Health

Changing protocols making Thanksgiving Day planning challenging

BOSTON — The changing protocols are making Thanksgiving planning challenging. State officials are urging families to host small, immediate family gatherings.

Joseph’s Italian Baker in South Boston is already getting orders for Thanksgiving pies. But those orders are coming in a little differently.

“I think this year there are going to be a lot of smaller get-togethers,” said owner Vicky McCarthy. “More immediate family and not the whole family together.”

With families hosting smaller holiday dinners, businesses are adjusting their serving sizes.

“Every year we have like a 10-inch big pie that we sell thousands of but this year we’ll also have smaller ones for smaller gatherings,” McCarthy said.

Lambert’s Market in Dorchester is also seeing different demand.

>>>MORE: Coronavirus: CDC issues updated guidelines for small gatherings ahead of Thanksgiving

“People are looking for smaller turkeys or buying a turkey breast or buying half a turkey or switching to roast beef,” said Neal Asner, who runs Plaza Fish out of Lambert’s.

Inventory has been tricky with no prior history for what people need for Thanksgiving during the pandemic.

“We are in a business that can go day-to-day and some of the stuff like pies can be frozen,” Lambert’s owner Danny Lambert said. “If I don’t have to cook them on Thanksgiving, I can freeze them and cook them at Christmas.”

Lamberts said its plan is to be ready for the entire season.

“We try to order heavy on Thanksgiving and really sharpen the pencil on Thanksgiving,” Lambert said.

The one common theme Boston 25 News did hear Wednesday is to start planning early and get your orders in.

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