Whether you are the host, the guest or both this holiday season, a successful meal is almost all in the planning. Follow these five simple holiday food planning tips for a more relaxing and enjoyable time with your family and friends this holiday season.

The list. List all of the social gatherings that you have coming up from the beginning of November to the end of December. If you are hosting, or need to bring a dish to pass, record this along with the number of people that need to be fed. Then go through your favorite recipes and create a list of ingredients. Doing this ahead of time allows you to take advantage of sales. If you want to try out a new dish, this is a great time to do a test run so you are sure about timing and taste.

Serving pieces. Next, decide which serving piece you will use for each item. If you don't have something, you can purchase it or borrow it from a family member or friend. If you are traveling, Real Simple suggests placing your lidded dish in a large cardboard box surrounded by towels and placing the box on a non-skid rug in your trunk. This will eliminate your contribution from sliding around.

"Preparation" is key. Try to do as much prep the day (or even days) before. Especially at Thanksgiving, you need all the fridge, stove, oven and microwave space available. Many dishes can be made the day before and re-heated. This also goes for setting the table and bringing out the serving dishes – all can be done the day before for a stress free morning. Another good tip is to invest in something to cook the turkey (such as an electric roaster) so you have more oven room for the side dishes. If Thanksgiving is your annual hosting event, this can save many headaches. You won’t have to worry about the turkey getting cold while the side dishes are just heating up.

The table. Centerpieces this time of year can be as easy as pine cones, acorns or fruit in a bowl. My family has even done a “thankful” tree. To do this, fill a vase with lentils, and then place a tree branch inside. Cut out leaves from construction paper, punch a hole in each of them and tie them to the branches with string. Each guest fills out a leaf with something they are thankful for and then you can talk about it during dinner.

Staying healthy. Given all of the swine flu (H1N1) activity this season, we have been repeatedly reminded to wash our hands to stay healthy. This is especially important when you are cooking. In addition to the hand-washing, it is also important to adhere to food storage and serving guidelines so that no one eats something that has passed its prime.

Now make your plan, sit back, relax, and enjoy your family and friends this holiday season!