by Paulelda Gilbert, ISU Extension Nutrition and Health Specialist
Gathering around the table for a special meal with family and friends is what we look forward to during the holidays. Cooking late into the night before the meal, however, can greatly diminish the pleasures of the table. Cooking too far ahead can decrease the quality and safety of your food.
If you want to prepare some foods in advance, begin by selecting a few favorites. Unless food will be frozen, it’s safest to start preparing most perishable foods no more than a day before a meal. For example:
Assemble a vegetable casserole a day in advance, refrigerate and then bake the day of your dinner. Plan 15 to 20 minutes additional heating time. Heat until the casserole is hot and steamy throughout. Cut washed fruits and vegetables within a day of your meal for salads and relish trays. (NOTE: Wash fruits and vegetables under cool running tap water.) Store all CUT fruits and vegetables covered in storage containers or plastic bags in the refrigerator. Avoid leaving cut and/or peeled fruits and vegetables at room temperature for more than two hours. This includes the total preparation and serving time.
Keep cut fruits such as apples, pears, bananas and peaches from turning brown by coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange or pineapple, or use a commercial anti-darkening fruit preparation such as Fruit Fresh®. Cover and refrigerate cut fruits until ready to serve. (NOTE: Bananas don’t keep as long as the other fruits mentioned. Cut close to serving time.)
Nonperishable foods such as cakes and cookies can be prepared a few days in advance and still taste good. They can be frozen for longer storage.
Buying, storing and cooking meats in advance
As a general rule of thumb, purchase raw meat, poultry or seafood no more than one to two days before your holiday meal. Freeze for longer storage. These foods taste freshest if cooked the day of your meal. If your meat, poultry or seafood is frozen, plan time for safe thawing in your refrigerator. Allow approximately 24 hours for each five pounds of weight.
Thaw or store raw meat, poultry or seafood on a plate on a lower shelf of your refrigerator to prevent its juices from dripping onto other foods. This prevents cross-contamination.
If you prepare meat, poultry or seafood the day before your meal, remove it from the bone and divide it into small portions. Then refrigerate in loosely covered shallow containers within two hours of cooking. Limit meat depth to two inches. You can place loosely covered foods in the refrigerator while still warm; cover tightly when the foods are completely cooled. On the day of your meal, reheat thoroughly to a temperature of 165°F until hot and steaming throughout.
Preparing pumpkin pie in advance
If you’d like to get a head start on preparing your pumpkin pie, it’s easiest and safest to freeze the shaped and unbaked pie crust in a freezer- or oven-safe pie pan, or purchase an unbaked frozen pie crust already in a pie pan. Then, just before baking, add the pumpkin filling, mixed according to directions, to the frozen crust. It takes just a few minutes to mix the ingredients.
Another time-saving idea is to set your table the day before your holiday meal, or assign children or others to set the table before you eat. Also, set out all food preparation and service utensils.