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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

What is in your Christmas online shop basket?

33 replies

Rumdiddly · 02/12/2019 12:37

I usually fall short on the Christmas catering front. I manage the dinner but don't really know what other things I should be buying. For example twiglets and cheese balls. Are these a Christmas must? Sweets? A ham? I am not a big eater myself and don't snack generally but have 11 over the Christmas period and don't know what else I need to stock! I hope somebody knows what I mean!

OP posts:
AllYouGoodGoodPeople · 02/12/2019 12:47

At the moment it's just gin Grin

Pork pies, cheese savouries, camembert, Shloer, after eights and pringles are all things I only get at Christmas. What ages are your visitors?

Busybeebeebee · 02/12/2019 12:51

If you are doing a main meal I would also do a few buffet bits for later (or at lunch time if you’re doing the main meal in the evening).
I stock the freezer up with party food like sausage rolls, cheese bites, chicken satay etc as most can be cooked from frozen.

It’s not Christmas without cheesy footballs and twiglets either!

Mumtobe193 · 02/12/2019 13:13

Blue Stilton
Brie
Terrys chocolate orange
Prosecco
Doritos and dips

KipperTheFrog · 02/12/2019 13:16

Lots of cheese.
Snacks bits we tend to have are crisps in fancy flavours, biscuits. We tend to be gifted a lot of chocolate so I dont tend to buy that. I'm usually too full from dinner to snack though!

peachescariad · 02/12/2019 13:20

Brandy snaps, cheese biscuits, pickled onions, piccalilli, those long breaded prawns things, posh biscuits, panettone, nice chutneys.

Bisforbert · 02/12/2019 13:27

At the moment it's two kettles to meet the minimum spend 😀 must remember to do the real shop before the 15th or it will be a very strange Christmas lunch

BeyondMyWits · 02/12/2019 13:30

Pringles, M+S choc biscuits, bread sticks (savoury, sweet and neutral) Fruit - apples/oranges/bananas - no fridge needed

ham, eggs, oven chips, peas/baked beans - lazy meal of choice over Christmas.

We only buy what most of us will eat - from experience, too much gets half used otherwise. We have just eaten last-Christmas's Turkish delight, 4 months out of date (a little chewy, but fine...) - won't be buying any for this year!

tentative3 · 02/12/2019 13:32

If they're with you for more than just the main meal, I'd have ham, cheese, pickles/chutneys/pickled onions, bake at home bread or fresh, cherry tomatoes which can all cover lunches plus an evening picnic type meal on Christmas Day, assuming you eat at lunchtime. This can be bulked out with any leftovers.

Personally I can take or leave cheese balls and twiglets, but with 11 there's no doubt someone who would eat them!

I think beyond this it depends a bit how long you've got these people with you, and who they are/what the plans are. If you let us know a bit more we can probably help.

BlueSkyAtChristmas · 02/12/2019 13:36

I’m about to do my Christmas shop online. My family are abroad this year and in laws are recovering from a health issue. So I am doing Christmas Eve and Boxing Day for first time ever! Luckily SiL doing Christmas Day

I have a young baby (who I’m breastfeeding so I have to nip off throughout the day) and need it to be fairly easy. My DH is handy but will need direction.

I don’t know to shop, or where or what to shop for! My mum is terrible at not letting us in her kitchen while she cooks. I don’t even know the recipe to her beautiful trifle.

I have 9 people coming. Help!!

BlueSkyAtChristmas · 02/12/2019 13:37

This thread is useful. Taking notes!

Rumdiddly · 02/12/2019 13:43

Age range from 2 to 65. 3 teenagers in the mix. 1 of Which usually only eats pot noodles so she is easy at least!!!

OP posts:
cultkid · 02/12/2019 13:51

These bits so far

What is in your Christmas online shop basket?
What is in your Christmas online shop basket?
What is in your Christmas online shop basket?
cultkid · 02/12/2019 13:51

And then I have to get booze from some sort of shop online

What is in your Christmas online shop basket?
tentative3 · 02/12/2019 13:55

OK, well depending on how long they're with you, I'd consider some of the following

Bake at home pastries for breakfast
Bacon
Eggs
Crisps/nuts/tub of celebrations
Mince pies
Crackers and bread sticks
Juice

Soup (ingredients to make or ready made, same for all the below, could freeze ahead)
Curry
Lasagne or pasta bake
Sausage and veg tray bake

Also depending on how long they're with you, I'd be outsourcing some of this. Not sure how many families there are but it would be easy enough to dish out some of that and ask for people to bring it with them. I'd do ham as Christmas Eve meal and have a massive one which will cover lunches over the next few days as I mentioned above.

user1471449295 · 02/12/2019 14:03

Croissants
Smoked salmon slices
Cheese board
Cheese biscuits
Nachos & dips
Cocktail sausages
Italian meat selection
Spanish meat selection
Couscous salad
Pasta salad
Sausage rolls
Garlic bread
Pita bread
Taramasalata
Hummus
Tzatziki
Mixed olives
Ham joint
Chips
Pizza to be sliced and shared
Twiglets
After eights
Mini cheddars
Quality street
Sugared almonds
Dates (yuck)
Nut selection
Various frozen party foods (Indian selection, Chinese selection, mini desserts, cheese jalapeños, mozzarella in bread crumbs, mini burgers, chicken satay)
Chicken crumb sticks
Quiche
Colslaw/potato salad

Breathlessness · 02/12/2019 14:07

Are they there for a few days? I find it easier to meal plan because otherwise I end up getting carried away and having loads of spare perishable ‘snacky’ food.

