Tips on how to prepare and shop for the Thanksgiving feast.

• Keep in mind how busy stores are during the holidays. Don't visit the market the day before the holiday. By planning the menu ahead of time, shopping should be completed two to three days before the holiday. With so many people shopping at the last minute, advance planning and shopping will save a lot of time and frustration.

   

• Begin planning the menu two weeks prior to Thanksgiving Day. For example, a typical menu for a traditional turkey dinner might include turkey, stuffing, cranberries, sweet potatoes and condiments.

   

• Pick up aluminum foil and parchment paper and line pans to make clean-up easier. For turkey preparation, pick up a turkey-baking bag. This seals in juices and cooks the turkey quicker than roasting. However, the turkey will not develop a deep roasted color and roasted flavor.

   

• Decide on whether to buy a fresh or frozen turkey. Fresh turkeys usually must be ordered through the meat department, and are much more expensive than frozen turkeys. Frozen turkeys are generally readily available unless an unusually large one is needed, which would need to be specially ordered.

   

• Another benefit of a frozen turkey is that it can be bought one or two weeks ahead of time. A fresh turkey must be purchased only a day or two ahead.

   

• Purchase nonperishable food items at least one week before Thanksgiving Day. These items will be scarce as the time draws nearer to the big day. Try to stock up on items such as flour, sugar, canned fruits and vegetables and other items such as pickles and olives. Purchasing olives in a can, rather than a jar, will save some money. People tend to like to see what they are buying, but it doesn't mean the product is better one way or the other.

   

• Go ahead and pick up some bags of stuffing mix at this time, unless the stuffing will be made from scratch. If that's the case, buy the bread at least four days ahead of time to allow it to dry out without becoming moldy. If the bread does not contain preservatives, pick it up two days in advance.

   

• Crusty Italian bread makes great homemade stuffing. Allowing the bread to sit out uncovered will help it dry quickly. Better yet, to save up to 75 percent off the retail cost, shop for day-old bread. It's going to have to dry out some more to go into the dressing anyway.

   

• Another way to save money is to purchase store brands or generic items. Though they're usually equal in quality to name brands, be sure to try these items before using them for the big meal.

   

• Buy all frozen vegetables and nonperishable vegetables such as sweet potatoes three to four days before Thanksgiving.

   

• Buy perishable fruits and vegetables such as cranberries two days before the dinner. Purchase a fresh turkey at this time, or a frozen turkey if that's not already been done.

   

• Busy stores mean longer lines. Don't be tempted by compulsive purchase items located at the checkout. A good way to make use of time spent waiting in line is to review the shopping list one more time to make sure nothing has been forgotten.

   

• If guests are coming for dinner, help relieve some of the pressure of preparing such a large meal by asking them to bring a favorite dish to share. Be sure to ask what they're bringing so the menu can be coordinated.