Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Sides Kids Will Actually Eat

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Make-ahead Thanksgiving sides only help if the kids eat them. This guide covers 18 sides, each with a freezer window, a fridge window, a kid-approval rating, and the tweaks that get small eaters to try it. You’ll also find safe cut sizes for little ones, a countdown plan, and an oven schedule for one oven. The Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Sides Kit printable has the timeline and oven schedule on one page.

A few Thanksgivings ago I prepped a farro salad, shaved Brussels sprouts, and a three-pan green bean casserole, all done ahead and labeled.

Then my seven-year-old looked at the table, looked at me, and asked if there was any more of the bread.

My menu worked for the cook, not the eaters. I never asked whether a small human would put it in their mouth. So every side here gets a kid-approval rating too (my own family-table judgment, not a survey).

In this article (12 sections)

1. Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Sides: Timeline and Kid-Approval Ratings
2. Thanksgiving Sides You Can Freeze a Month Ahead
3. Thanksgiving Sides to Make 1-2 Days Ahead
4. Day-Of Thanksgiving Sides With a Make-Ahead Prep Plan
5. What Makes a Thanksgiving Side Kid-Friendly
6. A Four-Week Countdown Plan
7. The Oven Schedule: How to Bake Six Sides Without a Second Oven
8. Storage and Thawing Cheat Sheet
9. What to Do With Leftovers (and a Few Sneaky Kid Wins)
10. Common Make-Ahead Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Plan: Where to Start

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Sides: Timeline and Kid-Approval Ratings

“Make ahead” can mean very different things, so here is how I sort each side.

Three timing rules run through this whole post:

• Assembled dishes wait up to 2 days in the fridge before baking or serving.
• Frozen dishes thaw in the fridge, and thaw time counts toward that same window. Total fridge time (thaw plus wait) before baking is no more than 2 days.
• Leftovers go in the fridge within 2 hours and are eaten within 3-4 days of the meal. Gravy is the exception: finish leftover gravy within 1-2 days.

Kid-approval rating is out of 5 stars for the typical kid at a family table, including cautious eaters. It reflects:

• Is the flavor familiar and mild enough?
• Is the texture predictable? (Texture is one of the most common reasons kids reject food.)
• Can a kid build or customize it?
• Does it look like something they recognize?

A 5-star dish is one that disappears without negotiation. A 2-star dish is one that’s worth serving for the adults, but you shouldn’t expect it to land with younger kids. I’ll tell you how to bump it up where possible.

Master Timeline Table: All 18 Sides

Here’s the whole plan in one place. Screenshot it, print it, tape it to the fridge.

Now let’s walk through the details, because the “how” matters as much as the “when.”

Thanksgiving Sides You Can Freeze a Month Ahead

If you do nothing else from this article, do these. Every one of them frees up a stretch of your Thanksgiving week and costs you nothing in quality.

Mashed Potatoes (Kid Approval: ★★★★★)

In my kitchen, mashed potatoes are the most reliable kid-approved Thanksgiving side, and they make ahead beautifully if you do one thing: use enough fat. Butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and full-fat milk all protect the texture during freezing. Skim milk and a light hand with the butter lead to grainy, watery potatoes after thawing.

My make-ahead method:

1. Boil peeled, cut Yukon Gold potatoes until very tender. I use Yukon Golds because in my kitchen they freeze better than russets, which can turn a little mealy.
2. Drain them well and let the steam escape for a couple of minutes. Wet potatoes make gummy mash.
3. Mash with plenty of butter and a few ounces of cream cheese. I use about 4 ounces of cream cheese per 3 pounds of potatoes.
4. Add warm milk or cream until they’re slightly looser than you want to serve them. They’ll tighten up in the freezer.
5. Cool completely, then scoop into freezer bags or a shallow container. I like flat bags, because they thaw faster and stack neatly.

To serve: Thaw in the fridge overnight (or for a day), then reheat on the stove or in a covered dish in the oven until steaming hot, with a splash of milk. Stir well. A slow cooker is for holding hot potatoes, not for reheating cold ones.

