5 Steps to Get Your Kitchen Ready for Holiday Cooking

This post has been sponsored by NewAir. However, all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This holiday season, meal prep and entertaining just got easier, and more enjoyable for me. I love cooking during the holidays, but for things to run smoothly, I need a plan. So instead of panicking – because it’s already mid November! – I am taking 5 steps to get my kitchen ready for holiday cooking.

Don't let the holiday cooking craze catch you off guard! Get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking with these 5 steps. Holiday meals prep just got easier!

We recently added a much needed beverage cooler to our kitchen. Bottled water is abundant in this house, we buy cases of 24 to 28 bottles at a time, and before having the cooler, the bottles had to either sit on the garage floor or in the pantry (if I had room), and I kept re-stocking my fridge 6 bottles at a time. And when I don’t have cold water, I get cranky. I like my water really cold!

Here is how this new cooler inspired me to get my holiday meal prep game on! And read onwards, because I am giving away one of these amazing wine or beverage coolers to one lucky reader!

1. Get Beverages Ready and Accounted For

The best part of having a beverage cooler in your kitchen, is the fact that your drinks will always be cold and accounted for. I used to run out of water (and get really upset!) because I could not keep track of my inventory.

Don't let the holiday cooking craze catch you off guard! Get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking with these 5 steps. Holiday meals prep just got easier!

But not anymore, this holiday season, not only water, but also beer, sodas, and juices, will be cold and accounted for since I can see at a glance through the glass door. Plus, I love my Coke at 36 degrees. The cooler has a locking mechanism so you can secure your drinks and keep kids away from alcoholic beverages (or from too much soda!).

2. Make Room for Meal Prep

Kitchen counter space always seems to be scarce, and even more during the holidays. Since adding the new cooler, I gained extra counter space without breaking out the table saw.

Don't let the holiday cooking craze catch you off guard! Get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking with these 5 steps. Holiday meals prep just got easier!

At 34 inches high, the cooler is designed to slide under a kitchen counter, but if you can’t, that’s OK too. We placed ours free-standing at the end of the counter, I added some of my holiday cooking gadgets and gear, and it blends seamlessly with the kitchen counter.

3. Organize Your Holiday Recipes

Don't let the holiday cooking craze catch you off guard! Get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking with these 5 steps. Holiday meals prep just got easier!

On a daily basis, I pull my recipes out of thin air, that’s the truth. But when it’s time for holiday cooking and especially holiday baking, I get my ducks in a row, get my books recipe books out, and start tagging those meals that I will be making.

Don't let the holiday cooking craze catch you off guard! Get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking with these 5 steps. Holiday meals prep just got easier!

A beautiful and inexpensive farm style, chicken wire basket set on top of my New Air cooler, holds some of my favorite recipe books.

4. Pull Out Your Measuring Gadgets and Utensils

One very important thing to do in order to get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking, is having measuring cups, and measuring spoons handy. In my daily meal prep, I tend to eye-ball quantities (and I am pretty good at it 😉 ) but, when I am prepping meals for a crowd, and baking desserts, measuring gadgets are super important.

Don't let the holiday cooking craze catch you off guard! Get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking with these 5 steps. Holiday meals prep just got easier!

My aqua Mason Jar collection of measuring cups and spoons, sure add a great touch to my counter space. Beauty and functionality at its best.

5. Have Your Meal Prep Essentials Handy

If you have a particular area of the kitchen counter where you do your meal prep, place a small tray with cooking essentials such as salt, pepper, oils, and spices. I like to have an arrangement of cutting boards that allow me to classify my meal prepping into vegetables, fruits, cleaning fish, meat or poultry.

Don't let the holiday cooking craze catch you off guard! Get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking with these 5 steps. Holiday meals prep just got easier!

I am happy that I am able to have my largest wooden board handy now. It sits right on top of the cooler, sets a base for my farm basket. I use it to roll dough for cookies and pies, gnocchi, and Italian panzerotti.

Now it’s Your turn to Get Your Kitchen Ready for Holiday Cooking!

It’s amazing how this new beverage cooler re-ignited my passion for holiday cooking. The fact that I have a place to store cold drinks only, makes a world of difference in my days. We located the cooler in a convenient area, and access to cold drinks is at our fingertips at dinner time.

Don't let the holiday cooking craze catch you off guard! Get your kitchen ready for holiday cooking with these 5 steps. Holiday meals prep just got easier!

And now that the holiday meal prep is in full swing, making room for all my books, cutting boards and gadgets was a must. Win-win in my book!

And speaking of winning…

Win a New Air Wine or Beverage Cooler

New Air is giving away a cooler of your choice! . Giveaway starts today and ends November 30th at 11:59 p.m. PST. Enter now, share with your family and friends!

NewAir Fall Fun Giveaway!

Good luck guys, and have a happy holiday planning!

Neat House Sweet Home