These Are the Ingredients You’re Probably Going to Run out of on Thanksgiving—So Stock Up Now

Picture this: You’re in the groove with Thanksgiving prep—the bird’s in the oven, the sides are in progress, the desserts are prepped—but you just ran out of a crucial ingredient that you need to complete the meal. Now, you’re thinking, “Who can I dispatch to go to the grocery store?” Or “Can I get by without it?” Or “What can I substitute instead, and will that completely change the recipe?!”

If this scenario sounds familiar and/or something you’d like to avoid at all costs, it’s time to stock up on the essential ingredients you can never have enough of on Thanksgiving. 

And keep in mind that you might need to buy more than usual this time of year, because people know it’s the day to eat.

“I think as far as the amounts go, people on Thanksgiving are more hungry than usual,” says Zachary Woodworth, executive chef at Mii Amo in Sedona. Guests are not snacking throughout the day, because they are waiting for the big meal. Since they may be eating double the amount, expect everybody to eat double portions and buy more than you think you may need. 

We polled some professional chefs for their thoughts on the ingredients you’ll want to buy in bulk in advance of the holiday. To prevent any last-minute grocery trips on Turkey Day, read their tips below.

Thomas J. Story

Butter

“Butter is used in many recipes, so do not forget to stock up on butter,” says Anthony Stagnaro, executive chef of Bear at Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection. “Luckily, butter has a shelf life, so if you have a lot of it, it’ll keep in the fridge or freezer. I would recommend having three pounds of butter on hand. You can never have enough butter!”

Chef de Cuisine Michael Rosenthal of La Société in San Francisco suggests shopping for butter in advance because often when it’s close to Thanksgiving, the grocery store might only have the premium brands left. “When you use this much butter, don’t use the fancy stuff,” he says.

And Joseph Offner, executive chef of Bar Sprezzatura in San Francisco, has a trick if you don’t have much butter left. “If you are running low on butter make good decisions and commit the butter you have to dishes where it’s essential, pie crust for example,” he explains. “Then sub out olive oil for your mashed potatoes and pretend like that was always the plan.”

Broth and Stock

“Stocks and broths are crucial Thanksgiving ingredients with long shelf lives,” says John Silva, executive chef of Hell’s Kitchen at Harrah’s Resort Southern California. “Utilizing a stock or broth in place of water elevates the profile of savory dishes and can be used in vegetables, proteins, gravies, stuffing, and more. The products have long shelf lives until opened, so any excess can be easily saved or frozen for later use.”

If you run out, Chef Wes Avila of MXO Steakhouse in Los Angeles says you can use water—just enhance it with salt, herbs, or leftover vegetables. Or, you can make a quick vegetable stock with leeks, shallots, and aromatics if you have some time.

And when you have enough stock, you can have enough gravy, which is something you want a lot more of. “We call it ‘Thanksgravy’ at my house so I learned early on to never run out of gravy!” says Patrick Munster, executive chef of Don’s Prime in Fountainebleau Las Vegas. “It’s a good idea to always have extra gravy because you never know how much each guest will have, and if you end up with leftovers, there’s plenty to do with it. My family loves to make gravy bread after dinner, which is essentially just white bread soaked in gravy. I’d recommend stretching homemade gravy by adding a little store-bought gravy to it.”

E. Spencer Toy

Fresh Herbs

“Have you seen the herb section two days before Thanksgiving? It’s empty!” says Rosenthal. “I recommend buying fresh herbs (like thyme, rosemary, and sage) up to a week before Thanksgiving. It will be fine in the fridge until you need it. I would buy double the amount you need for both.”

If you don’t have enough, Avila says you can use dried herbs—but use about one-third of the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated.

Essential Produce

“Onion, celery, carrots, and garlic—those items are in so many dishes, and people tend to forget how much they need,” explains Travis Watson, executive chef of Blackbird at the Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara. “They all have great shelf lives, so they won’t go bad quickly if you stock up. You should always keep a decent amount of onion and garlic in your home, so make sure you buy enough for all your Thanksgiving dishes, plus a few onions and a bulb or two of garlic to use later, depending on the size of your family.”

And you might want to stock up on the side dish vegetables. “I don’t think people buy enough vegetables for Thanksgiving,” says Complex Food & Beverage Director Ryker Brown of Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. “Whether it be green beans, Brussels sprouts, or root vegetables. These ingredients can really be a star of the show. Buy more of them and don’t skimp. Depending on how many you have for Thanksgiving dinner but I would factor 4-6oz per person. So if you have four people, a little over a pound of green beans should be a good amount.”

Potatoes

“Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple, and leftovers can be repurposed into dishes like potato pancakes, Callo potatoes, or papas bravas,” says Avila. “An extra 2-3 pounds is a good buffer to ensure you’re covered. If you find yourself short, try using sweet potatoes or cauliflower for a different texture and flavor.”

Yunhee Kim

Flour

Massimo Falsini, chef-partner of Caruso’s at Rosewood Miramar Beach, says flour is an everyday staple that you should definitely have on hand during Thanksgiving.

Sugar

“Sugar follows the same rules as flour,” Falsini says. “Personally, I am not a big fan of lots of sugar, as even in my desserts I use less than normal, but during the holidays you want some sweet splurge.”

Salt

“Salt is often overlooked until the moment you need it,” says Stagnaro. “Turkey brines, for example, require a lot of salt and you don’t want to have to go back to the store after the turkey goes on brine. I use about five cups of salt for my turkey brine alone, so I prefer to have at least two packs of the 48oz Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt on hand.”

If you don’t have time to brine your turkey, Eric Piacentine of Layla at MacArthur Place in Sonoma suggests using Maldon sea salt at the end. “A pinch of sea salt to finish brings out the flavor of the often under seasoned bird, along with the lemon really brightens up the dish.”

Romulo Yanes

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream is used in so many dishes like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and desserts. Cedric Vongerichten, executive chef and co-owner of Wayan Aspen (set to open in December), suggests getting one pint extra. And if you run out, he says you can use milk with a bit of melted butter to add fat, or Greek yogurt for thickness in savory dishes.

Cranberries

“Fresh cranberries bring a tart punch to sauces, salads, and even desserts, while dried cranberries offer a bit more versatility and sweetness,” Avila says. “Having an additional bag of either type on hand gives you the option to experiment or adjust dishes as you like.”

Ice

“Everyone runs out of ice. You use it to shock your vegetables and don’t have enough for beverages. Have a cooler full of bags of ice in the garage,” recommends Executive Chef Charles Wiley of Hearth ’61 at Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale.

Wine

“Not for cooking, but for drinking. I think this explanation goes without saying, but no one wants to run out of wine on Thanksgiving!” Stagnaro adds.