I’d say nuts, stuffed olives and crisps
Sweets (like roses) or a box of chocolates, mince pies, Christmas cake and shortbread
For meals a ham to carve, a cheeseboard, cracker selection and pork pies.
For the freezer, fresh soups, cook from frozen crusty rolls, pain au chocolate or pain au raisin.

Spare ham can be frozen, as can cheese.

PigAuntie · 02/12/2019 14:14

how long are people staying for? if they are staying over night than walk through the days and think about waht meals/drinks/snacks you will need. We have visitors from mid afternoon xmas eve until boxing day night.
So Ive got
Xmas eve meal: freezer picky bits, pizza, wedges etc
some sort of festive icecream dessert

Evening - mince pies, cookies and hot choc )dont forget marshmallows and cream

Christmas morning: xmas tree shaped crumpets, pastries, OJ , Coffee and bacon sarnies.

Christas dinner: Starters - TBC
Main lunch - roast plus trimmings
Puddings - xmas pud, cheesecake, trifle plus cream, custard and ice cream

Then for the evening - cheeses and crackers, chutneys, satsumas, mince pies, chocolate.

Boxing day I will lay out a buffet - pringles, breadsticks, crisps, dips, picky bits, mini sausages, sausage rolls, pork pies, cheese and crackers, breadrolls, butter, more chocolate, pickles and chutneys,

Then you need to make sure you have enough drinks - tea/coffee, soft drinks, wine, spirits etc that people will want to drink

ice
butter, bread, cooking oil, foil, kitchen towel, tissues, loo roll, soap, washing up liquid, dishwasher tabs, lemosna dn limes for drinks, sugar, flours or any other storecupboard stuff you need for your dishes - spices, salt and pepper etc.

Breathlessness · 02/12/2019 14:16

If you want to you can easily make potato salad, coleslaw and pasta salad yourself.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/classic-potato-salad

I use this recipe and swap in Mrs Elswood Haimisha cucumbers for cornichons and use way more of those and the capers than the recipe says.

Lovemusic33 · 02/12/2019 15:15

Something to eat Christmas Eve (we usually have take away but not going to this year)

Something for breakfast Christmas morning.

All your bits for Christmas dinner, selection of veg, plenty of potatoes.

Snacks for guests, twiglets are a must, kettle chips, Pringles and cheese balls, some sweets or chocolates (not buying much chocolate as we get lots gifted).

Something for the evening.. cheese, cold meats, smoked meats, pate, bread and biscuits for cheese.

Buffet food for Boxing Day lunch time. Something easy for the evening (maybe turkey sandwiches or soup).

A few normal things for meals for the next day or 2. Maybe Mac and cheese, stew or fish pie.

Alcohol (we don’t drink much but guests might)

Something for the kids to drink.

Satsumas

FurryDogMother · 02/12/2019 17:07

Some of these I've already got, but this is The List in all its glory:

Turkey
Ham
Sprouts
Parsnips
Carrots
Potatoes
Stuffing
Pigs in blankets
Streaky bacon
Turkey gravy
Bread sauce
Cranberry sauce
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Pickled walnuts
Branston
Mayonnaise
Mince pies
Custard
Cream
Cheese
Stilton
Brie
Cheddar
Jarlsberg
Biscuits for cheese
Apples
Grapes
Paté
Scotch eggs
Pork pies
Cheese thins
Satsumas
Chocolate
Posh coffee
Biscuits for neighbours
Smoked salmon
Eggs
Chives
Soda bread
Part baked baguettes

Courtney555 · 02/12/2019 17:10

Following with interest... Doing it online for the first time this year and convinced I'll forget something important...

BatleyTownswomensGuild · 02/12/2019 17:34

I refuse to acknowledge that it is Christmas unless there I have access to twiglets, pigs in blankets, a bucket of cheese and stollen.....

BlueSkyAtChristmas · 02/12/2019 19:13

I know I’m not the OP and slightly hijacked this thread (sorry OP!) but I’m so grateful for your suggestions. Going to sit down tonight after baby is asleep and make a start. Next year I’ll be doing Christmas Day, so this is a practice run!

AdaColeman · 02/12/2019 19:30

Cheese is an essential.

Bacon and sausages and eggs are good to have in stock.

A couple of basic pizzas for the teens.

"Bake at home" bread and rolls.

Crisps and dips/salsa

The makings of a trifle.

PickAChew · 02/12/2019 19:39

At the moment, just enough of my regular groceries to make the minimum. I grabbed the slot at midnight, last night and there was barely any wine available. I've set a reminder on my calendar to flesh it out, nearer to the day.

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