Where is best to buy Xmas food?

[MrsChrisPratt]

We are hosting this year for the first time. Probably 6-8 adults, not yet totally confirmed. It is 'only a roast' but those coming do like the full works- starter, Turkey with all the trimmings, pudding, crackers, cheese and biscuits, the whole shebang. Totally happy to do it (it'll be a joint effort between me and DH), but I will be 28 weeks pregnant (not sure how I'll be feeling as it's first pregnancy) and we only have a single oven. I'm thinking maybe a mix of prep yourself and 'posh' convenience stuff I'd the way to go? Waitrose and M and S both look nice but I know I need to get a shift on if ordering from them. Any advice/tips/recommendations please?

Yes convenience is the way to go but I have been really disappointed with marks and Spencer in recent years so I am going to out butcher for turkey this year. I will still get veg from marks though and make my own roasties.

Cook it all beforehand plate it up and blast in the micro boiling gravy and make sure the plates are hot ...soup to start really easy to keep warm just in the one pot on the stove use covent garden Potato and leek ...its delicious....

could you ask yoyr guests to bring a xontribution like pudding, cheese or starters etc so you only do the mains?

Turkey crown will be quicker to cook and prepare all your veg the day before & store in coldwater ready to cook on the day.

We did a turkey crown last year and it was brilliant. Fits in oven really easily and was delicious. We bought it from our local butcher along with pigs in blankets. I always prepare roast pirates in advance and freeze them, them cook from frozen. I akdo make gravy several weeks ahead and freeze it, just defrost it on the day.

For starters we do nibbly stuff from Waitrose. Christmas pudding comes from a local deli. I think the more you can do in advance the better.

I'd rather not ask people to bring bits, it's not really the hosting style in the family so I'd like to do it 'properly' ifykwim.

I was thinking turkey crown and will Google how to do pots and gravy in advance, didn't know you could do that,thanks, great tip!

Have a look ar crystal15 thread on this board. Help me get ready for christmas i think. Loads of advice on how to cook pots,parsnips etc ahead of time.

A lot of the M&S veg can be microwaved (mash, sprouts, red cabbage etc.) so that can free up oven space.

I'd defiantly recommend stuffed turkey crown from M&S & also buy one of those large aluminium disposable trays.

We only have one oven and I tend to 'cheat' on things like red cabbage that can go in microwave (and cauli cheese if you're heathens)

M&S gravy is good but their pre-made rosties are rubbish. Prep the day before and par boil pots.

I personally wouldn't plate up, think serving bowls and warm by filling with hot water.

Thanks all, I've ordered an m and s crown, pigs in blankets, microwave red cabbage, pre made fish starters and a choice of Xmas pud and profiteroles for pud. That lightens the load considerably and means we can fit stuff in the oven. Then between me and DH it'll be veg and pots prepped in advance, house decorated and guest rooms prepped. Totally do able while preggers I reckon as I've time booked off work from the 21st and DH is a good 'un.

Too late for op but if anyone else reads this. waitrose turkey is delicious I prefer the one 1 up from the essential but we have had it for 3 years now and it is on par with the one we used to get from the local butcher.

I'm in the same boat at OP. However currently not pregnant but I'm desperate to be pregnant I did have a definite 6/7 and a "I'll let you know nearer the time" group of up to 6 which I hope isn't too close to the wire!!!

Unlike ops family, we're just dinner people. So just a traditional dinner for us with a few puds eating no later than 2pm. Then we're thinking of an open ended buffet for the evening, being served from 8ish with the leftovers and things like crackers and cheese etc xx

To pre-prepare the roasties, peel, cut up and boil potatoes as you normally would for roast, but let them cook for a few minutes longer than you usually would. You need them to be almost cooked through.

Drain, then let sit until cold. As soon as they are cold, spread out on a baking tray and open freeze (if you leave them to sit once cold they will start to go black ). . Once frozen, pop in a bag and leave then in the freezer.

On Christmas Day, cook them from frozen. They take 45 minutes. No faffing around with having to boil them in the morning, so one less job. If you're not sure how long they will need in your oven, make extra and then test out the timing a week before. 45 minutes works for me.

With gravy, just make extra the next time you have roast chickem, then freeze it. Defrost on Christmas morning, and reheat. Tip in juices from the turkey and a glug of red wine and you're done.