Dinner Rolls (Kid Approval: ★★★★★)

Rolls are the dish kids fill up on first, and that’s fine. Bread is a perfectly good source of energy at a long meal, and a happy kid with a roll is a kid who sits still for another ten minutes.

Make-ahead options:

• Freeze baked rolls. Bake as usual, cool completely, freeze in a bag, thaw on the counter, and warm in the oven for 8-10 minutes wrapped in foil.
• Freeze shaped, unbaked dough. Shape the rolls, freeze them on a tray until solid, then bag them. Thaw and let them rise on Thanksgiving morning (plan 2-3 hours), then bake 15-20 minutes. Freezing baked rolls is simpler. This gives you the “fresh from the oven” smell without the Thanksgiving-morning mixing.
• Buy good frozen dough or brown-and-serve rolls. No shame. I’ve done it, and nobody has ever asked.

Baked Mac and Cheese (Kid Approval: ★★★★★)

Yes, mac and cheese belongs on the Thanksgiving table. In my house, it’s the side that gets the most “I’ll just take a little” followed by three refills.

The key to making it ahead is to freeze it unbaked. Fully baked mac and cheese can turn dry and oily when reheated. Unbaked, it behaves.

1. Cook the pasta slightly underdone, about 2 minutes short of the package time. It’ll finish cooking in the oven.
2. Make a cheese sauce with butter, flour, milk, and sharp cheddar. Add a little extra milk, because pasta soaks up sauce as it sits.
3. Fold the pasta into the sauce and pour it into a disposable foil pan or a freezer-safe baking dish.
4. Top with breadcrumbs mixed with butter (or skip the topping for picky kids).
5. Cool, cover tightly, and freeze.

To serve: Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours, then bake covered at 350°F for about 30 minutes and uncovered for 15 more, until bubbling and 165°F in the center. Baking from frozen takes much longer and cooks unevenly, so thaw if you can.

Gravy (Kid Approval: ★★★★☆)

Gravy gets a 4 because it’s not a standalone dish, but kids who like mashed potatoes often love gravy as a dipping sauce for rolls, turkey, and (suspiciously) green beans.

Make a big batch of turkey-stock gravy a few weeks ahead, using turkey wings or necks roasted and simmered into stock. Cool the stock quickly in shallow containers in the fridge, then freeze the gravy flat in bags. Thaw it in the fridge and bring it to a full simmer on the stove. Whisk in a splash of broth, or drippings from the fully cooked turkey, for that “real” flavor. Never use drippings from a raw bird.

Gravy keeps for less time than the other sides. Use thawed gravy within 1-2 days, and finish leftover gravy within 1-2 days of the meal. Bring it back to a full simmer each time you serve it.

Sweet Potato Casserole (Kid Approval: ★★★★☆)

This is basically dessert on a dinner plate, and kids know it. It’s also an excellent freezer dish.

Freeze the base (cooked, mashed sweet potatoes with butter, a little brown sugar, an egg, and a pinch of cinnamon) in a baking dish. Leave the topping off. Marshmallows get weepy and sticky when frozen, and pecan streusel loses its crunch.

On the day: thaw overnight in the fridge, add the topping, and bake until bubbling and 165°F in the center, since the base has raw egg.

Go lighter on the sugar than the traditional recipe suggests. Sweet potatoes are already sweet, and in my kitchen a very sweet dish seems to crowd out the savory sides.

If your kids love marshmallows, top half the dish with them and keep the other half pecan-topped for the adults. For children under 4, skip the pecans and whole marshmallows.

Classic Bread Stuffing (Kid Approval: ★★★★☆)

Stuffing is a texture dish. Kids who like soft, savory bread tend to love it. Kids who don’t like “mixed” foods or visible celery tend not to.

Make it ahead by assembling the full stuffing (bread cubes, sautéed onion and celery, herbs, broth, and eggs) in a baking dish, covering it tightly, and freezing it unbaked. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours, then bake covered for about 30 minutes and uncovered for 15-20 more to crisp the top. Check that the center reaches 165°F.

Dice the celery and onion very small, or blitz them in a food processor before sautéing so they melt into the stuffing. Skip big chunks of sausage and fruit in the “kid” portion. A plain pan, cooked till golden on top, is a winner.

