To ask for a festive meal for one!

[mytartanscarf]

Any ideas? I wasn't going to bother ... But I may cave after all. But I can't cook at all much ... anyone got any thoughts?

mytartanscarf... are you on your own out of choice and delighting in picking a meal for one... or would you like to go somewhere else for lunch....!!!???

The Daily Fail gave the M&S dinner 9 out of 10 last year. Sounds like you'd need to buy an extra pack of veg or trimmings, though.

I'm having lots of different bits - baked Camembert with nice crusty bread, chutney, olives, those little peppers stuffed with cheese, and pigs in blankets. Might seem a bizarre combination but it's all things I really like. I've got a yule log for pudding - possibly won't manage the whole log but I'll do my best! Not my first solo Christmas but first one at home rather than abroad on holiday and I'm looking forward to it.

Or there's always this ...

Worra the difficulty is you end up with far more than you need as most recipes assume for about 4 people.

Not true

There are tons of smaller recipes on Google

Also, supermarkets are selling tiny £5 gammon joints and rolled turkey breast etc. They're easy to cook and the instructions are written on them.

What's your favourite thing to eat OP? The great thing about eating alone is you can totally please yourself

I'd probably do something like smoked salmon with really nice brown bread and butter. Or scallops. Maybe a really decent bit of steak with rocket salad, sauteed mushrooms and homemade chips.

Or if you want to do a mini Christmas dinner then either M&S it or if you can get one a poussin is very nice for one person.

Oh dear I see everyone has already said that

Waitrose do seriously good ready-stuffed chickens that are covered with bacon that come in a bag. You just put the bag in the oven and that's IT! I did one yesterday for our lunch.

Then you have cold chicken for the rest of the week to make into sarnies/pies/stews.

Waitrose also do the best ready-made bread sauce, a little pot, and good gravy, so you just need to think about potatoes and veg - all of which you can buy ready to slam in the oven.

That's what I'd do. YUM!

M&S do a really nice gammon in a foil tin for about £6. You pour a glaze over it and just bung it in the oven for the time stated on the packet. It will do a cooked meal then half in sandwiches cold the next day.

I usually do mash potatoes (boil potatoes in salted water until soft, drain, mash, add lots of butter and splash of milk and pepper). M&S do a packet parsley sauce with it that is nice and I usually have peas with it.

The M&S turkey with stuffing and bacon wrapped on it is also really nice - £7 and loads for one - again leftovers for a sandwich or home made soup. Get a tray of roast potatoes, bag of sprouts and gravy bag and you're done.

If you want to do a "Christmas Dinner for One" then how about a quail?

Roasting's easy -just put it in an oven dish and put it in the oven. So long as it's not still pink inside then you can eat it.

Personally I would go for the "lots of little things I like" option.

I used to live alone and quite liked it. Christmas was lovely actually!

I think, like several on here, that you can't go wrong with M&S ready-cooked/prepared stuff. I have a friend who's on her own (she prefers it) and has got her lovely food from Marks. You only have to heat it up. Get a nice bottle of wine and also tasty nibbles for later.
Just be sure to really treat yourself and indulge mightily.
Happy Christmas!

Op I think you should learn to cook. Get a meat thermometer if you are not confident with meat.

Christmas dinner for 1. get all the veg and potato you like but get it loose. If you want turkey get a leg. buy frozen pigs in blankets and take out what you need. stuffing balls freeze well so keep fresh the amount you want and freeze the rest.

Meat thermometer? What is such a thing? I don't have a freezer or a fridge so I have to shop on a daily basis.

Don't tell MN I said this () but you can keep cooked meat in a closed container on the windowsill for 3 days in December.

But I would still go for delicious, ready-made things that just need heating up. This is not remotely the right time to start learning to cook, store & re-use a roast!

Garlic I do this - also with milk

Smoked salmon and bread and butter it is. I have now acquired a cat. It isn't my cat but it won't go away and I think it's hankering after salmon!

Whoo-hoo! Sounds good, tartan

Sounds like you won't be alone after all ... [cat emoticon]

Enjoy your day!