Foods that become family traditions for no reason - what are yours?

[IHeartKingThistle]

DS is 16 today, and I’m in the kitchen making the three things he always asks for on his birthday - Nigella’s Nutella cheesecake, feta and herb mini filo pies from the Good Food website (random) and Betty Crocker Devil’s Food cake mix made into cupcakes with chocolate icing and topped with those Aero mint bubble things.

I can’t remember how any of them became his traditional ‘birthday foods’ but they’re what he wants and I only ever make them on his birthday! (I am not such an attentive mother the rest of the year, I’ll be honest ).

Are there random foods that you always end up making for certain occasions in your family?

Eggs Benedict.

Oh these are so lovely. I love the idea of all of these families I don’t know with all these traditions that make people happy!

Orange flan might be my favourite so far!

Why don’t they do them anymore? Do we need a campaign?!

Bacon and egg pie, in its tin dangling off the handle bars inside a cool bag when we go cycling

Full English breakfast eaten at lunchtime on FA cup final day. Always a big occasion in our house, even if our team isn’t playing. My dad started it and we’ve carried on even though he passed away almost 8 years ago! Brings back so many happy memories of my lovely dad.

We always go for a milkshake after we've been to the dentist! No idea how that started.

Every Sunday, I make a "treat breakfast" for the DC: English pancakes, waffles, French toast or American pancakes (and, occasionally, blueberry vanilla muffins), all homemade. If I make English pancakes (their favourite option of all), the very last of the batter is always used to make mini pancakes in the shape of their initials.

We also have Dominos on Christmas Eve!

Gloop. Yep the kids named it

It’s basically leftovers all in a stew

My brother lives in Truro, there are no Asian supermarkets, I'm in Wolverhampton so if my dad (and mum before she passed) are visiting him for Christmas I send down somethings from the various shops near me.

Although things change the one that stays the same is samosas, these are bought in bulk and are split between a buffet and their freezer.

During December we always had an evening when we sat around the cosy fire and ate a pomegranate each. This was an evening for the retelling of childhood memories by Mum and Dad, with Mum telling about having her left hand tied behind her back when she was learning to write, and Dad's tales of being a teenager in the Navy. It's a far cry from the popcorn and pizza family film nights of today!
Another December tradition were the boxes of Eat Me dates. Food was much more seasonal years ago than nowadays, and dates were only available for a short time each year.

wilted spinach in butter on toasted sourdough, topped with smoked salmon slices and cream cheese. For the vegetarians, no smoked salmon, for the vegan, well he can make his own!

We always have Nigella's meringue gelato cake with chocolate sauce and raspberries for Xmas Day pudding. Usually after Xmas dinner is finished and all the washing up done, sitting down with a glass of prosecco, pudding and cheese and biscuits while we do the presents from under the tree. It's a very easy thing to make a few days in advance, I do two and bung them in the freezer.

Celebration breakfasts are kedgeree and bucks fizz, though I have to do about 4 variations, veggie/non veggie and everyone likes their eggs different stages of boiled so I write initials on the eggs as I put them in the pan. It's a bit too much for Xmas morning, so that's croissants, cheese and Bucks Fizz.

My Mum used to make this thing called Curry Cheese Plait which I think was probably from a magazine recipe in the 70s. I still make it, as does my sister and my DDs always request it. D1 and her bf are compiling their own cookery file and "CCP" has gone in that.

"Coming home from university" dinner is always beef casserole, though D1 is now veggie, this is an exception. I make it in the slow cooker with a bottle of red wine.

Love this thread!

Toast with pork pie on Christmas morning a long standing family tradition since I was small.
Dh and Dd make Boxing Day pie using all the leftovers from the Christmas dinner.They have been making it for about 10 years.Its our favourite part of Christmas.

These?

Made by Jus-rol

We order a Pizza Hut/Dominoes cheese pizza every Christmas evening while watching Home Alone. When we open the box we say ‘One cheese pizza, just for me’ like Kevin from the movie

Turkey and leek pie the Jamie Oliver one on New Year’s Day. Don’t panic, I strip and freeze the meat I want for the pie on Christmas Day. I leave enough out for sandwiches.

I always make Jamie’s make ahead gravy for Christmas Day.

I don’t think we have many others, I think I’d like to change that!

Nigella’s chocolate Guinness cake for my middle one’s birthday and on any Results Day. I’ve three kids, each two years apart so we have a run of 7 years of Results Days, often two per year!
Also Gruffallo Crumble - Nigella’s strawberry and almond crumble but we first had it on the day we’d seen The Gruffallo live in the theatre so that stuck.
And an additional tray of roast potatoes on Boxing Day, so we don’t fight over them on Christmas Day.

Always make the same cake for DH birthday even though I have offered to make others. About 50% of the time no matter how I try to decorate it, it ends up pink.

Ooh thank you! I haven't seen these in-store, will have to have a look!

Granny Lawson’s macaroni cheese on any cold day where we’re outside for a while. I love this as my granny died long before my boys were born but this keeps her memory alive (and her mac and cheese was epic!)

Also DP makes me steak and three cheese and bacon dauphinois potatoes on my birthday!

@WhitegreeNcandle I want to make this and START a new tradition ! Can you share a recipe ?

Please. How rude of me to not ask nicely. Sorry

Grilled tuna steak with caponata on Christmas Eve. Feels celebratory but not too heavy before Christmas Day.

Ceremonial Christmas grapefruit for breakfast on Christmas Day. With a Cherry. DM used to think this was what we should have. No one likes grapefruit.