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Amy, also known as Mom Advice, lives in Indiana. She is a writer, wife and mom to two beautiful children. On Snackpicks she shares her easy entertaining tips and advice for all occasions, from holiday parties to day-to-day family meal planning. Amy is also the founder and creator of the Mom Advice community.

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Easy Thanksgiving Entertaining Ideas

Hosting the Thanksgiving Day Feast With Ease

Call me crazy, but I absolutely love hosting the Thanksgiving feast for our family! It really can be easy, but it does require a little planning and early preparation to make that happen. I am excited to share a few ideas to make this holiday easier and then share with you two new dishes you can add to your holiday table!

Try to keep your menu as simple as possible while incorporating the most important family favorites

If you add too many dishes to the menu, you will end up with a lot of leftovers. I try to stick with the standby traditions of mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, a fresh vegetable side dish, the cranberry sauce, homemade buttered rolls, and the star performer…that big beautiful turkey.

Incorporate as many make-ahead dishes as you can to ease preparation on the day of your Thanksgiving feast

The mistake that many people make is forgetting that they will need to work around the turkey that is cooking in the oven, which can cut down on space in your oven. I love to create as many dishes ahead of time as possible and then warm them in slow cookers to keep the oven free for other items that need to bake.

Keep children entertained by offering them a few fun activities to do while the festivities are happening. A few of my favorite activities to set up for them are:

Set out blank thank you cards that they can decorate with a few words of thanks to someone they love
Cover a child’s table with old-fashioned butcher paper with a tin of crayons for them to create their own Thanksgiving table
Spray paint a beautiful branch from your yard white and leaving slips of paper for everyone to write and attach what they are thankful for as an interactive centerpiece
DVR the Thanksgiving parade and set out a little snack mix (see a fun recipe below) for the kids to munch on while they watch this fun seasonal classic

Show your thankfulness to your guests and let them take home the leftovers

The best and worst part about hosting is that you are stuck with the leftovers. Save washed plastic containers for your guests to take home some leftovers. Or ask your favorite take-out place if you can buy some containers to keep on hand for everyone to take home their favorite dishes. It is a gesture that will be appreciated by those who were longing for one of those leftover turkey sandwiches.

Whatever you do, remember what this holiday is all about- thankfulness and family. Don’t get so wrapped up into the details of making the perfect feast that you don’t get to enjoy or have the time to reflect on the beauty of being together.

Here are two fun new Thanksgiving dishes you can try for your Holiday!

Extra Special Turkey Stuffing Slideshow: See how to make this Extra Special Turkey Stuffing in our easy Step-by-Step slideshow.

Extra Special Turkey Stuffing

Preparation Time: 20 Mins
Total Time: 2 Hours 50 Mins
Servings: 12-14

Ingredients

1 pound Keebler® Town House® Original crackers
1 cup chopped celery
2 teaspoons dried parsley leaves
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces bulk pork sausage
1 cup chopped onion
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1/2 to 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 10- to 12-pound turkey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1. Slightly break up crackers. In large bowl combine crackers, celery, parsley, poultry seasoning and pepper. In large skillet cook sausage and onion until sausage is no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir into cracker mixture along with eggs and margarine or butter. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Toss to combine.

2. Lightly stuff body cavity of turkey with 2 cups of cracker mixture (do not pack). Pull neck skin to back. Fasten with skewer. Tie legs to tail. Twist wing tips under back. Insert meat thermometer into center of inside thigh muscle (do not touch bone). Place, breast side up, on rack in shallow pan. Brush surface with oil. 3. Toss remaining stuffing with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of remaining chicken broth. Place in 1 1/2-quart casserole coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.

4. Roast turkey at 325°F for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until thermometer reads 180°F and center of stuffing is at least 165°F. Cover with foil, if necessary, during last 30 minutes of roasting to prevent overbrowning. Place casserole of stuffing in oven beside turkey during the last 45 minutes of baking.

5. Let turkey stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Katie's Caramel Crunch: Make this crunchy, caramel snack that's perfect for the holidays. Katie's Caramel Crunch

Katie's Caramel Crunch

Preparation Time: 20 Mins
Total Time: 20 Mins
Servings: 24

Ingredients

6 cups Kellogg's® Crispix® cereal
3 cups popped popcorn
2 cups small square pretzels
1 cup cocktail peanuts (optional)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. In 17 x 11 x 2-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, combine Kellogg's Crispix cereal, popcorn, pretzels and peanuts (if desired). Set aside.

2. In heavy 3-quart saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Immediately pour over cereal mixture. Stir until evenly coated.

3. Bake at 250°F about 1 hour or until deep golden brown, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on wax paper. Separate clumps. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.