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.

A turkey is large though, and Christmas often means a larger coming together of family. I wouldn’t do a turkey for just us but I often do what is essentially the same dinner with a chicken or Guinea fowl.

Yes, exactly. The idea of blithely ‘suggesting’ what someone else can make for you while you don’t give it another thought!

Parklife!!
(sorry, couldn’t resist 😆)

Upwiththisiwillnotput

Read post back in Blur style, sounds good, do you play any instruments? We could gig lol

What’s your family’s favourite dinner? You could just sex it up for Christmas? If it’s spag Bol you could make it with slow roast beef instead of mince and serve with fancy pasta. If I asked my family they would 100% ask for fajitas instead of Christmas dinner - chicken, roast veg, cheese, etc. you could nearly design it to make it Christmassy.

Sadly no, although I love music I can’t play anything and sing like a strangled cat. Many family members are though, I missed the gene!
apologies for the derail..

Ah, shame, was hoping for a career change and stardom 😁

Agree.

My DH loves them and tries to sell them to me because it is too much food for him alone in his mind.

I don’t like roasts, never have, and don’t cook them. I don’t care what he eats as long as he doesn’t leave the kitchen a bomb site where I can’t cook what I want to eat. He could easily do a small one for himself or go out and eat one.

No vegetables?! 😱
I like the idea of doing a roast on Xmas eve, and then heating up leftovers for yourself on Xmas day, and leaving them to it.
Would they be happier with a curry? You could probably order / collect one if they're open near you on Xmas day.

I haven't eaten a roast dinner for over 50 years. Somehow I have survived.

Pizzas are popular in the Otterly household on Christmas Day.

What about a lasagne.

We always had steak for Christmas dinner growing up.

My OH does beef on the barbecue.

You could do it on Christmas Eve and then have left overs on Christmas Day.

can have it with chips and pigs in blankets!!!

What do your family like?
sounds like they might want
smoked salmon
pigs in blankets
sausage rolls
a Cooked ham
a baked Camembert
proper Stilton
chips n dips

what else would they eat?

maybe ask each of them to provide / prepare the thing they like?

Gammon air fryer the day before with the mustard and sugar glaze. It slices better the next day jacket potato, and cauliflower cheese

We did antipasti one year. Meats, cheeses, a warm potato salad, fresh baked ciabatta, figs, posh chutney, olives, stuffed vine leaves, all sorts. Was great!

I added chips to the mix! Game changer. I just want them to enjoy the meal.

Plus I rely heavily on M&S for the meal prep.

If you’re the only person who wants a traditional Christmas dinner I’d do this:

Organise to go out with friends to a good pub or restaurant the week before Christmas and have it there. Get it out of your system.

Christmas day: Serve cold roast turkey breast, sliced, and ham - both pre- cooked by you a day or two in advance
Plus:
Home made potato salad (Delia’s is nice)
Home made coleslaw
Green salad
Nice chutney
Crusty bread
Cheeses

We have a normal christmas dinner although our youngest has nuggets and chip. We have our eldest DS and his family over in between xmas and new year. We do hot beef sandwiches ( decent buns) roast potatoes, and yorkie puds no other veg, unless requested.

I'm baffled that there's people out there who don't like a roast dinner! Surely it's the height of dining? Sunday Roast is good and Christmas Dinner is the gold standard.

Pavlova.

Last Sunday, instead of the roast dinner we usually have (because I'm cooking the meal on Christmas) i did 3 lasagnes (beef , chicken, veggie) with salad and garlic bread. Have seen us through the last couple of days, with kids all grabbing some for lunch/ snacks at various times! Cooked the day before, slung in the oven on the day

There are much more exciting foods than a roast dinner… Moroccan Tagine, authentic curry, fresh grilled fish would all place well above a roast dinner for me.
DSC like a roast so will do them one every couple of months but as a week night tea when I’ve got an easy workday but not as a Sunday thing, I save that time for more interesting meals

Cook their favourite dinner