Boxing Day food

[theoptionaldinner]

I'm hosting Boxing Day this year. There will be two under 5, two tweens, 5 adults. I was going to to party food but I think I'd like to have a n my real "meal" to choose from, so say two hot options. I just don't know what though. Is a beef curry suitable? And a soup? What is the consensus? Ps I'm still going to have party food first the table mainly for the young ones but everybody can work away at

Gammon and jacket potatoes! 😋

Ohhh that's a good one!!

I am not sure I’d want to tackle a beef curry on Boxing Day but maybe that’s me! I’d only want the party food.

why don’t you do a WhatsApp poll of the adults , ask them to pick 2 dishes off a list or vote “party food only” and then make the most popular?

We always have cold cuts of turkey and ham with a truckle of cheese, pork pies, massive green salads,cold sausages, chutneys, mustard etc.

But for hot food, I think I would go for a big beef and mushroom pie.

But if that’s not good for the dc, maybe do a sausage plait for them?

An enormous shepherd or cottage pie?

A classic lasagne (a lot of work but worth it at serving stage?

Edited to say: I really like the gammon ham idea, with jackets or new potatoes and parsley sauce.

Dog walk followed by cold cuts and leftovers. Lots of pickles. Big tin of quality st and a board game after.

bloody love Boxing Day!

Thanks for all the help. I'm not a great cook so I want something easy-ish but tasty. I don't want to send people home hungry

How about quiche, jacket potato, coleslaw/salad and crusty bread??? Not too heavy but still filling. Maybe some cold meat too?? You can get the part bake baguette/rolls. 10 minutes in the air fryer and done

Myself and hubby just have picky bits

On Boxing Day we tend to just have cold meats, salad and picky bits. I never find I’m hungry enough for a big meal on boxing day

Ham slow cooked with brown sugar on, with salads and bread or potatoes,.yum

Boxing Day for us is always leftovers. But you can do something inventive like a baguette with turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets and cranberry sauce. People can make them themselves or just pick at leftovers if they don’t want it in a roll.

Sometimes I do a ham (Nigella’s treacle ham) and we’d have that with cheese, biscuits and pickles.

It’s at the end of a slog of heavy eating days, so no one will miss heavy rich food, so you could go quite light, more picnic food: pork pies, quiche, salads, pickles, cheese and biscuits.

For pudding, I do something really classic usually a Black Forest gateau (Tesco thawed from frozen one is great) or a mint vienetta.

The star of Boxing Day is always the big ham for us.

I would do the ham with cold leftover turkey, jackets or mash, big green salad, punnet of cherry tomatoes and a couple of fancy salads like a Waldorf and homemade coleslaw. I’d also put out a cheeseboard with grapes, crackers and a festive chutney.

Maybe homemade crumble for pudding with custard. Or an ice cream bar for the kids to make sundaes.

All of those are simple to put together and shouldn’t take too much time or effort.

Platters of buttered frozen ( fresh Italian sliced bread, buns or rolls) as no fresh bread for 2 days.

Platter of assorted sliced cold cuts, salad ( tuna mac, tossed green, mixed bean) etc... crisps/ nuts and or other nibbles and noshes, cheese board, and jelly with fresh/frozen fruit inside and optional cream for topping. Big tin of assorted chocolates. That's simple-ish, and easy for guests to help themselves to.

That sounds like a fantastic Boxing Day spread! A beef curry is definitely a great option—hearty, flavorful, and perfect for the colder weather. Pairing it with a soup, maybe something like a creamy tomato or butternut squash, would give your guests a nice variety. Plus, soup is great for the younger ones too!
And honestly, having party food on the table is such a smart move—it keeps everyone happy while they wait for the main dishes. If you ever need a quick backup plan or inspiration, Wendy’s menu has some crowd-pleasers that even the pickiest eaters would love. 🍔🥗

How about turning turkey/stuffing leftovers into a pie? Quick to make and who doesn’t love a pie?!

My boxing day is just reheated Xmas dinner leftovers.
But if that's not on the cards then something quite light and fresh. Maybe a few salads, eg rainbow slaw, beetroot, lentil and feta, Caesar, mixed beans?
That with ham or turkey if you've got it or just some nice cheese? Or some baked salmon with lemon? That only takes 12 minutes if you cook the small fillets.
I wouldn't do anything heavy or too much effort. People will be pretty stuffed from the day before I'd imagine and you'll want to have a chilled out experience. Definitely get the Bailey's and Jameson's out for afters! Or ask someone else to bring them X

I cook a large ham for Boxing Day.

I actually start it Xmas eve (I do nigellas ham in cola - it's fab), put it in the fridge and then just warm it in the oven and glaze it on the day. I also cook red cabbage on Xmas eve.

Then on Boxing Day it's really easy. Ham in oven/glaze, warm cabbage and also serve with any other leftover veggies from Xmas day (I deliberately make extra roast/mash potatoes so there is enough).

Whip up some parsley sauce (just butter, cream a bit of stock, parsley and seasoning).

Looks spectacular to serve a large ham and feels very festive.

But the best bit for me is the ham is the gift that keeps giving so I can relax....

Ham sandwiches/toasties. Omelettes (also using any leftover cheese from the Xmas cheeseboard). Ham and scrambled eggs with muffins for brunch. Eggs Benedict (I buy in hollandaise sauce so I don't have to make it over Xmas). All of which any of the family can rustle up themselves so I have some days off cooking :-)

We always have bubble and squeak on boxing day. Served with cold meats and pickles.

Oh yes, with coleslaw...bonus if it's homemade ( tho' homemade mayonnaise, is not essential). That's my Christmas Eve sorted, thank you for that idea, @DownWhichOfLate

Bubble and squeak, heated up leftovers. Tastes better than on Christmas Day!

Beef curry sounds perfect. Or curry from your Christmas day leftover meat plus a second thing based round gammon or beef.

AI at its finest!

We do a ham and turkey pie with a puff pastry lid with some green veg. Goes down a treat.

Gammon, cauliflower cheese, potato wedges, pease pudding 😋