Begin Your Holiday Baking Now

#Holiday stress will really start to #snowball after Thanksgiving. Why not get some of your baking out of the way now? There are plenty of #recipes you can make ahead of time and pull out of the freezer to enjoy at a later date, Parade says. Homemade cookies and confections such as peppermint bark, peanut brittle, sugar cookies, gingerbread, fudge and (everyone’s favorite) peanut butter blossoms can be baked weeks in advance. Freeze them and thaw them out a few hours before giving them as a gift in a festive tin or plating them for the holiday feast. You’ll have more time to relax and enjoy the celebration! #HolidayTips

Start Planning Your Holiday Feast Now

Food prices are up across the board, but you can still feed your family and friends a great #holiday dinner for not a lot of money. Pork and poultry make for inexpensive main dishes, and bulk-purchased root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and onions can contribute to filling and crowd-pleasing sides. For an easy and plentiful main, serve a hearty seasonal soup and finger foods; or go for a more traditional sit-down meal. Plan ahead — and stick to the plan — to keep food costs in check. Stuck for inspiration? Delish offers 65 classic recipes to get you started. #HolidayTips

Plan Ahead to Keep Food Costs in Check

Plan ahead to make your #holiday #feast thrifty but memorable, says Good Cheap Eats. Knowing what you’ll cook ahead of time allows you to shop the grocery-store specials for the best prices on ingredients. And while people often expect turkey and ham on Thanksgiving, the December holidays more often rely on family traditions that emphasize hearty favorites such as tamales, stews or lasagna. Or you can think outside of the box for your feast, serving all finger foods, hot sandwiches or anything else your friends and family enjoy. Make things ahead if you really want to relax and enjoy the company. #HolidayTips

Have a Holiday Potluck to Save Time and Money

If you’re hosting a crowd but don’t have the time, energy or money to do everything yourself, a #potluck #holiday #feast is the way to go. Just set up a Google signup sheet so that your meal doesn’t wind up with duplicate dishes, says Kitchn— or worse, starve any guests with dietary restrictions. You can handle the main course and/or a signature beverage, then proved mise en place for all of the donated dishes. Not only can a potluck keep a large meal simple, it can help groups share holiday favorites and become a centerpiece of the festivities’ conversation. #HolidayTips

Make a Memorable Holiday Feast on the Cheap

Is it your turn to host a #holiday feast? To make things memorable without breaking the bank, streamline your menu, says GoBankingRates. Pick a hearty main course, a couple of side dishes and a dessert. “A full menu may look appealing and easy to accomplish now, [but] remember that you may be busier when it’s time to begin cooking,” the story warns. You can feed family and friends on $5 to $15 per person if you plan ahead and work backward from an established budget. Keep the guest list small to keep costs — and the labor necessary to cook, clean and entertain — at a minimum. #HolidayTips