Cranberry Sauce (Kid Approval: ★★★☆☆)

Homemade cranberry sauce freezes fine for up to a month and honestly tastes better after a few days in the fridge. But kids are split: some adore the tart-sweet punch, others look at it like it’s a science experiment.

Make a milder version with orange juice instead of water, or blend it smooth. A smooth, jammy cranberry sauce feels more like a spread than a “weird fruit.” Spooning it on a roll, like jam, is often how the cautious ones give it a try.

Thanksgiving Sides to Make 1-2 Days Ahead

These dishes either don’t freeze well or simply don’t need to. Prepping them on Tuesday or Wednesday keeps Thursday manageable.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole (Kid Approval: ★★★★☆)

This is the vegetable side that kids will often eat without commentary, because it’s essentially cheesy rice with green bits. Assemble the whole thing (cooked rice, chopped broccoli, cheddar, a creamy base) in a dish up to two days ahead, and bake on the day. Chop the broccoli small so it blends in, and don’t be shy with the cheese.

This one is fridge-only in my kitchen. I don’t freeze it, because the texture is better when it goes from the fridge straight to the oven. Bake it for 30-40 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F.

For more ways to work more veggies into familiar foods, the fiber-rich meals and snacks kids will actually eat guide has plenty of ideas that translate well to a holiday table.

Green Bean Casserole (Kid Approval: ★★★☆☆)

It’s a Thanksgiving classic, but it’s a mixed bag with kids. The creamy sauce and crispy onions win points. The green beans themselves… less so.

Make-ahead approach: assemble the green beans and creamy mushroom sauce in the baking dish up to two days ahead, covered in the fridge. Do not add the crispy onions until the last 10 minutes of baking. If they bake the entire time (or sit in the fridge), they go soggy.

Corn Pudding (Kid Approval: ★★★★☆)

Corn pudding is a sleeper hit. It’s sweet, custardy, and soft, which hits all the notes kids like. Mix it ahead and refrigerate the unbaked batter in the baking dish for a day, or bake it ahead and reheat gently, covered, in a 325°F oven. Bake until the center reaches 165°F, because it contains eggs.

Deviled Eggs (Kid Approval: ★★★★☆)

Make the filling and cook the egg whites up to two days ahead, storing them separately in airtight containers. Fill on Thanksgiving morning and keep them refrigerated until serving. Discard after 2 hours out, or 1 hour above 90°F.

For toddlers, cut filled halves into small pieces. Deviled eggs are a great “pick up with your hands” food. Keep the filling mild: mayo, a little mustard, a pinch of salt, and skip the paprika on the kids’ half if they’re wary of spice.

Apple-Cranberry Applesauce (Kid Approval: ★★★★★)

This is my secret weapon. Simmer peeled apples with a handful of fresh cranberries, a splash of apple cider, and a cinnamon stick until soft, then mash or blend. You get the tartness of cranberry sauce with the sweetness and familiarity of applesauce. It freezes well, keeps for several days in the fridge, and gets scooped up by every kid at the table.

For more fall fruit ideas, check out the fall produce guide for families for what’s at its best right now.

Pumpkin Soup Shooters (Kid Approval: ★★★☆☆)

Small cups of creamy pumpkin or butternut squash soup are fun, and a little cup is far less intimidating than a bowl. Make the soup up to two days ahead (or freeze for a month) and reheat on the stove until steaming hot. Let it cool to lukewarm before serving it in small open cups, and stay close because hot soup can scald little ones. Skip straws for infants and young toddlers. For babies under 12 months, skip added salt and serve plain mashed potato or squash instead.

Butternut Squash Mac (Kid Approval: ★★★★☆)

Think of this as the “stealth veg” version of mac and cheese. Puree roasted butternut squash and swirl it into the cheese sauce (about 1 cup of puree per pound of pasta works well). The color is a warm golden orange, the flavor is mild, and the texture is smooth. Freeze it unbaked, same as the regular mac.

Day-Of Thanksgiving Sides With a Make-Ahead Prep Plan

Some sides just don’t hold. Roasted vegetables turn limp. Salads wilt. These sides get prepped ahead but cooked or assembled on the day.

Maple-Roasted Carrots (Kid Approval: ★★★★☆)

Carrots roasted until caramelized are sweet, tender, and naturally appealing. Peel and cut them up to two days ahead (store in water or a damp towel in the fridge). On Thursday, toss with oil, a little maple syrup, and salt, then roast at 350°F alongside the other sides until fully soft and browned at the edges, about 40-45 minutes.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Kid Approval: ★★☆☆☆)

I know, I know. Brussels sprouts are a “good for you” food that rarely wins over kids. But if you roast them hot enough to get crispy edges and toss them with a touch of maple syrup or balsamic, some kids will surprise you.

Trim and halve them up to two days ahead. Roast on the day. And keep your expectations realistic. A single sprout on a kid’s plate with no pressure is a perfectly good outcome.

If your goal is mainly nutrition rather than novelty, you can lean on other options on the table. The iron-rich meals and snacks guide is a good reminder that variety across the week matters more than whether one particular veggie gets eaten on one particular day.

Fruit Salad (Kid Approval: ★★★★★)

Not traditional, but kids adore it, and it gives them something fresh on a table full of heavy, rich food. Use sturdy fruits: apples (tossed in a bit of orange juice to prevent browning), grapes, clementine segments, pears, and pomegranate arils. Prep the grapes, clementines and other hardy fruit a day ahead, and cut the apples and pears on the morning of. Under-4s get their own bowl of toddler-safe cuts instead of the shared one.

Simple Green Salad (Kid Approval: ★★☆☆☆)

Wash and dry the greens up to two days ahead (store with a paper towel in a container). Dress at the last second. Offer a mild dressing on the side. Most kids won’t touch it, but a few will, and it gives the adults a break from all the carbs.

What Makes a Thanksgiving Side Kid-Friendly

After years of watching what gets eaten and what gets pushed around the plate, here’s what separates a hit from a miss.

1. Familiar Flavor Profiles

Kids tend to prefer foods that taste mild, slightly sweet, or savory-and-creamy. That’s why mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, rolls, and sweet potato casserole always win. Strongly bitter (Brussels sprouts, radicchio), sharply sour (some cranberry sauces), or heavily spiced foods tend to be rejected.

2. Predictable Texture

A dish with one consistent texture (smooth mashed potatoes, soft stuffing) is safer than a dish with surprise textures (a casserole with crunchy bits, chewy bits, and soft bits).

3. Separate, Don’t Mix

Kids often prefer foods that aren’t touching. Where you can, keep components separate and let them combine on the plate. Serve the crispy onions on the side. Put the pecan topping in a small bowl. Offer gravy in a cup.

4. Give Them a Job

A kid who stirred, sprinkled, brushed, or mashed something is more likely to taste it. Thanksgiving prep is full of safe, age-appropriate jobs. Adults handle everything hot, and kids stay clear of the oven, boiling pots, and hot dishes.

5. Skip the Pressure at the Table

Pressure around eating backfires, especially on a high-stakes day. I serve all the food at once and let kids choose what and how much to eat from what’s on the table. If one kid eats only rolls and mashed potatoes, that’s okay. It’s one meal. If you’d like help understanding why your particular child eats the way they do, the picky eater quiz is a helpful starting point.

A Four-Week Countdown Plan

Here’s the actual schedule I follow. It scales up or down depending on how many guests you’re hosting.

4 Weeks Before (Early November)

• Decide your menu. Aim for 6-8 sides total, with at least 3 that are reliably kid-friendly (potatoes, rolls, mac and cheese).
• Check freezer space. Clear out old stuff. You’ll be surprised how much a pan of mac and cheese takes up.
• Buy foil pans, freezer bags, and masking tape plus a marker for labeling.
• If you’ve never done this before, skim the meal prep beginner’s guide for the basics on containers, batching, and labeling.

3 Weeks Before

• Make and freeze the gravy base (turkey stock) and cranberry sauce.
• Bake and freeze dinner rolls or shape and freeze the dough.

2 Weeks Before

• Assemble and freeze mac and cheese (unbaked).
• Make and freeze sweet potato casserole base.
• Make and freeze butternut squash mac, if using.

1 Week Before

• Assemble and freeze stuffing (unbaked).
• Make and freeze mashed potatoes.
• Take stock: what’s frozen, what’s left to make, what do you still need to buy?
• Order or buy the turkey if you haven’t already.

The Weekend Before

• Grocery shop for fresh items (carrots, green beans, fruit, eggs, milk).
• Make and freeze applesauce and pumpkin soup, if using. The weekend is more than 2 days out, so they wait in the freezer.
• Check that casseroles are in shallow pans so they thaw in about 24 hours.

Tuesday (2 Days Before)

• Assemble the green bean casserole (no onions), broccoli rice casserole, and corn pudding.
• Hard-boil eggs and make deviled egg filling.
• Wash greens. Peel and cut carrots. Trim Brussels sprouts.
• Leave the frozen dishes in the freezer today. They move to the fridge on Wednesday morning.

Wednesday (1 Day Before)

• In the morning, move the frozen mashed potatoes, stuffing, mac and cheese, and sweet potato casserole base (plus the butternut squash mac, if using) from freezer to fridge. Shallow pans thaw in about 24 hours, so they’re ready to bake on Thursday and well inside the 2-day fridge window.
• Move the frozen gravy, cranberry sauce, applesauce, and pumpkin soup from freezer to fridge to thaw overnight.
• Cut fruit for the salad (except apples and pears).
• Set the table. Seriously, do it tonight.
• Make a written oven schedule (see the oven schedule section below).
• Let the kids help with any no-cook tasks: arranging the fruit, folding napkins, making place cards.

Thursday (Thanksgiving Day)

• Get the turkey in the oven first.
• Work backward from your serving time using the oven schedule.
• Fill deviled eggs, cut the apples and pears, and toss the salad right before serving.

The Oven Schedule: How to Bake Six Sides Without a Second Oven

The biggest day-of challenge isn’t cooking. It’s oven space. Here’s a typical schedule, assuming a 4:00 PM dinner and a turkey that rests for 30-45 minutes after it comes out.

These times shift based on your actual dishes, your actual oven, and your actual turkey. The principle is to start with the dishes that take longest and tolerate sitting, and finish with the ones that need to be hot and fresh.

Storage and Thawing Cheat Sheet

Thaw everything except baked rolls in the fridge, not on the counter. Freeze in shallow pans so they thaw in about a day, and count thaw time toward the 2-day fridge window.

After the meal, leftovers keep 3-4 days in the fridge. Gravy is the exception at 1-2 days.

What to Do With Leftovers (and a Few Sneaky Kid Wins)

Thanksgiving leftovers can quietly become a second chance to get kids eating things they skipped the first time around. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving and use them within 3-4 days.

Gravy is the exception. Use leftover gravy within 1-2 days, and bring it back to a full simmer before serving.

• Mashed potato pancakes. Mix leftover mashed potatoes with a bit of flour and an egg, shape into patties, and pan-fry until golden, hot through, and the egg is set (165°F). Kids who refused the potatoes will devour the “pancakes.”
• Stuffing muffins. Press leftover stuffing into a greased muffin tin and bake at 375°F until crisp. Easy to eat by hand.
• Mac and cheese bites. Same trick, same muffin tin.
• Turkey and cranberry sliders. Soft rolls, shredded turkey, a smear of cranberry sauce.
• Sweet potato smoothie. Blend leftover sweet potato casserole (minus the topping) with milk, banana, and a bit of yogurt.

For leftovers that need to stretch into lunches, the bento box lunch ideas post has a lot of ideas for packaging small amounts of different foods in a fun way.

Common Make-Ahead Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

I’ve made nearly all of these, so no judgment.

Freezing food in containers that are too large. A giant, deep pan takes forever to thaw and heats unevenly. Use shallow pans or split a big batch into two.

Skipping the label. On November 24th you will not remember what the foil-wrapped rectangle is. Label the dish, the date, the main allergens, and the reheating instructions.

Fully baking before freezing. For casseroles with pasta or bread, freezing unbaked usually gives a better result. The exception is dishes like corn pudding that reheat well from baked.

