I need to get a roast dinner to the Canary Islands.

[PortaRoast]

We're going to a small Canary island on Christmas Eve. 3 kids, 2 flights and we arrive late so can't do a supermarket shop.

We all want a proper Christmas dinner so I'll have to pack it all and take it with us won't I? We have full kitchen facilities there.

Only 2 of us eat meat so I won't need to take a huge bird or anything... I'm thinking maybe a ham would be better but will meat travel OK? Is it even allowed?

I'm going to feel mental packing sprouts aren't I? Any suggestions or experience doing this?

Boasty.

Tinned turkey. Wow that's gross

Is it "boasty" though?

Wouldn't be my choice to drag kids to the Canaries for christmas.

I have a month off work, Could easily afford to take my family anywhere for christmas- choice is to stay here and have a wonderful hygge type christmas in the scottish countryside.

FACT:
You can bring any fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy or other animal products (e.g. fish, eggs and honey) into the UK if you’re travelling from a country within the EU.
The EU also includes Andorra, Canary Islands, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland in this context.
www.gov.uk/bringing-food-animals-plants-into-uk/food
EXPERIENCE:
I have done what you plan for Christmas once and to Switzerland, but I froze the meat in advance and put it in insulated bags in hold luggage. Why? Because I far preferred to spend the day on the slopes, than faff about shopping or going to a restaurant and once the meat is in the oven on low there is little to do once you return from the mountain. Roasties in, then hot bath with bubbly. Perfect!

These days my family commute between UK and Spain and often bring specialist food items not available here in their hand luggage without problem and sometimes a few laughs from security personnel.

You'd have to be insane to lug all that stuff with you on a plane and spend the first day of your holiday slaving in the kitchen. Have the big roast on the 23rd, or book for a restaurant as google indicates there are plenty that are open.

@speakout dragging her kids? Your idea of Christmas sounds like hell to me but each to their own.

La Gomera is lovely. Spent a month there whilst moving to NZ. I would contact the local restaurants to your villa and book one of them. If you are flying and then sailing to the island I would not take fresh food. It could be a long long time before you can get it in the fridge.

This thread is hilarious. I love the effort you're going to OP but really why?! Christmas dinner is U.K. so maybe have something more local. I've been away for many years at Christmas time and just sampled the local stuff on the day. In Dubai I couldn't even have a drink at the restaurant we went to. Was actually strange looking over all the available mocktails.
Anyway still love your efforts might be better just to search out a U.K. pub doing something. It's the Canary Islands. Be plenty of Brits around.

keeo thanks but no thanks. I think I'd rather help the cat with her food

I would probably take a load of dried goods:

Gravy granules
Nut roast mix
Stuffing mix
Vacuum-packed chestnuts
Instant mash
Dried cranberries
Yeast extract or stock powder
Dried veg mix for soup

If you really want to punish yourself, take some lentils and a bag of TVP (textured vegetable protein) and be like a hippie from the 1970s.

If you find a decent shop or get to eat out, then bonus.

Lol at 'drag your kids to the Canaries'. My poor loves seem to cope admirably lounging by the pool and eating their body weight in snacks...

All those googling restaurants in La Gomera that are open - we will be nowhere near San Sebastian - we will be inland and uphill of the airport on the other side of what is a very quiet island. The towns of the island are not easy to get between, it is basically a large volcanic mountain in the sea so the roads are insanely steep and twisty. I will not be suffering them on Christmas Day. Of course if I was going to Lanzarote or Tenerife or any other busy touristy place I would be eating in one of their many restaurants but I'm not.

I don't think it's insane to eat a roast dinner on Christmas Day. I will not be slaving, I will be cooking meat, a nut roast, potatoes and veg for me and the kids. I just wanted help with the practicalities of transporting the ingredients to a remote place.

After reading the post where I'm dragging my kids to the Canaries I will be signing off. Things haven't been amazing this year and we're all massively looking forward to going to a place we all love and are excited about taking Christmas with us.

Many many thanks to those who helped with some very useful suggestions!

Not too sure about those canned dinners though

25th Dec is a normal day in the Canaries and Spain. It isn't a holiday. However, 24th is when all the Spanish have their Xmas meal so supermarkets etc are more likely to close early on 24th. Expect everywhere to be open on 25th like any other day.

Y feliz Navidad y felices fiestas!

Did you mange to get hold of the villa owner to see if they could help?

user1486723488

25th December is a National holiday in Spain, which includes the Canary islands!