What shall we eat on xmas eve?

[Stompythedinosaur]

Looking for something nice and easy to make. Just for dp, 2 dc are 8 and 6 and myself.

In previous years we have tried to do a buffet of prepare bits, but they haven't been very nice in the past couple of years.

Takeaway is not an option as we are too rural.

Another complicating factor is that I am vegetarian and dp has a very restricted diet due to Crohns Disease which means he cannot eat sugar or food with high fibre (I.e. most vegetables). But I am relatively happy to make 2 meals (like we do for every meal).

Any thoughts?

As you've got quite strong restrictions for Dp, maybe you could give us some examples of things he can eat and work from there?

We nearly always have ham, egg and chips.

No help to you but we will probably do a takeaway or pizza. Something casual as we will be chilling in front of the TV before the chaos of the next day. Minimum effort is the idea.

Is he on a low fodmap diet? It's a pita!!!

There are some good recipes here: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/low-fodmap

www.asaucykitchen.com/low-fodmap-diet-dinner-ideas/

I'd probably do a chicken and rice traybake. Nice and easy, and probably one that the whole family could eat.

Christmas Eve is HAM night with us...then we have cold ham for Boxing Day!!!

We eat out or get a takeaway ... in your circumstances I would make something like a lasagna that can be made ahead (and mess cleared away) and simply popped in the oven at dinner time, serve with homemade focaccia for a simple but delicious treat

Just usual dinner type things for us. Nothing like a roast dinner!

I'm doing a spaghetti bolognese, with the sauce made in slow cooker. I'm working Christmas eve, so minimal evening prep

Do you eat fish OP? I usually make Delia's Christmas Eve hot smoked salmon pie.

I'm doing spaghetti Bol as it's my sons favourite and he doesn't like a roast so he will be having the left overs with yorkies on Christmas Day. X

Ham is a good idea and might be good for us, thanks for that. I love the idea of something preprapared like lasagne but it won't work for dp.

Anyone else want to inspire me with their xmas eve food plans?

We do Camembert with a fresh rustic loaf

We will have cheese board with crackers and crusty bread. Smoked salmon and a few pickles and olives and a couple of oven bits. Maybe a camembert baked...hmmm just a mountain of cheese basically.
What about macaroni cheese or something with garlic bread?

We have hot gammon sandwiches, with the gammon cooked in the slow cooker all day. Plus salad, coleslaw, pickles and crisps.

I also do hot chocolate in the slow cooker to have when watching our traditional Christmas Eve film.

DS and I are having steak and chips with peas, tomato and mushrooms on Christmas eve, while DD is at work. Me and DD will have gammon and cauliflower cheese with whatever veg is leftover from Christmas day on boxing day, while DS is at work. I try and do minimal fuss food around Christmas, because I spend so much time cooking Christmas stuff. Also DD can't eat steak because she has fixed braces and DS hates cheese so it works out well.

Cheese is a wonderful idea. Maybe I'll feed the dc fishfingers and dp and I can have baked camembert after they are in bed. Yum.

I do a traditional Irish spiced beef. I usually do it with about 8 sides but am contemplating doing it with Mac and cheese this year.

What about doing a ham and serving it with Involtini (basically grilled stuffed aubergines which I believe are low Fodmap ( the stuffing being feta cheese again low fodmap, pinenuts, raisins, lemon rind, mint, parsley) covered in tomato sauce and more feta cheese :-)

The Involtini is fab on its own and vegetarian but also lovely with a nice green salad and crusty bread.

This would give you and your DH both main and side dishes in a mix and match type of way, in that you could have the Involtini, salad and bread and he could have the ham, Involtini and salad - and the children can have a bit of everything.

The recipe below isn't fodmap but easily adapted (taking out the garlic for example and tiny amount of breadcrumbs which I tend not to put in anyway as I think it makes the stuffing too dense).

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/lickthespoonblog.com/2018/02/09/aubergine-and-feta-involtini/amp/

Oh and you can make both the ham and Involtini ahead and just reheat.

We have soup then baked Camembert and crusty bread.

We're either having Lasagne, Pizza or Quiche served with:

salad, chips & garlic bread

We do a ham here too, and we do the baked Camembert for lunch on Boxing Day.

We are having tartiflette (I make one with lardons and a vegi one without which is just as good) with a crusty baguette and green salad, perfect after a cold walk around the village to look at the Christmas lights then we will all crash on the sofas with a cheese coma and a move

We've have the same Christmas Eve dinner for years now...

Slow-cooker Ham
Baked Potatoes
Savoy Cabbage

Mincemeat Tarts & whipped cream

We do a ham, fresh baked bread, salad and nibble bits.