Thanksgiving is fast approaching.  Are your favorite recipes out?  Turkeys are out in the grocery stores.  Did you see the stuffing end cap last weekend?  You cannot miss it.  As soon as Halloween is over—whoosh!  Here’s Thanksgiving!  My son thinks it’s the forgotten holiday, as we go from Halloween to Christmas stuff in the stores. 

That’s NOT what this post is about.  It’s about being human.  There is a lot of pressure to continue family traditions and recipes, and do things “just right” for the holidays.  As a dietitian who loves to cook, and teaches food safety—the holidays always make my family laugh—at the memories of my food blunders!  After 49 years—I have decided that come what may—the reason the day is special is not what you are eating—but who you are with! 

Yet—if you still need a good laugh today—check out these personal blunders!

• The year I tried to impress my new Mother-in-law by making homemade whipped cream, and didn’t know you had to add sugar and vanilla!  Crisco tastes better!
• The next year I purchased Cool Whip—and the dog jumped up on the table and ate the pie!
• The year my thermometer was not calibrated, and my turkey was over-done by at least an hour. 
• The year I made cheesy potatoes with expired sour cream and made everyone sick.  Try explaining that if you are the food safety Nazi!  Was not aware it had expired!

I could go on.  Believe me—my family could!  The whole point is—cut yourself a break.  Maybe you start a new tradition and have pizza on the living room floor for Thanksgiving if food isn’t your thing!  Happy Thanksgiving!