people can pick and choose what flavors they like best.

Hot Cereal Recipe Ideas:

• Traditional Oatmeal
• Baked Oatmeal
• Slow Cooker Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal
• Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets
• Homemade Cream of Wheat (I make it with freshly milled wheat)

Meat:

One of my favorite quick and easy hot breakfast foods that I make nearly every morning is the pre-cooked sausages from the freezer section at Costco.

They only take a few minutes to cook in my cast iron skillet and the kids love them. They are also really easy to keep on hand in the freezer.

When I have a bit more time, I’ll fry up a couple of pounds of bacon and keep it in the fridge. I also have a couple of recipes (see below) for fun ways to serve breakfast meats

Meat Recipe Ideas:

• Bacon
• Sausage (patties or links)
• Omelettes (we love putting cooked meat in our omelettes)
• Cheesy Sausage Quinoa Bites
• Bacon-Wrapped Sausage Bites

Muffins:

Muffins are one of my personal favorite hot breakfasts because I make the batter the night before, bake them in the morning, and I can do other things while they bake (instead of flipping pancakes or stirring eggs).

I make 2 dozen at a time, and the kids usually take any leftovers as school snacks.

These are my favorite muffin tins — nothing sticks. However, I do love using these cute muffin liners when I give muffins as a gift or bring them to an event.

Muffin Recipe Ideas:

• Blueberry Muffins
• Banana Muffins
• Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Rhubarb Muffins

We literally just repeat some version of these 6 basic hot breakfast foods day after day, week after week.

Sometimes I throw canned pumpkin puree or smashed bananas into the pancake or waffle mix. Sometimes I add blueberries or chocolate chips. It’s the same recipe, just with a few tweaks to make it feel new.

Same thing with muffins, omelets, and breakfast burritos. I just use a basic recipe and mix in whatever we have in the house so we aren’t eating exactly the same thing every morning.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll likely find that many of the recipes linked above can be ready to go in 15 minutes — or made the night before!

I love sitting around the table every morning and enjoying breakfast together before we all go our separate ways… and a nice hot breakfast makes this much more likely to happen!

Do you have a favorite hot breakfast?

Leave it in the comments — bonus points if you have a link to a recipe!