Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year, and the oven is always the bottleneck. The secret to a calm day is choosing side dishes that can be prepared one to two days ahead. Here are reliable options and how to store each one. 1. Mashed Potatoes Boil peeled potatoes until tender, mash with butter, warm milk or cream, and salt. Cool, refrigerate in a covered dish, and reheat in a slow cooker or in the oven with a splash of milk, stirring halfway. 2. Cranberry Sauce Simmer fresh cranberries with sugar, orange juice and a strip of orange peel for about 10 minutes until the berries burst. It thickens as it cools and keeps in the fridge for several days. Serve cold or at room temperature. 3. Green Bean Casserole Prepare the filling and sauce a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the crispy onion topping just before baking so it stays crunchy. 4. Stuffing (Dressing) Cube and dry the bread a day or two ahead. Cook the onion, celery and herbs, mix with stock, and assemble the dish. Cover and refrigerate, then bake on the day. Make sure the center reaches a safe temperature of 74°C (165°F). 5. Roasted Root Vegetables Peel and chop carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes the day before and store them in water or a sealed container. On the day, toss with oil and roast until golden. 6. Sweet Potato Casserole Bake or boil the sweet potatoes, mash with butter, a little sugar and spices, and spread into a baking dish. Add the topping and bake on the day. 7. Gravy Make a base gravy from stock, butter and flour up to two days ahead, then whisk in turkey drippings on the day for flavor. 8. Dinner Rolls Many dough recipes can be shaped, covered and refrigerated overnight. Let them rise at room temperature, then bake. You can also bake them a day ahead and warm them in foil. 9. Autumn Salad Wash and dry the greens, and prepare the dressing in a jar. Store the toppings separately and combine just before serving. Make-ahead tips - Write a timeline. Work backward from your serving time and note when each dish goes into the oven. - Free up oven space by using the slow cooker, the stovetop and the microwave for reheating. - Label containers with the dish name and reheating instructions, so that helpers can take over. - Cool food quickly. Do not leave cooked dishes at room temperature for more than two hours. - Reheat thoroughly. Leftovers and make-ahead dishes should be reheated until steaming hot. Storage at a glance Most of these dishes keep well in the fridge for one to two days. Cranberry sauce lasts longer. Always keep cooked food covered and cold. Final tip Choose two or three dishes to make completely ahead, and keep the others simple. A smaller, well-organized menu usually tastes better and leaves you free to enjoy the day.