10 tips for more calm and less stress in the kitchen this Holiday Season.

Take a moment for yourself.

Before diving into the stress pool this Holiday Season take a beat to get centered. Take a few deep breaths, focus on your meditation. Set your intention and vision.

Setting your intention for the day with others under the same roof will prove valuable for expectations.

Setting your intention is a powerful exercise. More smiles, fewer tears.

Gaining an understanding for the direction of the event at hand and where it is heading is half the battle.

Set boundaries.

Unsolicited help and instruction in the kitchen can be a drag. Add in some chaos, and you can lose your cool. Cut that off at the pass.

Let everyone know what you’d like help with and what I’ve got covered on your own.

Give everyone a job.

Delegate. The more help you get, the less you’ll have to do. Passing snacks, preparing games together, taking pictures, and setting the table are great tasks given to others.

It feels good to help, and it feels good to be helped too. Let it happen.

Have snacks and activities on hand.

Fend off the hunger games by playing some. Better yet. Play games with snacks.

Fill those bellies in advance and you won’t have hungry zombies lurking around the kitchen, waiting to pounce and irritating the kitchen team with “is it ready yet?”

Use a food processor.

Anything that will speed up the holiday spread is your friend.

Make use of the small appliances that put your production line on high speed.

You’ll have more time for what matters. Like a nap with that football game on in the background.

Make use of your Instant Pot.

This is a game changer for making anything ahead of time.

The pressure pots shift to “keep warm” mode when the cooking time ends.

I’ve never made rice or mashed potatoes any other way since I first made them in an instant pot.

Give this a try and maintain focus on other things in the kitchen.

Cook sides in the slow cooker.

Save stove and oven space by putting your slow cooker to use.

Have family of friends bring extras that they’re not using. You can thank me later.

Add a portable cooktop.

Portable cooktops are fantastic on Thanksgiving.

If the oven is tied up and the stovetop is crowded, slap that portable cooktop down where there’s a lot of space, and relax.

Remember, you’re in charge of the show.

Have a plan for your leftovers.

Whether you have a great thanksgiving leftover recipe that you make every year, or you’re packing up the leftovers for folks to take, having a plan for leftovers is key.

Create a leftover station with foil muffin pans and foil wrap.

Everyone can fill their muffin pan to keep the food from mixing and have it wrapped and oven-ready.

Remember what’s important.

Time with the people you love cannot be replaced.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Keep the big thing the big things.

Think of all the moments this past year that you’re grateful for. Open up, be vulnerable and authentic-tell everyone what you’re grateful for. Ask other family and friends to share what is on their gratitude list with each other.

Give gratitude major attention, it will set the stage for the rest of the day.

Hope this list helps you, your family and friends find peace during the Holiday Season.

Happy upcoming Holidays,

Dan Cunningham

Cadre Creator/Coach

Follow me on my social handles

@the.organizer.man tiktok

@theorganizerman IG