Healthy Eating 101 Ask the Test Kitchen The Biggest Thanksgiving Mistakes Everyone Makes at Least Once—and How to Fix Them Here's everything you need to know to avoid disaster when it comes to your turkey, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, pie and more Thanksgiving dinner staples. By Hilary Meyer Hilary Meyer Instagram Hilary Meyer is a freelance recipe developer, tester and content creator. She has a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Culinary Arts degree from the New England Culinary Institute. Hilary started working in the EatingWell test kitchen in 2006 before becoming an editor. She left for New York City in 2014, but eventually returned home to Vermont where she belongs. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 10, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Whether you've hosted Thanksgiving dinner dozens of times or you're taking your first stab at the big meal, Thanksgiving cooking mistakes are bound to happen from time to time. It could be gummy mashed potatoes, or soggy green bean casserole. Maybe it's lumpy gravy—or dry, woody Brussels sprouts. Use this guide from our test kitchen to fix all your flubs—or better yet, to avoid them in the first place. 4 Mistakes That Ruin Green Bean Casserole (and How to Fix Them) Making green bean casserole from scratch? Excellent idea. Here are a few pitfalls to avoid and tips for fixing your mistakes. Goodbye mushy green beans and soggy onions! 5 Mistakes That Ruin Brussels Sprouts (and How to Fix Them) They're a fall staple and a Thanksgiving menu must-have, so for your best Brussels sprouts ever, learn how to sidestep these common mistakes. 6 Mistakes That Ruin Mashed Potatoes (and How to Fix Them) Make the best mashed potatoes ever by avoiding these pitfalls, like gummy, soggy and cold mashed potatoes. 4 Mistakes That Ruin Stuffing (and How to Fix Them) Homemade stuffing is ridiculously easy to make, but there are a few things you can do that would ruin a perfectly good stuffing. Here are a few mistakes to avoid when you're making stuffing from scratch, plus tips for making the best stuffing ever. 6 Mistakes That Ruin Gravy (and How to Fix Them) No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without good old-fashioned gravy. Here are six common mistakes that make gravy less than perfect and how to fix them. 5 of the Biggest Turkey Mistakes to Avoid Don't make these common mistakes while cooking your Thanksgiving turkey. Find out how to fix your bad turkey habits in the kitchen and at the grocery store. 5 Mistakes That Ruin Pie (and How to Fix Them) Avoid these common pie baking errors and use these simple tips for your best pie yet. 4 Mistakes That Ruin Cranberry Sauce (and How to Fix Them) Thinking outside the can this year for Thanksgiving? Learn the pitfalls of homemade cranberry sauce—and how to avoid them. 4 Mistakes That Ruin Sweet Potato Casserole (And How to Fix Them) Sweet potato casserole not as sweet as you remembered? Here are four things that can go wrong—and how to fix them. 5 Mistakes That Ruin Dinner Rolls (and How to Fix Them) Avoid pale, tough, flat and otherwise sad dinner rolls with these tips. 5 Thanksgiving Day Disasters You Can Fix: Here’s How What could possibly go wrong? No roasting pan, raw turkey, frozen turkey, no oven space. Here's how the pros deal with kitchen disasters on Thanksgiving day. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit