To buy ready made food for Christmas?

[SpicyMargarita1]

Honestly, I’m exhausted. DH and I work in a physically demanding job. We are working until late on Christmas Eve and have been working 7 days a week so we’ve got enough money to cover us for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

We are going to PIL for Christmas Day but we have to take our own food because we’re vegan and they aren’t.

Would IBU to take a ready made vegan roast and a tray of ready made veg? I just CBA to make everything from scratch. I’d rather spend some downtime with my DH and DC.

I’m an excellent cook, but I’m exhausted.

Go for it.

Do it.

If it were down to me, I’d buy everything pre-prepared. I don’t cook at all. My husband does everything from scratch.

Why do you need us to say yes or give validation? I mean that nicely. A reminder there are no rules! You get to do what you want when you're an adult, earn your own money, work hard and don't hurt anyone...

If we all said "no, don't be lazy, make something", would you?

YADNBU!! If you go somewhere you expect to be catered for anyway so absolutely don’t feel bad

Of course, you are not being unreasonable, holidays are for relaxing. How many people do you think will have wrapped their own pigs in blankets, made their own Christmas puds? This is no different to buying a pre-stuffed turkey crown. So please enjoy every morsel and have a very Merry and relaxing Christmas.

Phew, thank you! MIL never had to work so she doesn’t get it.

Yes, I would!

I am. DH has been vegetarian for years and I am newly vegetarian and I am buying the veg wellington from M&S. Plus pre-made roast potatos because I am always hit or miss with mine. DCs are having slow roast pork.

FWIW a few years back we went to someone's place and they bought the vegan nut roast from M&S. He said it was one of the best he's ever had.

Lord- make it easy. If you have to take your own anyway and your MIL won't be eating it she does not get to have an opinion. IMO. (

No judgement.

Go for it

Sounds like a no brainer. Do it.

I’m also meant to be making the roast potatoes and dessert for everybody.

I’m doing the whole of our Christmas dinner ‘ready made’ from M&S…pigs, roasties, cauli cheese, the lot. It’ll be tasty and requires minimal faff. You definitely aren’t being unreasonable!

Just the 2 of us....Ive been to Cook. Means we can go walking/ pub without having to do much on our return. Lots of cheese.

Definitely - anything which makes life easier is my moto.

All year around I buy bagged salads, ready prepared fruit, bags of chopped onions and garlic, ready grated cheese - time is precious and I’m not wasted it in the kitchen.

Aldi’s frozen roast potatoes are gorgeous - cook beautifully in the air fryer and Aldi do some amazing deserts.

Do it, we're working up until 23rd and are both exhausted too. We thought about doing the same this year as we're in the middle of renovating our kitchen and only have basic cooking facilities. Instead we're just going to have a 'nice' normal meal rather than Christmas lunch, but that's mainly because it's what DS2 said he'd like and DS1 is going away.

I buy almost everything prepared for Christmas dinner because I’d rather spend time with the kids than preparing a huge meal, the only thing I make from scratch is sausage meat stuffing because the shop bought stuff upsets my stomach.

I bought a load of ready made stuff in marks yesterday. Go for it! (Lovely vegan stuff there too!)

I don't thi you need approval
It's your day

My friend has just her dh & 2 kids on Xmas day & everything will be over ready and frozen

We usually cook from scratch but a couple of years ago we had an M&S Christmas for various reasons. It was so much easier and I have to say everything was delicious!

If you were hosting or otherwise providing the main Christmas meal for people I would say YANBVU. But as it’s just the two of you it doesn’t matter if that’s what you want - ILs will probably prefer it as it will come with cooking instructions anyway.

Although I think they are a bit mean not to cater for you - db’s partner was vegan now pescatarian and my mum has always made her something special for Christmas dinner and cooked the veg in a plant based fat so she can participate. One year she cooked vegan pigs in blankets but the consensus was that they were totally vile so never again 🤣

Do whatever works for you and don’t worry about it, but I don’t understand how you can take roast potatoes? Surely not something that travels well unless you’re taking frozen ones to cook there (which I don’t sense was the plan) it’s enough time to say really sorry we’re not going to be able to bring those so your MIL has time to plan herself.

Perfectly fine! Most years I use ready made stuff (different foods in my country but I buy the potato and swede casseroles from the shop and Lidl used to sell a precooked ham that was really good but not any more so I've had to buy a raw one this year but its pretty hands off cooking anyway). This year I've ordered the casseroles and salads from a local cafe which I'm hoping will be even nicer than the shop ones.

Why does it matter? She's not even going to eat your vegan food.
It's an odd thing to ask. You can eat whatever you want.