ORLANDO, Fla. – We’re all about making life a bit easier, especially when it comes to those big family meals during the holidays.
We compiled a list of six Turkey Day tips and household hacks shared by our News 6 Insiders and WKMG staff.
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1. USE CABINETS AS RECIPE STAND
When you’re prepping and cooking that special holiday meal, you’ll probably pull out the cookbook or printed recipe. You may not have much counter space to put the recipes, so take advantage of all the kitchen real estate. Tape your paper recipes to the front of your cabinet doors or open the top cabinet and place the cookbooks inside standing up for an easy way to view without taking up any counter space.
2. PUT FOIL IN DRAIN TO CATCH GREASE
If you’re frying or will have some oil or grease you need to dispose of, one of our News 6 Insiders suggested putting a piece of foil in the drain of your sink. Create a little bowl with the foil and pour the hot grease inside. The foil will catch the grease and when it cools and solidifies, you can pull it out using the foil, ball it up and toss it out.
3. USE SLOW COOKERS TO KEEP FOOD WARM
You don’t want your sides to get cold while you’re waiting for that bird to finish cooking, do ya? Pour the mashed potatoes, mac-and-cheese and other sides in separate slow cookers. That will keep your fixins warm until you’re ready to serve, and you’ll save space in the oven.
4. PUT NEWSPAPERS AT THE BOTTOM OF TRASH BAGS TO ABSORB JUICES
To avoid a messy cleanup, put newspapers at the bottom of your trash bags to soak up any juices that may get thrown out. This will keep your trash can clean and dry.
5. USE A TRASH BAG AS A MAKESHIFT APRON
Cutting that turkey and ham can get messy with juice flying everywhere! You can keep your clothes safe and avoid stains by using a trash bag as a makeshift apron. Just cut out holes for the arms and head and voila! News 6 Anchor Emily McLeod shared this hack with us after capturing a photo of her dad, Jeff, trying it out last year during Thanksgiving.
6. MUFFIN TRAYS MAKE GREAT LEFTOVER CONTAINERS
They’ve got several cups built in for all the fixins, perfectly proportioned and you just need to put it in the oven to warm up for a leftover meal. A great way to send loved ones home with a full leftover meal without using a bunch of containers.
What do you think about these holiday meal hacks? Have you tried any of them? Tell us about your experiences and share your household hacks below. We may feature them on News 6.