Thanksgiving 2015: 5 Apps to Make It a Great Turkey Day

These apps cover everything from planning to entertainment on Thanksgiving.

ByABC News
November 25, 2015, 8:50 AM

— -- Turkey, family time and football may all be associated with Thanksgiving Day, but those who have hosted guests for the holiday also know how stressful it can be to juggle a list of tasks to pull off the perfect gathering.

Whether it's managing the grocery list, cooking the turkey, entertaining guests or navigating tricky family dynamics at the dinner table, check out these tech tools to help you stress less and enjoy the holiday.

AnyList

AnyList lets users create shopping lists and manage recipes -- letting hosts make sure they have every ingredient they need to cook Thanksgiving dinner and preventing those last-minute trips to grocery stores full of last-minute shoppers.

The app also comes in handy for coordinating potluck style dinners since it allows users to share shopping lists, so hosts can have peace of mind that Aunt Carol is taking care of the mashed potatoes and gravy while Uncle Chuck has all of the ingredients for his famous pecan pie on his list.

Spotify's Turkey Timer

Spotify's annual tool is back! The turkey timer will create a custom playlist to last the duration of your bird's predicted cooking time.

It's the perfect opportunity to torch some calories with a Thanksgiving dance party ahead of the big feast. The turkey timer is based on the USDA's roasting timetable. Simply enter how much your bird weighs and whether its stuffed or unstuffed. Next, choose from one of six genres, including "Club Kitchen" and "Freshly Baked."

Spotify will then serve up the perfect Thanksgiving playlist while your bird cooks, with a ding to alert you when your bird is done. (Although it's worth periodically checking on your turkey to avoid any Thanksgiving disasters.)

Table Plan

If home for the holidays is more like "home for the hostilities," Table Plan can be a great way to navigate tricky family relationships. The app allows users to create seating charts for round, square and rectangular tables, helping to create a more peaceful and enjoyable Thanksgiving dining experience.

(It of course comes in handy too for those hosting a more formal Thanksgiving and wishing to give assigned seats at the table.)

PHOTO: The makers of "Table Plan" say that the app will allow you to create seating plans for up to 30 guests at a round, square or rectangular table.
The makers of "Table Plan" say that the app will allow you to create seating plans for up to 30 guests at a round, square or rectangular table.

NFL

The NFL's app will help you keep up with all of the Thanksgiving football action in one place. It may even be a lifesaver if your host -- dare we say it -- doesn't have a TV near the dinner table.

Black Friday Ads

While that second helping of turkey is digesting, get your Black Friday game plan ready with the Black Friday 2015 app. Consider this app the one-stop shop for keeping track of deals from your favorite stores. A wishlist function helps users make sure no bargain is forgotten.