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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Christmas dinner for 2.

51 replies

Pasithea · 07/12/2014 23:46

Ok husbands kids not coming til Boxing Day, not a problem. We can have dinner out.

Nowhere accepts a booking for a table for two on Christmas Day. Ok will look on marks and spencer and waitrose sites for really nice scrummy not too much trouble food for Christmas dinner.

Mmmmm everything serves at least 6 people. We would be eating it for weeks. Does no one cater for couples or small families at Christmas. I'm not spending 50 quid on a naice ham or turkey. Just for it to go to waste. Or for the trays of prepared veg that you can't reheat after cooking once .

[fhmmm]

OP posts:
TwelveLeggedWalk · 07/12/2014 23:48

I did duck and shitloads of champagne when it was just DP and me.

WorraLiberty · 07/12/2014 23:49

Just buy a small chicken and a small gammon joint.

Most supermarkets sell both.

BaronessBomburst · 07/12/2014 23:52

I've nearly always only cooked Christmas dinner for two. I'm not sure what then problem is. Confused
Get a turkey roll from the butcher, or just a couple of breasts. Then four potatoes, a dozen sprouts, two carrots, a small pudding, a small carton of cream. It's just like cooking any other meal for two.

53Dragon · 07/12/2014 23:53

Turkey crown roast for you 2 on Christmas Day then turn the leftovers into the Hairy Bikers' Turkey & Ham pie with cranberry topping when the others come on Boxing Day. We made it last week for my mum's birthday lunch and it disappeared in no time! Will definitely do it again at Christmas.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 07/12/2014 23:54

Nowhere at all will accept a booking for two? What about if you up your budget?

You could cook it yourselves rather than buying pre-prepared?

Summerisle1 · 07/12/2014 23:55

Just treat Christmas dinner as an ordinary roast. Buy a sensible sized free range chicken or perhaps have duck (always scrummy and ideal for two) prepare such vegetables as you need and away you go. You don't have to cook a mountain of food just because it's the 25th December. Just cook whatever would make a delicious dinner for two on any other day of the year.

Original poster
Pasithea · 08/12/2014 00:00

Yes I know I just fancied the dishes on the websites all ready to cook without too much fuss.

Allibaba. My Husband tried Marcus Warings restaurant at about £300 a head as a surprise for me. But even they wouldn't do a table for two. They had spaces as when a colleague heard his phone call she decided it was a good idea and booked up.

OP posts:
JeanSeberg · 08/12/2014 00:03

I used to take my mum out for Christmas day dinner, just the two of us. How many places have you tried?

Allalonenow · 08/12/2014 00:08

Fillet steak, duck, or pheasant are all suitable for two and simple to cook.

shadowfax07 · 08/12/2014 00:12

Individual beef Wellingtons? Aldis do them frozen, they are very nice.

Guess what we're having for Christmas lunch Grin

Amethyst24 · 08/12/2014 00:21

If you're cooking for a crowd the next day I can see why you wouldn't want too much hassle for two on the day. (It's just going to be me and DP and we've ordered a 6kg goose Grin - we'll be eating it for weeks and I quite like that idea). But why be traditional at all? Just get loads of lovely smoked salmon, cheeses etc.

Original poster
Pasithea · 08/12/2014 00:22

Tried loads even ones we would have to drive to. They're understandably not going to accept a table for two when they could have it for 4 or 6 or more.

My brother has just sold his restaurant . He said tables for two on Christmas Day where a dead loss.

I like to make Christmas Dinner a bit special. But would have liked to have also made it a bit less faff as I'm catering for loads on Boxing Day. It's the first 2 person Christmas dinner I've done. Usually it's a minimum of 8.

OP posts:
ChocolateNutsAndCreamLiquer · 08/12/2014 00:23

It will just be husband and I on Christmas Day. Bliss. You know like the other 51 Sundays of the year when a roast dinner is cooked ?

Well, guess what, it will be just the same as that just more on the plate. We'll be having roast chicken, roast potatoes, assorted veg, sausages rolled in bacon, stuffing, bread sauce, gravy, cranberry sauce.

The leftovers will last about 24hours if that. Yummy to it hot. Yummy to it cold.

CupidStuntSurvivor · 08/12/2014 00:26

Not sure I follow. You can't find a supermarket that sells ingredients for Christmas dinner for small numbers? Most veg can be bought loose. Pousin is individual sized. A small chicken would do you both. A turkey leg. Individual Christmas puds. What can't you find??

Fluffyears · 08/12/2014 00:27

There will be three here for dinner. I have a small turkey crown and will but accompanying veg nearer the day. Any left overs will be used to make 'Christmas dinner soup' basically all left over veg, potatoes and Turkey in a big pan of chicken stock. It's my late dads recipe and the only way I'll ever touch sprouts as they are surprisingly good in soup.

MollyHoHoHoHooper · 08/12/2014 00:35

What sort of food are you doing on Boxing day?

If you get a good size turkey and ham you could have a 'Christmasy' dinner for both of you then feed everyone the next day.

MollyHoHoHoHooper · 08/12/2014 00:51

I just read your post Fluffy and that sounds lovely.

I may try that this year, sounds like the perfect thing to snuggle up on the sofa with on Boxing night.

DrEllieSattler · 08/12/2014 01:06

I LOVE cooking Christmas for DP and I.

We have whatever meat we want from the butcher (last year it was a beef rib roast) and we have a fantastic day cooking together.
Enjoy it!

Don't buy ready prepared stuff. A roast is so so simple to throw together!

SoonToBeSix · 08/12/2014 01:10

Not sure where you tried to book? I suspect the problem was you left it too late ( early October at the latest) not the fact that there is only two people.

icklekid · 08/12/2014 05:36

Just dh and I (ds will be 6 months) we get 2 pheasants from butcher and is perfect Xmas Smile

If you want something easy and delicious I would get this from Cook- yum yum yum!

www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas/christmas-day/christmas-lunch-for-2/

lastnightIwenttoManderley · 08/12/2014 06:01

Another one for a brace of pheasant! You could possibly do one rather than two but depends on how much you eat!

FunkyBoldRibena · 08/12/2014 06:24

surely if you are catering for loads on boxing day it will get eaten then?

Fuck, i have never had a problem cooking for two. I am evidently not creating enough drama. Where did it all go wrong?

Mehitabel6 · 08/12/2014 06:36

Maybe you left the booking until too late- I would have thought it was people with only two who would want to go out.

allypally999 · 08/12/2014 08:40

We frequently had Xmas lunch out (just the 2 of us). Have you tried Indian, Italian or Chinese rather than hotels?

If we are in I either get turkey legs or something else .. we are having duck this year as yes a whole turkey is enormous and we'd be be freezing tons but you can do that too.