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.

How about roast chicken with sausages garlic bread and salad and then you could buy a tray of roasties and a microwave pot of mixed veg from M&S to chuck in the oven for you. You get roast and they get meat, garlic bread and salad. They make the salad.....

M&S do an amazing sourdough garlic bread loaf.

I think it is very interesting that so many people are turning away from the traditional turkey and all the trimmings, or even any roast for Christmas Day. It takes the pressure off so much. Last year we had cottage pie - not sure what it will be this year, but certainly no hard effort.

This! And as the very first reply said, it's their turn to sort Christmas day food this year. Though I would say get in either your own favourite posh ready meal (for one, obvs) or whatever Christmassy thing you like eg pate, cheese board, pigs in blankets and make sure that's tucked away as your back up for when they're all heatedly denying that it wasn't their job to go shopping...

I love the years where we don’t host the big family Christmas which is always a roast. Where we do what we love as a family. We have had toad in the hole, steak and chips, pizzas. Then we have played with the kiddos. Amazing. I’m doing the big hosting Christmas this year to my disappointment.

Pizza, sausage rolls, whatever salad or veg youike, ready meal, cheese selection and crackers.

I hope you can have your lovely roast at a pub before Christmas or at another family!s house! Sounds as though the kids have picked up DH's attitudes. It's so crap when that happens. I sympathise

Last Christmas day, and the 3 before it, we had king prawns, pot of olives, Ritz crackers, baked camembert with homemade bread, chicken dippers, hummus, chocolate, duck pancakes, pringles, pigs in blankets

Basically anything snacky that any of us fancied was purchased in the Christmas shop. Not a roast in sight.

We’ve done twice baked soufflés, whole roasted tandoori chicken with spiced potatoes and Brussels sprouts thorns, tomato pasta(kids favourite food that year) roast rib of beef with daiphinoises and Brussels. Gnocchi with a sage sausage and red wine sauce. We’ve only done turkey once - we all agreed it wasn’t for us. Last year was pork and crackling. I hate processed party food - so a spread would have to get elevated to curried meat, maybe a ham, with a selection of cheese, pickles, fruit but it feels too much like Boxing Day

I'd do something a bit different if they aren't fussed by a roast/veg. These are also the type of meal where you can have a bit, take a break, and come back for more.

-Raclette. Various cheeses, new potatoes, meats, sauces etc
-Fondue. You can pick up fondue sets from charity shops and have 2 on the table. 1 for a traditional cheese and another for a heated broth to cook very thin meat slices in
-Chinese or Japanese style hot pot. Similar to the above broth where you cook thin slices of meat in it, but with noodles and a Sth East Asian flavour.

There was a Pot Noel last year.
(Guess how I know )

No one slaves in our house - it s fully attended family affair everyone has jobs even the guests!

@AnnaQuayInTheUk Christmas Day is always a bank holiday; it’s only a working day if you work in the police/a hospital/care home etc.

We're probably going g to have steak with pepper sauce. Sides will be chips, possibly peas or other veg.

I love a traditional Christmas lunch. OP if you like Christmas lunch I’d echo a PP who suggested cooking your Christmas lunch on Christmas Eve. Reheat on Christmas Day and let your children have turkey, ham, chipolatas etc with baguettes. You shouldn’t have to miss out on your favourites just because they won’t eat vegetables.

It sounds like they graze and snack all morning. That’s fine after lunch but why don’t you say they need to have breakfast, one chocolate bar or mince pie and then leave room for a lunch you all eat together at the same time. If they’re filling up on junk all morning no wonder they don’t want a decent lunch.

This is what we do. Full xmas dinner on xmas eve then leftovers and picky food on xmas day so I dont have to spend all day cooking and we can eat lots of chocolates too

Thank you very much, that saves a spoonful of Paxo in each pot! 👍

Aw, it's such a shame they don't appreciate it and can't make the effort once a year to enjoy the tradition. It is a lot of prep, which is part of the course for the day to sit down to a feast.

Like Sunday roasts, they were a given, but now quite rare with us also.

You could make less and have a carvery/buffet to graze during the afternoon and evening? Or let them do it all as they wish. Xxx

I’ve done mussels followed by steak with roast potatoes and nice veg sides, and Vienetta or tiramisu for pudding a few times, and it’s felt fun and festive without being a huge amount of work.

What's wrong with you people?! I love Christmas dinner. Have it approx every two weeks, all year round

I did mussels and chips one year. Took 20 minutes.

Curry?
Pizza?
Lasagne?
Pringles & Chocolates?

We've had all these in the past as we are not fans of a Christmas Dinner.

I have a curry. Most Indian restaurants near me are open Xmas Day for takeaway and several open for sit in too. No prep, no cooking, no mess, and nicer than a roast (in my opinion).

I have a DF who orders her favourite food from the local Indian takeaway early on Christmas Eve and reheats it all for lunch in Christmas Day.

Would that he an option?

I think a spread sounds nice. Just choose all your favourite things! For me, that would be selection of lovely breads, baked Camembert, chutneys, nice sausages, etc

Mine asked for steak, home made chips, garlic potatoes, onions, mushrooms and asparagus.
Great success.
Doing it this year too with M&S carrots, red cabbage and spouts.

^
I’d pop a roast for one in the air fryer. Potatoes, parsnips, stuffing, bit of meat if you like, Yorkshire, carrots. Boil some greens/microwave.

Order a curry for the others.