Grocery shopping online throughout quarantine has gone from a necessity to one of my favorite hobbies.
This summer I didn't live within 10 miles of Whole Foods or Trader Joes so I decided to join Thrive Market. Thrive is an online food market with a curated collection of the world’s best organic, non-GMO, non-toxic, and sustainable brands. It quickly became my go-to resource for everything from pantry items, wine, meat, fish, cleaning products, skincare, makeup, vitamins, and supplements. I found myself browsing the website daily for new snacks and products I could try and "review" (aka an excuse to treat myself a little too often ... and trying to validate it with the fact its 25-50% off retail prices).
Anyway, I have finally come to grips with the fact that summer is long gone... but Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Wooohooo, being at home with your family in your PJs all day and drinking before 5 PM is about to be in season!
Here is everything you need to know about how to THRIVE this Thanksgiving
From Thrive Market's Making Thanksgiving Prep Easier & Healthier With These Holiday Essentials.
Thanksgiving Zoom background? Check.
All the Thrive Market ingredients you need for a wholesome, stress-free holiday feast—including the highest quality meats, plenty of clean wine, and better-for-you sides? Check, check, and check.
Now, it’s time to get your day-of-game plan ready, and that includes figuring out the timing for thawing and prepping the stars of the show: turkey, ham, or both.
Luckily, you can order your holiday meats from Thrive Market, and most of the hard work is already done. That’s because Pederson’s Natural Farms Spiral-Sliced Sugar-Free Hams come pre-cooked, and Mary’s Free-Range Whole Turkey and boneless Turkey Breast simply need to be delivered to your door, thawed, and cooked to perfection. (Pro tip: Order by November 16th to get your meats in time for Thanksgiving!)
If you’re hosting a smaller holiday gathering this year, you might want to opt for the Mary’s Turkey Breast, which feeds six to eight. Alternatively, you could get a whole turkey, because leftovers are delicious.
Use the Thrive Market cheat sheet below to make sure everything goes smoothly, and we promise your Thanksgiving celebration will be one for the books.
How to Thaw Whole Turkey
For best results, thaw your Mary’s Free-Range Whole Turkey in the refrigerator. Leave it in the original bag and place in a pan on the bottom refrigerator shelf; thaw for two to three days, or until thawed. (Good rule of thumb: Allow approximately 4 hours per pound to thaw.)
For a quick thaw, submerge the turkey in cold water in its original packaging, breast-side down. Make sure the bag is completely closed and hasn’t been punctured. Flush with cold water every 30 minutes. Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound to thaw using this method. See packaging for full details.
How to Prepare Whole Turkey
For an extra-juicy turkey, try brining it overnight after it’s completely thawed. Check out these easy instructions for how to brine your turkey.
And if you’d like to add a seasoning mix to the turkey before popping it into the oven, here’s our tried-and-true turkey seasoning recipe:
Turkey Seasoning Mix
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Organic Black Pepper, ground
1 tsp Organic Garlic Powder
1 tsp Organic Paprika
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Cooking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Working over the sink, remove thawed turkey from the bag and allow liquid to drain in the sink.
Place turkey in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet.
Spread the seasoning mixture over the turkey.
Loosely cover with aluminum foil.
Cook for approximately 25 minutes per pound; using a meat thermometer, make sure the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
To prevent over-cooking the turkey, check the internal temperature throughout the roasting time.
(Pro tip: Save the turkey pan drippings to make homemade gravy.)
How to Thaw Turkey Breast
For the best results, thaw your Mary’s boneless turkey breast one to three days in advance of cooking. Allow approximately 30 minutes of thawing time per pound of turkey. We recommend thawing in cold water, in the original wrapping. The cold water should be changed every 30 minutes. After your turkey breast has thawed, store it in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
How to Cook Turkey Breast
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove thawed turkey breast from the bag, rinse with cold water, and season to your liking.
Place the breast in an uncovered roasting pan, then add two cups of water (or broth) to the bottom of the pan.
Place roasting pan in the center of the oven.
Cook as directed on packaging; use a meat thermometer inserted sideways into the center of the breast to ensure an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove turkey breast from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
Once the turkey has rested, carve, and serve turkey with the delicious pan juices.
How to Thaw Pre-Cooked Spiral Sliced Ham
Our Spiral-Sliced, Bone-In Holiday Hams are made from pork that is humanely raised at Pederson’s Natural Farms without the use of antibiotics or added hormones. They’re fully cooked and completely free of sugar, preservatives, nitrates, and nitrites.
We’ll ship your ham frozen, and it will arrive frozen at your doorstep. If you choose to warm your ham for serving, it should be completely thawed before you heat it. We recommend thawing your ham in the refrigerator; thaw time is approximately five hours per pound (roughly two days for a half ham).
How to Reheat Pre-Cooked Spiral Sliced Ham
Since it’s already fully cooked, your spiral-sliced ham can be gently heated or served chilled. However you choose to enjoy it, we recommend serving it with one of our go-to's: a sweet-yet-spicy brown sugar glaze.
Brown Sugar Glaze
1 cup Organic Dark Brown Sugar, packed 1/2 cup Organic Light Brown Sugar, packed 1/2 cup of brandy 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard 1 tablespoon Organic Ground Cumin 1 tablespoon Organic Ground Coriander 1 teaspoon Organic Ground Pumpkin Pie Spice or Allspice 1/2 teaspoon Organic Cayenne Pepper 2 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon Organic Cornstarch
In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the cornstarch. Add cornstarch last to thicken the glaze.
Reheating Instructions
Preheat oven to 275°F.
Remove packaging, reserving liquid.
Place ham cut-side down on a large sheet of foil in a roasting pan.
Add 1 cup of liquid (water, broth, etc.) to pan and cover with aluminum foil.
Warm ham in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes per pound.
Remove ham from the oven when heated through.
Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
Uncover ham, brush or spoon the glaze over the surface of the ham.
Return to oven, uncovered, and heat for 10 minutes.
Easy & Healthy Thanksgiving Sides
If you’re looking for convenient, wholesome Thanksgiving sides that taste like homemade, add these to your box before checkout:
Want to make your own pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie? Try the smooth and rich Organic Pumpkin Puree. Each batch is made from sustainably farmed pumpkins that are vine-ripened, then puréed to perfection. Happy holiday feasting!
If you're not a Thrive Member yet, here are some perks:
Choose a FREE gift, up to $24 value, when you purchase a Thrive Market membership!
New members have a 30-day risk-free cancellation period.
Thrive Gives! Their one-for-one membership matching program, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family.