Life
How To Do Four Thanksgiving Dinners In One Day
The worst has happened. You’ve overcommitted yourself to family and friends, and you now find yourself in the uncomfortable position of figuring out how to attend multiple Thanksgiving dinners in one day. With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, you may be entering the panic zone as you wonder how the heck you are going to eat all that food. The truth is, this seemingly impossible feat is possible. You aren’t the first person to experience this dilemma — there is a way to survive doing four Thanksgiving dinners in one day.
Regardless of how you ended up in this position, it’s time to focus and hone in on exactly how you will live to tell the tale. If the Gilmore Girls can pack away four full Thanksgiving meals and still be hungry, there is hope for the rest of us!
The key to living through four Thanksgiving dinners is following the rules I’ve outlined below very strictly. Yes, you might be tempted to be talked into a second piece of pie at your third stop of the day, but you’ll be regretting that decision when dinner number four rolls around. The art of saying no politely is the true key to success. Now, it’s time to school you in Holiday Eating 101. You’re totally going to rock Thanksgiving, people.
1. Know Your Limits
Before you even think about attempting to eat all this Thanksgiving food, you have to do an audit of your eating skills. Can you eat an entire burrito from Chipotle in one setting and still be hungry in a couple hours? Or are you one of those two bites and save the rest for later people? Either way, know your body, and know your limits. The point is to make it through multiple delicious meals — not make yourself sick.
2. Make A Plan
Making a plan is key. Do you love the stuffing at your aunt’s house, and know there’s going to be an epic pie setup at your in-laws' place? If you know the Thanksgiving hits you don’t want to miss, go light on those foods at the other dinners where those particular dishes are just so-so. Save room for that one particular food you know you love.
Second, know the timing for each dinner down to the minute, including how much time you have in between the dinners. You’ll want to have a plan to maximize the time at each dinner, but try to work in breaks between for napping, downing some much needed water, and letting your stomach settle before the next leg of the trip.
Finally, and I know you aren’t going to love this one, but try to limit the booze intake until the final dinner. All those cocktails, wine, and beer take up precious space in your stomach! Skip it or limit yourself to one glass until you get to the final dinner. Then, go ahead and start downing all the wine you want.
3. Dress Comfortably
I’m not saying that you should be showing up in your pajamas, but big oversized dresses and shirts are perfect for such an occasion. Don’t be afraid to wear pants without buttons or a belt. On Thanksgiving, you don't have time to mess with these types of things. You'll be too busy eating.
4. Take Food Home With You
Of course you want to indulge in three slices of your mom’s famous pecan pie, but this year, take those last two pieces to-go, and save them for the day after Thanksgiving. There's no reason why the foodie fun shouldn't end once Thanksgiving is over.
5. Get Excited!
Thanksgiving is the best food holiday ever, after all! Your excitement will help you have laser focus on the big day, and will keep you pumped to move on to the next dinner. You’ll be so excited to try all the delicious food at the next place, you won’t let exhaustion overcome you the first meal in.
Four Thanksgiving dinners doesn’t seem so terrifying anymore does it?
For more Thanksgiving ideas, check out Bustle on YouTube.
