We all know the holidays can be stressful with family & friends coming to your house and the pressure of everyone’s expectations. Let’s talk about something serious: How are your cooking skills?  Are they so bad that your smoke detector doubles as a timer? Was your turkey so dry last Thanksgiving that your husband took it to the football game as jerky? Have your kids ever let you forget the "great cranberry sauce incident" of 2020?
 
Maybe you should throw in the towel this year. You have enough stress with the 60-hour workweeks, running the kids to their events, community volunteering, keeping the house up, and that cousin who invites half of Omaha to your house. If your unique cooking skills include burning water, you may want to take the stress-free path by ordering a pre-made Thanksgiving dinner.
 
Consider Stopping Kitchen Roulette
• Your oven has trust issues (I bet the feeling's mutual)
• Twenty-one people are coming over for dinner (Think, when did you become so popular?)
• If the last time you made stuffing, you gave it to a contractor for building material, then it's time.
Omaha's Thanksgiving First Responders
 
Omaha establishments offer complete great tasting Thanksgiving meals
• A Casserole To Go, 5520 Miller Ave., Ralston, Neb., is a division of Abraham Catering and delivers across Omaha.
• The order deadline for A Catered Affair, 8531 N. 134th Ave., ne is Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. Pick-up is Wednesday, Nov. 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• A Venue on the Ridge & Fresh Catering & More, 20033 Elkhorn Ridge Drive, Elkhorn, Neb., offers Thanksgiving catering and has both pickup and delivery options.
• B’s Bones & Sauce: You can pre-order smoked turkeys, fried turkeys, hams, and prime ribs. Order by Nov. 22 by phone or email.
• Beacon Hills, 6750 Mercy Road, offers a special Thanksgiving to-go menu that includes a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings and individual prime rib, maple-glazed salmon, or sliced pit ham meals. Orders must be made by Nov. 25.
• Big Mama’s Kitchen & Catering, 2112 N. 30th St., Suite 201, offers soul food and comfort food catering. Why not try their famous sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving dessert?
• Conscious Comforts, 2320 Keystone Drive, offers Thanksgiving meals for pick-up or delivery on Wednesday, Nov. 27. Order by Nov. 22. They also offer gluten-free vegetarian options.
• Eddie’s Catering, 5009 S. 24th St., offers Czech dinner carry-out and some people recommend them for Thanksgiving.
• for the King charcuterie offers charcuterie boards for Thanksgiving with free delivery.
• Freestyle Flavors offers catering services for complete Thanksgiving meals. Your choices include roasted, smoked, or deep-fried turkey, smoked brisket, and prime rib. 
• Heirloom Fine Foods, 325 N. 72nd St., Suite 200, prepares locally sourced, organic, and homemade turkey and sides for Thanksgiving. Meals can be picked up on Wednesday, Nov. 27, from 3 to 6 p.m.
• Jams Midtown, 7814 Dodge St., offers three meal options based on how many people you need to feed. Option 1 serves 3-4 people, Option 2 serves 8-10, and Option 3 serves 12. They also offer A la carte options. Place your order by Nov. 22 
• Mealbox by Chef Wil Birge, 6571 Maple St., delivers the food to your door
• Modern Love, 3157 Farnam St., Suite 7113, offers pre-ordered vegan individual plates of Seitan Turki Thanksgiving Dinner, Smoked Turkey Thanksgiving Dinner, and sides and desserts. Pick-up can from Nov. 25-27.
• Mouth of the South, 16909 Lakeside Hills Plaza, is a Cajun restaurant catering for Thanksgiving with southern options like herb-smoked turkey breast, cornbread & sausage stuffing, and gouda macaroni and cheese. Place orders by Nov. 22, to pick up between Nov. 25-27. 
• Railcar Modern American Kitchen, 1814 N. 144th St., offers Complete catering and Thanksgiving to-go.
• Sauced by Alfaro, 115 N. Washington St., Papillion, Neb., offers its popular hand-rolled has holes (potato croquettes) for pre-order in quantities of 12, 18, or 24. Orders must be received via the restaurant’s Facebook page by Nov. 16 at 6 p.m., and payment is due by Nov. 17 at noon. Pick-up on Nov. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Timber Wood Fire Bistro, 8702 Pacific St., offers Complete catering and Thanksgiving to-go.
• Veg.Edible, 2740 N. 61st St., offers a completely vegan Thanksgiving menu that’s gluten-free and nut-free (except coconut). You must pre-order; there are no cut-off dates yet (but some items will sell out). Pick-up is Nov. 27 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
 
A bit of advice: Order a week or more before Thanksgiving. As it turns out, you are not the only one in Omaha challenged by poultry.
What About the Cost
Yes, pre-made dinners cost more than cooking yourself. But you need to factor in:
• Post Thanksgiving Therapy costs
• Cost of a new Fire extinguisher
• Pizza or Chinese delivery after crisping the turkey
 
All things considered, the pre-made meal may be a bargain! There's no shame in choosing sanity over stubbornness. Nevertheless, make sure you practice your "Oh, this? I just threw it together" speech for Thanksgiving Day.
 
Lastly, remember to order earlier. We can't all show up at Whole Foods on Thanksgiving morning, claiming we "forgot" to thaw the turkey.
 
Whether you cook or pre-order your Thanksgiving meal this year, the Heim-Berg Team brings unparalleled expertise to help you buy or sell your Omaha home. Contact the Heim-Berg Team, Omaha's Real Estate Experts, at 402-677-9024 or visit www.OmahaAreaLiving.com to explore the possibilities that await in our dynamic city.
 
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!