Adding crunchy toppings too early. Crispy onions, streusel, and breadcrumbs belong on at the last step.

Under-seasoning. Frozen and reheated foods can taste a bit flat. Taste before serving and adjust salt and butter.

Making too many dishes. A table with 12 sides is not 12 times as good as one with six. Kids will eat the same four things either way, and you’ll be eating leftovers until Christmas.

Forgetting the “boring” safe food. Always include at least two or three foods you know every kid at the table will eat. That’s the secret to a peaceful meal.

Related: Squash Recipes Kids Will Eat: Butternut, Acorn & Spaghetti · Thanksgiving Leftovers Breakfast Ideas Kids Will Eat

Frequently Asked Questions

What Thanksgiving sides can I make ahead and freeze?

Mashed potatoes, mac and cheese (unbaked), stuffing (unbaked), sweet potato casserole base (without topping), gravy, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, applesauce, and pumpkin soup all freeze well for up to a month. Pasta and bread casseroles freeze better unbaked. Green bean casserole and cheesy broccoli rice casserole are the exceptions: assemble them and refrigerate for up to two days instead.

How far ahead can I make Thanksgiving sides without freezing?

Most assembled casseroles hold well in the fridge for up to two days before baking. Cranberry sauce and gravy are also fine two days ahead. Cut vegetables like carrots and Brussels sprouts can be prepped two days ahead. Hold off on anything with crispy toppings, fresh salad dressing, or cut apples and pears until the day itself. After the meal, eat leftovers within three to four days, and leftover gravy within one to two.

What are the best kid-friendly Thanksgiving sides?

The consistent winners are mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, dinner rolls, sweet potato casserole, applesauce or apple-cranberry sauce, corn pudding, and fruit salad. They’re mild, soft, and familiar. For a veggie option, cheesy broccoli rice casserole and maple-roasted carrots tend to go over better than green beans or Brussels sprouts.

How do I reheat make-ahead sides so they don’t dry out?

Cover dishes with foil for the first part of reheating so moisture stays in, then uncover at the end for browning. For mashed potatoes, stir in a splash of warm milk or butter as you reheat. For stuffing, drizzle a little warm broth over the top before covering. Reheat everything until steaming hot throughout, about 165°F.

My kid refuses almost everything on the Thanksgiving table. What should I do?

Make sure at least two or three dishes are safe foods they already eat, like rolls, mashed potatoes, or fruit. Let them serve themselves a small portion, skip pressure and bargaining, and let them skip foods they aren’t ready for. Having them help with an easy prep job beforehand often makes them more curious about the finished dish. Over time, repeated, low-pressure exposure does more than any one meal can.

Can I use my slow cooker to keep sides warm?

Yes, and it’s one of the best ways to free up oven and stovetop space. Reheat mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin soup, or mac and cheese on the stove or in the oven until steaming hot (165°F) first. Then hold them in the slow cooker on low or warm at 140°F or above for an hour or two. Slow cookers aren’t meant for reheating cold food. Stir occasionally and add a splash of milk or broth if things tighten up.

How many sides do I actually need for a family Thanksgiving?

For a typical family gathering, six to eight sides is plenty, including a couple of starches, one or two vegetables, bread, and something fruity or tart like cranberry sauce. Plan about 2-3 tablespoons per side for young kids and about ¼-½ cup per side for adults. More variety doesn’t mean more enjoyment, and fewer dishes done well makes for a calmer kitchen.

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Plan: Where to Start

The year I stopped trying to impress anyone with a complicated spread was the year I finally sat down and enjoyed the meal. We had mashed potatoes that came out of the freezer, mac and cheese that I’d assembled two weeks earlier, rolls my kids helped butter, and a big bowl of apple-cranberry sauce that disappeared in minutes. The farro salad did not make a reappearance.

You don’t need a perfect table. You need a plan, a freezer with a few labeled pans in it, and a handful of sides you know the people you love will actually eat. Start with two or three of the make-ahead dishes above this year, and add one or two more next year. By the time you’ve done it twice, it won’t feel like extra work at all. It’ll just feel like your own family tradition.

Happy cooking, and happy Thanksgiving.