We’re going to preface this blog by saying that we’re not endorsing cell phones at the table, where everyone is distracted by their devices. We hope the day is instead filled with great food, great conversation and authentic engagement with the people you hold dear.

Technology can certainly assist in making that happen, and we’ll give you great ideas for before, during, and after dinner that can take the stress out of managing everything. With a store full of refurbished computers, you can also upgrade any of your current devices with tech that won’t fail you for your feast. And you don’t have to wait for Black Friday, which would be too late, to find a great deal on tech.

If you’re like most hosts, the first order of business is planning the meal. If you’re really efficient, much of the work is done before the day starts and you’re simply executing a well-devised plan for the meal. If you’ve got a large group, take it easy on yourself (and your oven) by inviting everyone to bring a dish to pass with SignUpGenius. They’ve themed Thanksgiving as an event, where you can either list what you’d like to see on your table, and people can sign up for that dish, or you can allow them to add their own ideas. The genius part is that everyone who participates can see what others are bringing and you don’t end up with 5 versions of fruit fluff and no mashed potatoes.

Next, remember it can be a full contact sport to go from concept to completion on the biggest meal of the near. Stay comfortable and pick up a pair of Mindinsole inserts. They claim to increase blood flow and oxygen, boosting health benefits throughout your body, using magnets and acupressure to target specific energy zones. For about $40 they could pay for a chiropractor visit in one day.

As far as what you want to make, apps like Whisk and Paprika allow you to meal plan and create a grocery list, either from recipes you find in the app, or those you add yourself. Tasty also is a great resource if you’re not quite sure what you want to make, with videos to show you start-to-finish recipes. Both are free, too, so help yourself!

Special dietary needs? Oh She Glows can provide you with vegan options for just $1.99, and apps like GF Plate (free) can keep anyone around your table with gluten sensitivity well fed. No doubt there are a host of apps out there, so check out what some of the best are to see what suits your menu. https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-recipe-apps/

So, now you’re in the kitchen, ingredients at hand. All you need is a little time to focus. Whether it’s the day before, or in the thick of things on that hallowed Thursday, make sure the kids have no reason to interrupt your concentration. We found a host of sites that are aimed at teachers, but that’s one of the hats you wear, too, so be ready with games for kids of all ages. If sharing might be an issue, you may be able to pick up a couple ofextra refurbished computers to keep the peace while keeping a budget.

Games for “kids at heart” are generally what captures the attention of the adults, and if the current TV you have is lacking in real estate, consider upgrading to a wider screen in 4K or higher to keep them out of the kitchen, and prying hands away from snitching turkey morsels. Mischief managed.

What’s a cook without gadgets? Make ‘em high tech to make them even more useful! We found great options for

• Peeling potatoes - lots of them at one time, with an electric peeler
• Carving the bird, or slicing the bread - Electric knives and even rechargeable knives make for expertly sliced (thick or thin) meat and bread (separate blades included), with prices ranging from $20 to well into the $100 range.
• Checking the bird usually involves opening and closing the oven door to view the thermometer, but with a wireless meat thermometer ($30 on Amazon), you only need to glance over to see when that magic 165 degrees is reached.
• Weber also makes the iGrill, which has Bluetooth capabilities to pair with your smartphone and has four probes to help you track different dishes at once. Even better, it will tell you when your bird, your stuffing and other dishes are ready based on the set temperature you give it. For a little over $100, it could be worth the time management.

For those of you for whom expense is of little concern, there is the Cadillac (or maybe Maserati) of cooking tools from Hestan Cue. Its full cooktop is smart ($6000) and so is its cookware, which pairs with your smartphone via the Cue app and communicates with it when your dish has reached optimum temperature. Small skillets (which sit atop a paired cooking induction disk) retail for about $200 and range up to $300, $600 for sets. Sensors in the skillet detect any changes to the temperature and make adjustments to ensure an even temperature across the surface.

Ahhh...dinner’s digested, and the tryptophan is starting to kick in. It’s time to get a second wind, and keep the family entertained and not napping. Tech has a few ideas to help end the evening with fun games and activities on a positive note.

A few of our favorites:

• Rest in peace, Alex Trebek, but the game Jeopardy! lives on. They’ve even come up with a Thanksgiving Jeopardy! version of everyone’s answer-with-a-question game
• Phone Phever allows people to unashamedly pull out their smartphones and compete to answer trivia questions. It’s a nice hybrid of a traditional board game, involves everyone, and their tech
• Maybe you’ve all just had too many seconds of stuffing, potatoes and turkey. Take a walk to work off some of that sluggishness, but take tech with you to play a game while you stroll. If you’re not into Pokemon Go, try a couple of these virtual games that take you outside after dinner and see which might suit your area.

Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season traditionally, and as such it’s often seen as the less stressful of its bookends in December. Tech should therefore be used to take us away from stress, and not apart from each other. We’re thankful for its many ways to serve us, and we extend our thanks to you for letting us serve you.