It's the sides.

No, really, think about it: It's not the turkey that's making you stress out about Thanksgiving. After all, it's just one turkey. But sides? You've got three, or four, or nine of them to worry about. And you can't cut them out of the meal, because a Thanksgiving without sides is illegal in 43 states. (Not really. But it should be.)

The solution to Side Stress? Getting a jump start on different components of your side dishes a day or two ahead of time. Do that—the list below will help—and by the time Turkey Day arrives, you and your sides will be ready.

Toast your nuts

A sprinkling of toasted nuts, be it pecans or walnuts, make just about any vegetable fit for the Thanksgiving table. Toast them a day ahead, let cool completely, and store them in an airtight container.

Make Your Sauces

If you're making something that requires a sauce, like a béchamel for creamy greens, or a cream sauce for gratineed onions, make it a day ahead and store it separately in the fridge. On Thanksgiving, reheat the sauce and proceed with the recipe.

Shake Your Vinaigrettes

Same goes with salad dressing. Whip up your favorite vinaigrette and store it in a sealed container such as a Mason jar. It will keep well about three days in the fridge.

Extra-Buttery Mashed Spuds Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott

Prep Those Potatoes (and other veggies)

Vegetables (you are serving vegetables, right?) come with some of the most time-intensive prep duties. But almost all of these can be done in advance. So wash and chop those greens, break down that head of cauliflower, and peel and cube those root vegetables. You can even peel your potatoes a day in advance. Just do as Epi's Assistant Food Editor, Kat Sachs, recommends and "store them in a bowl of water in the fridge to keep them from turning brown."

Cube Your Stuffing Bread

Whether your making sourdough or cornbread stuffing, take time the day before to prep the bread. Cube it, then bake it on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven until dry and lightly toasted. Let it cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Make the Mirepoix

All great stuffings start by sautéing simple aromatics, often a mix of chopped onions, celery, and carrots, which is also called a mirepoix. Chop—and even sauté it!—a day ahead, store in an airtight container in the fridge, and toss into the bread mixture when you're ready.

Set up your sausage

Adding sausage to your stuffing? That can be browned and cooked a day ahead as well. Store the cooked sausage in the fridge—it will be there whenever you need it.