Food:
Cooking and baking, warming up food, and lighting or extinguishing a fire are forbidden on Shabbat. So much of the food preparation has to be completed before the onset of the Day of Rest.
Food that will be served warm on Shabbat, such as soup or cholent, should be placed on the stove before Shabbat, with a blech, a thin metal sheet, separating the food from the fire. Set up an urn if you will be needing hot water.
Yourself:
Ideally try to leave work early on FridayFriday afternoon is the time to prepare for Shabbat. Ideally try to leave work early on Friday, to have ample time to complete all the Shabbat preparations.
Friday afternoon meals or snacks should be very light, in order to preserve a hearty appetite for the Shabbat meal.
It is a mitzvah to bathe in honor of the Shabbat, so if you're pressed for time on Friday, consider taking a shower on Friday afternoon instead of in the morning.
Apply make-up before candle lighting, as applying make-up is forbidden once Shabbat has begun.
Finally, we save our best for Shabbat, including clothing. Get dressed in your Shabbat finery and you are now ready to usher in the holy Day of Rest.
