Christmas dinner for people who don’t like roasts?

[crossstranger]

I do like a roast but Dh and teens don’t want a roast, they don’t want vegetables.
I usually do cold meat and salad with bits for Boxing Day and they like that.
Dh suggests just a spread rather than a sit down meal.

It doesn’t surprise me that nobody wants a traditional Christmas dinner because nobody likes roasts except me and I’m not spending hours in the kitchen cooking for just me.
What would you do? And what even goes on a spread?

In previous years I’ve spent all morning preparing roast turkey while the rest of the family eat chocolate, drink and fill up on crap, just to force down a bit of turkey to please me so I need some ideas.

Then it's time for your husband and dc to sort Christmas dinner/spread while you sit with your feet up.

Could you do a roast on Christmas eve ? That way there are leftovers you can have - you could even have a full roast from the leftovers while the others have meat / cheese / baguettes

Plenty of Australians just have a bbq for Christmas. Steak, sausages, potato salad, coleslaw, tomato, lettuce. Perhaps a fruit platter. Trifle for afters.

Job’s a good’un.

That’s a good idea, I usually cook lots of meat on the day to have cold Boxing Day so I could do it all the day before and not have to spend Christmas cooking.

This!! I came on to suggest looking at other countries' traditional meals (we have fish and rice, meat for those who eat it, plantain, salad) but that comment above is perfect

You could do a joint of beef, cook it nice and rare and you all sit down and make fancy beef sandwiches out of it - good quality bread, horseradish, whatever you want on the sandwiches. Dunk them in fancy gravy.

If I left them to it I’d have a plate of twiglets and quality street.

And what even goes on a spread?

Whatever you want. If you want Christmas lunch to be a meal you wouldn’t have any other day of the year, you can cover the table in fried chicken, sushi, rock oysters, chow mein, French cheeses, a tower of Yorkshire puddings and a tureen of custard, if you want to. Let everybody pick a couple of dishes and take responsibility for preparing them, and have a ball.

Are your family perhaps trying to save you the trouble of cooking? Perhaps they know it makes you unhappy.

Take yourself off for an amazing roast dinner somewhere nice the Sunday before Christmas. All the fun, none of the work.

On Christmas day let DH put on a spread for you all.

Chicken kievs are now our main for Christmas dinner. Along with a shedload of pigs in blankets.
Nowadays I only cook what people appreciate and will eat - which surprisingly includes Brussels sprouts!

We go out for a curry

Another brainwashing post. Just because its Dec 25th, people think they've got to have a roast dinner.

Steak and proper deep fried chips with some fancy sides. Less effort that a roast but nicer IMO

What does DH think this spread should look like? Send him shopping.

My Aunt and Uncle book a table at their local Indian restaurant, and have a slap up Indian feast. They’ve done that for over a decade.

I think Christmas dinner should be what you like. Personally, I’d rather have a pie than a roast.

How about something simple like grilled steak with salad and perhaps mashed potatoes? Or tuna steak if you prefer. Beats spending hours on a roast and less washing up, but still quite festive.

What would you cook as a special meal you all enjoy if it wasn't Christmas?

Cook that, so it something everyone enjoys.

It doesn't have to be a roast, just a nice meal.

What about a Turkey pie? I saw one advertised on m and s looks lush

Buy in a ready made buffet? Eg. https://www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas/buffet?srsltid=AfmBOopERkpbcgjNYNEq8r2obYdhENlYFjthEO8G0zxRTKV7AWJWVCXK

Take yourself out for a roast at a pub either alone or with a friend or your mum, sister etc in the days running up to Christmas.

Perhaps do a ham to eat over Christmas with cheese etc as buffet food.

What’s their favourite meal normally? Do they just not like turkey, or is it any roasted meat?

I would do a big ham on Christmas eve and then have cold with loads of cheese and anything else in Christmas day.

Let them order a massive takeaway and do a Christmas dinner for yourself.

Massive salad?

if you decide to order the Marks & Sparks beef wellington for Xmas Day, best you don’t mention it on here!

We had steak and ale pie last year. A massive takeaway from the Indian (bought far more different things than usual and it was still cheaper than several joints XxX