LITTLETON, MA – November 09, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –

With Thanksgiving falling on November 26, home cooks across the country face the annual challenge of fitting a turkey and a full menu into a single oven. Kitchen tool maker Cestari points to the outdoor grill and smoker as practical overflow cooking space, with its nonstick mesh grill mat serving as a tool that makes grilled sides easier to manage.

The approach addresses a common holiday bottleneck. While the turkey occupies the oven for hours, side dishes often compete for the same limited space. Moving several items outdoors to a charcoal, gas or electric grill, or to a smoker, can relieve that pressure during the busiest cooking window of the year.

The Cestari nonstick mesh grill mat measures 17 by 13 inches and is PFOA-free. Its open mesh construction allows heat and smoke to reach food directly, unlike solid grill mats and pans that block airflow. At the same time, the mesh keeps vegetables, rolls and small pieces from falling through the grates. The mat can be cut to fit different grill sizes and shapes, and it works on charcoal, gas and electric grills, in smokers and in a conventional oven.

Cestari offers three practical tips for cooks planning to move holiday side dishes outdoors.

Green beans and Brussels sprouts grill well on the mesh surface, where the open design lets smoke and heat develop flavor while preventing smaller vegetables from slipping between the grates. Dinner rolls can be warmed on the mat as well, keeping oven racks free for the main course. Preheating the grill before food goes on helps items cook evenly and reduces sticking, the same principle cooks follow with an oven.

“Thanksgiving is the one day of the year when oven space runs out fastest,” said Susan MacDowell, founder of Cestari. “Treating the grill or smoker as a second oven is a straightforward way to keep the whole menu on schedule. The mesh mat matters here because it lets heat and smoke through while holding onto the small pieces that would otherwise fall through the grates.”

MacDowell noted that the method suits cooks of all experience levels. “Cooks do not need special equipment beyond a grill many households already own,” she said. “The goal is simply to spread the work across more than one heat source so nothing has to wait its turn.”

The grill mat withstands temperatures up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, is dishwasher safe and can be reused. These qualities make it suited to repeated use across a holiday meal, from vegetables to breads.

Cestari, also known as Cestari Kitchen, specializes in kitchen tools designed to make cooking and food preparation easier. The company offers a range of products through its online catalog. Many Cestari tools carry a lifetime replacement warranty. Cestari also maintains a blog and a news room with updates related to its products and the broader kitchenware industry, along with a warranty registration service for customers. The company operates under the tagline Make Meals Matter.

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For more information about Cestari, contact the company here:

Cestari
Susan MacDowell
1-978-800-1013
support@cestarikitchen.com
Cestari Kitchen
451 King Street
Littleton MA 01460

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