(NC) It’s been a challenging year but celebrating our favourite holidays can help us to feel busy, happy, and connected. If you’re planning on hosting a modified Thanksgiving, maintaining space and comfort is key.
A recent survey found that 74 per cent of people are concerned about keeping their distance at social gatherings. With this in mind, try not to let your guests congregate in heart of any home, the kitchen! Start meal preparation and spaced seating plans ahead of time to limit close interactions in the most commonly used spaces.
Here are a few other tips for hosting a physically distanced celebration:
Host an intimate event
Invite only a few close family members or friends and select the largest room in the home for an informal setup. Without the traditional place-settings, the host can ensure that guests are kept a safe distance apart.
No potlucks this year
It’s natural for guests to want to bring a dish to the gathering, but this year it’s best to leave the cooking to the host and keep the menu simple. With no outside dishes involved, there is no excuse for guests to enter the kitchen to prepare, heat up or plate their contribution to the meal.
Preparation is key
Arranging a full Thanksgiving meal sounds daunting, but with the right planning and tools in place, it’s possible to host the perfect event, even without guests’ help in the kitchen. The LG AirFry Range with ThinQ technology helps make meal prep a breeze. With its large interior, the oven can hold a large turkey and a number of side dishes so you can cook everything at once, which eliminates the need to ready meals the day or night before.
Stop guessing
Save yourself the headache, integrate high-tech appliances that make cooking easier. Appliances that have built-in technology like the InstaView feature on the LG AirFry Range are a gamechanger – it allows you to check on your dish’s progress without having to open and close the oven door. Simply knock twice on the glass door to check on the status of your meal, even if you’re in the midst of preparing another dish!
Comfort is key
Offer guests plated meals to help limit contact and high touch points. Also, ask guests to wash their hands when they arrive and before the meal starts for peace of mind.
