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Aside from a roasting pan, lots of serving platters and a clean oven, here are 5 essential items that will make cooking the biggest dinner of the year a little easier.

Containers You're Willing to Part With
There will be leftovers: Now's the time to assess your Tupperware collection and toss any partner-less bottoms or lids. If the clean-up session leaves you with just a few choice sets you don't want to give away, buy inexpensive containers at your supermarket or consider these Biotek take-out boxes, which you can order in small quantities for just $1.10 each.

Heavy-Duty Tin Foil
Any kind of foil will work if you just want to keep side dishes warm, but a heavier weight one is necessary to keep turkey breast meat juicy and prevent the skin from burning before the rest of the bird has cooked (which is a likely scenario, since higher-fat dark meat cooks more slowly than white). Many cooks like to cover the bird loosely with foil for the first few hours of cooking.


Serving Spoons
Have at least 6 ready, one for each side dish, plus a few extras in case you wind up pulling one into service in the kitchen.

Basters
A good turkey baster won't drip, is dishwasher safe, and comes with additional tips (a lifesaver if one melts) and a cleaning brush to remove stuck-on food. The Tovolo Clear Dripless Baster fits the bill.

Meat Thermometer
The only reliable way to tell if your turkey is done is to take the temperature. Deep in the thigh should register 180 degrees; if you've stuffed the bird, the center of the stuffing should be 165. Here's what to look for when buying a thermometer; if you have one already, calibrate it before next Thursday to make sure you're getting an accurate read.

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