So you decided to jump on the bandwagon and try Whole30. Congratulations! Once you’ve read the guidelines to the program and prepped your kitchen, it’s time to get meal planning. You’ll find it very difficult to eat anything at all if you don’t have a plan and some ingredients prepped in the fridge.

The first rule of doing Whole30 is to always check the ingredient list on whatever you’re buying. You might know that Whole30 says you must abstain from eating grains, legumes, dairy, sugar, and alcohol for 30 days, but it gets more complicated when you break it down to the ingredient level. For example, things like bacon and marinara sauce seem innocent enough, but they might not be Whole30-compliant because they have added sugar or other additives.

I’ve gathered a list of Kitchn’s very best Whole30-friendly recipes so you don’t go hungry on your month-long journey. Almost all of these recipes require no substitutions (I’ll let you know when you need to use ghee for example, instead of butter), but you still need to check your ingredients at the grocery store to make sure everything works for Whole30.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/21-delicious-whole30-friendly-recipes-238591′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

There’s one meal I cook the same way year after year: Thanksgiving. What can I say? I like the classics, and Thanksgiving gives me a chance to cook familiar recipes while chatting with friends and family.

I also like saving money; it’s one of my favorite things. So this year I decided to head to Aldi, my go-to budget-friendly grocery store to see if I could buy an entire classic Thanksgiving dinner for less than $100.

Could it be done? I wanted to find out!

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/heres-how-to-buy-thanksgiving-dinner-from-aldi-for-100-237754′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Dessert lasagna is the modern take on trifles. Cookies or cake are layered with pudding, mousse, or whipped cream (or in some cases, all three) in a 9×13-inch baking dish, giving it distinct layers like its savory counterpart. But dessert lasagna doesn’t require any cooking and actually gets better the longer it sits in the fridge.

Pumpkin dessert lasagna is an easy make-ahead dessert perfect for Thanksgiving. It has layers of gingersnap cookies, a spiced cream cheese mousse, and pumpkin pudding enrobed in a spiced whipped cream. The whole of it is drizzled with a quick caramel sauce so each bite is a magical mix of all the favorite flavors and textures of the holiday season.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-pumpkin-dessert-lasagna-237737′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Let’s be honest here — if you are shopping at Costco for Thanksgiving, chances are you are feeding a crowd. Feeding not just your immediate family, but also your friends, neighbors, and extended family means that beyond buying your turkeys and hams (yes, you’ll need multiples of both), you’re also going to need more plates, more tables, and more wine.

Given that, here are three things your should pick up at Costco for Thanksgiving.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/the-top-3-things-you-should-buy-from-costco-for-thanksgiving-237753′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Turkey is certainly the masterpiece of Thanksgiving table, presented with flourish and praise for the cook. Despite the idyllic image we’ve created of roasted turkey, it is essential the same as roasting your Sunday chicken, albeit on a much larger scale. While there are lots of opinions, and some sound advice, for roasting a turkey, there are just a few key steps to avoid for a terrific Thanksgiving turkey.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/7-mistakes-to-avoid-when-cooking-a-turkey-212909′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Thanksgiving is nothing without a pie (or three), so you’ll obviously also need a special pie server. Trust us, you don’t want to try using a flimsy plastic fork and knife.

If you don’t have a pie server already, you’re in luck because we’ve rounded up 10 fun options. Dig in.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/10-pie-and-cake-servers-for-the-holidays-237688′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

So, you bought your pumpkin pie instead of making one this year — that’s totally okay. What’s more important is what you do with it on the big day. Go beyond the standard whipped cream for a fast-and-fancy upgrade that really brings that wow-factor to your pumpkin pie.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/7-ways-to-upgrade-store-bought-pumpkin-pie-237716′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

How to peel and cube butternut squash for soups, stews, pastas, and purees.

Recipes often ask us to peel and cube a butternut squash, but actually doing it can be a little puzzling. How does one coax cubes from this wonderfully curvy vegetable? Do we need to deal with the neck differently than the bulbous seed area? And what about the skins and seeds? Read on for a step-by-step guide to breaking down a butternut squash.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-peel-and-cut-butternut-squash-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-65196′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Pumpkin pie is an icon of the Thanksgiving table, a dish of rich pumpkin custard fragrant with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves wrapped in flaky pastry crust. Served with a generous dollop of whipped cream, there aren’t many slices of pie so universally loved. But even pro bakers know that a near-perfect pumpkin pie requires a few special considerations to take it from ordinary to memorable. Here are five mistakes to avoid when baking your holiday pie.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/5-mistakes-to-avoid-when-making-pumpkin-pie-237741′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Now that we’ve made it to November, perhaps you’re growing weary of pumpkin spice, well, everything. Not to worry, though, because there are a handful of spice blends out there that just might rival that classic combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove. They may seem unconventional in your pumpkin pie or muffins, but give one a try and I guarantee that your taste buds will delight in the vast world of flavors beyond pumpkin pie spice.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/5-spice-blends-to-use-in-place-of-pumpkin-pie-spice-237642′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>