Thanksgiving Storage & Cooking Tips: Turkey, Veggies & Fruit
It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving preparation is well underway! We’ve started bookmarking recipes we want to try this year, organizing our Thanksgiving tables, and scheduling our Zoom calls. Even though Thanksgiving will surely look different this year, that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t still be an excuse to eat a ridiculous amount of delicious and local food.
We’ve partnered with a number of farmers, cheesemakers, bakers and producers within 5 hours of NYC to bring the freshest, hyper-local ingredients for every part of your Thanksgiving meal.
Our Thanksgiving fruits and vegetable add-ons have been specially curated for the event to feature items we see as essential to a Thanksgiving meal. We know meals will be different this year, and you might not use all your produce on one day. That’s ok! Luckily, many items from this bundle will keep for weeks (even months) if stored properly. We’ve put together this guide to help you make and eat the most, while wasting the least. Below is an outline of how to store every item included in our Thanksgiving fruit & vegetable add-ons, and some delicious Thanksgiving-esque recipes to make with them!
Thanksgiving Veggie & Fruit
- Store them in a paper bag in a dark pantry or a plastic bag in your refrigerator drawer for up to 2 weeks
- Use to make a delicious Shingled Sweet Potatoes with Plum Vinaigrette
- Potatoes will keep for up to 1-2 months (!) if stored properly. Store them in a paper bag in a dark pantry or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator drawer
- Perfect for Mashed Potatoes and Greens
- Keep these unwrapped in a paper bag in a dark pantry, or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator drawer for 1-2 months
- Essential to all Thanksgiving recipes, including this Curried Sweet Potato and Celeriac Soup
- Keep unwrapped and whole in a dark pantry for up to 2 months
- Delicious in this Roasted Delicata Squash Salad
- Rosemary / Thyme: Wrap lightly in plastic and store on a shelf in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
- Basil / Parsley / Cilantro: Store them in a cup of water with a bag over the leaves in the fridge for up to 1 week
- Chives: Wrap stems in a paper towel and store in the fridge for up to 5 days
- You’ll need these for our Apple and Herb Dressing
- Keep unwrapped in a dark pantry for 1 month
- Delicious in the Ricotta and Sage Butternut Squash Gratin
- Wrap in plastic and store in a refrigerator drawer for up to 5 days
- Both great additions to your Crudités
- Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator drawer for up to a week (sometimes even longer)
- Use it in our Fall Veggie Hash
- Kale and Collard Greens
- Will keep for about a week in a plastic bag in your refrigerator drawer
- Crunchy kale in this Sabu's Purple Kale Salad
- Wrap loosely in a paper towel and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days
- Keep in a paper bag on a refrigerator shelf for 3-4 days
- Nothing says fall like Maple Apple Cider Glazed Mushrooms
- Keep in your refrigerator drawer for up to 3 weeks unwrapped
- Great in a pie or this Vegetarian Roasted Beet Salad
- Store fresh cranberries in your fridge in a small paper bag for up to a week
- Up your cranberry sauce game with this Cranberry and Quince Chutney
Reminder: all ingredients are subject to change based on harvest availability (for any other storage questions and tips, look here!)
How to store your Thanksgiving turkey
Once you’ve received or picked up your fresh Thanksgiving turkey on November 24th, you’ll want to properly store it.
- Turkeys will stay fresh in your fridge up to 2 days before cooking.
- Keep the turkey in its packaging. This keeps bacteria out and maintains the meat’s freshness.
- It is best to store your turkey in the coldest part of the refrigerator, which is usually the meat drawer or the bottom shelf.
- If you plan on wet- or dry-brining your turkey, plan to do so the night before. (PRO TIP: Combine your overnight salt rub with a little baking powder for extra crispy skin!)
- Turkeys should sit on the counter for half a day to reach room temp before cooking.
Skip the grocery store lines and keep it farm-to-table this year. Order your Thanksgiving Harvest now!
Article by Local Roots Content Volunteer Sylvie Florman
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