Ten Things Not to Forget on Thanksgiving

Between planning a menu and making arrangements for a family dinner, your Thanksgiving schedule is definitely packed. With so much going on, it's easy to forget the little things, like laying out your eggs early for the meringue or picking up Aunt Maggie's favorite yeast rolls. Aside from basic food emergencies, there are other things to remember on Thanksgiving. Here's a list of ten things to keep in mind as you prepare for a Thanksgiving dinner at your own home or someone else's.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Prepare for Kids

If you're having a quiet Thanksgiving with your partner, you can skip this one. However, if you're like the majority of families celebrating Thanksgiving and going to either a.) feed your own children or b.) be around your relatives' children this holiday, you should probably keep kids in mind. Are there at least two healthy vegetables that the kids will eat? If not, then maybe you should consider adding a half-sized dish to your menu this holiday. However, aside from food choices, there is one more thing that kids need: attention! So make sure the kids are kept busy this holiday. Designate an adult to keep an eye on them, and plan out a day of activities they can do within the house and with little supervision.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Eat Breakfast

Breakfast is important, especially for those who are going to spend hours laboring in the kitchen. Remember to eat a nice breakfast as soon as you awaken in the morning. This way your stomach will still be ready to tackle Thanksgiving dinner within a few hours. Some people believe that not eating breakfast will make the big dinner more enjoyable, but that's not true. Also, prepare very light snacks for everyone who is going to be present in your household, so they are satisfied and not ruining their meal with chips and junk food.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Pull Out the Camera

In a world where people don't often gather around the table for a large meal, Thanksgiving is a special time. Document the moment. Take plenty of pictures of the family and of the meal (so that you can remember who made what dishes next year). Also, keep the camera out while you're cooking if you're a freelance writer. You might want to document the steps to your favorite dish for an upcoming Associated Content or eHow article.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Bring the Address Book

Though, these days, the address book might be as close as a cell phone, during a family dinner, it's easy to forget to gather contact information. If there are going to be relatives or family friends whom you don't see often at the dinner, remember to get their address for Christmas cards.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Pack Medication

Whether it's prescription medication or your Bean-O, take care not to forget to bring the proper medication with you to dinner. There's nothing worse than being in pain at a family get-together. Pack Tums and Tylenol for those predictable upcoming aches.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Check Your Blood Sugar

This seems simple enough, but I've been to several family dinners where the diabetics in the crowd are completely unaware of how much they've managed to consume while talking and laughing with friends and family. So, even if you're not going to be on your best diet behavior over Thanksgiving, still keep your health in mind.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Get Rid of or Pack away Left-Overs

If you've brought an uneaten dish to a dinner, make sure everyone who might enjoy it takes home a serving, especially your host. After a huge Thanksgiving meal, most hosts will not insist on keeping the left-overs, but persuade them to take at least a large serving. Then, do you part by taking home a plate as well. By having a variety of left-overs instead of just stuffing and turkey, you'll be less apt to tire of the food over the following days.

When packing away left-overs, also remember that not everything has to go into your fridge in Tupperware. Some of the items, such as shredded turkey meat, can be put into zip lock bags and tucked into the fridge to make extra room.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Take Care of Your Pots and Pans

Don't leave your empty pots and pans for the host to clean (even if she's your mother). If you're having a Thanksgiving at home, remember to put your pots and pans on to soak as soon as you're finished with them. There's nothing worse than scrubbing for two hours at the end of the day.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: Not Nap, if You're Shopping the Next Day

Turkey makes you sleepy. It's a fact. But instead of napping part of the evening away, keep yourself awake until it's time for bed. This is especially important if you're planning to wake up early the next morning for a day of Black Friday shopping.

This Thanksgiving Don't Forget To: be Thankful

Whatever you do, don't forget to be thankful. Whether you're religious or not, you can still let the people in your life know how much you appreciate them. Don't forget to say what you're sincerely thankful for in front of the people you love.