What do you eat on boxing day, its our first year flying solo (as a unit)

[HoHoHolyMackerel]

So I have DH, a 3yo and almost 1yo. Every year we have done christmas dinner ourselves, then gone to mums for boxing day where she'd do a full on salad with cold meat leftovers (plus extra like posh beef and ham). I like it, it's a great day, but not possible this year as my parents are vulnerable. I just cannot replicate the salad at home as for starters my kids will only eat the cucumber the bread rolls and the leftover stuffing... Secondly I just cannot justify filling my fridge with lettuce! It's just not big enough to fit all of Christmas Dinner bits and all of the salad bits in.

So what do you have, so I can poach a new tradition?

Leftover turkey with a freshly cooked ham, stuffing, and bubble and squeak.

Turkey and leek pie. Jamie Oliver’s recipe. DH and DS who is 2 love it and I think there’d be a protest!

JO also has an Asian Inspired turkey salad leftovers recipe that’s lovely but might not be suitable for your youngest.

Cold meat (turkey, beef and ham), proper chips and homemade pickled onions! There is usually other stuff, too, but I ignore it!

I cook and glaze a gammon on Christmas Eve, and we have that cold on Boxing Day, with baked potatoes and home made coleslaw - after Christmas Day, I want the easiest possible meal the next day.

Leftover pie ( use frozen puff pastry and layer up turkey ,stuffing , pigs in blankets , cranberry sauce etc ... basically any Christmas Day leftovers ) serve with heated up gravy and bubble and squeak

Or just cold meats , fried up leftover veg and mayo

@OnTheBenchOfDoom
Baking soda? Tell me more

DH always makes his world famous Turkey and leek pie that Jamie Oliver invented

It is blooming delicious!

And general picking at the leftovers from the Christmas Day evening buffet.

Brilliant thanks! Bubble and squeek sounds good but maybe I will just let the kids forage less work for me!!

We also have cold ham which we've had hot on Xmas eve (it's a tradition) along with a huge vat of red cabbage cooked with cider vinegar and apple and sugar. That ticks along nicely cold for several days

Get a small pack of spinach to use in place of lettuce or a small bagged salad, takes up less pace on the fridge.

toblerone for breakfast, turkey leftovers for lunch and dinner - either cold buffet or with bubble and squeak or turkey and chips or turkey curry.

You don't need that much salad. Have you got a shed or garage or similar that you could keep a coolbox in for extras?

We order an Indian boxing night. The house is a tip, we're hungover, so we order an Indian and face the music the day after.

Tradition is turkey 'thumb bits', roast potatoes and baked beans. Such comfort.

It comes from my Husband's side of the family.

If there are only 2 adults and two tiniest won't a small bag of leaves do?

Christmas day leftovers and we start the Christmas ham. Too many chocolates for the second day running.

Leftovers or a takeaway depending how we feel/ what’s left. We don’t cook on Boxing Day! Usually go to the beach to walk off the day before, then get back and watch films whilst the kids play - there’s no way I’m cooking again.

Usually some combination of the following:

Croissants, freshly baked (the frozen ones that you just pop into the oven)

Pandoro

Scrambled eggs & smoked salmon on rye bread/grain bread

Nigella’s Christmas muffins

Coffee & Buck’s Fizz

Oh duh, I thought you’d said Christmas Day (it’s been a long day).

We don’t usually eat breakfast or brunch on Boxing Day - we wake up late, get up to coffee, then in the early afternoon when we get hungry we get stuck into Christmas dinner sandwiches.

Just leftovers, jacket potatoes, pickles ... usually we haven't even touched the cheese on Christmas Day so there's always lots to pick at.

@nightshade1 basically it's science, something about the alkalinity of the water and something in the potatoes.

I've been doing them this way for so long I've forgotten it but this is the link. Completely usual way peel, par boil in water with the baking soda, drain, shake, oil &oven.

www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe.html

Sometimes I do the rosemary and garlic, but I use dried rosemary often I just make the potatoes. Depends what we are having them with.

Turkey and Ham Pie. Made up the recipe the first year and still making it about 22 years later. White sauce with a few spoonfuls of bread sauce stirred in and nutmeg/paprika for flavouring, it tastes like Christmas like nothing else does. Ready made puff pastry to make it simple. Served with bubble & squeak and pickles.

We have Christmas Dinner again but with fresh veg and potatoes. Then I make a curry for the freezer with leftover.

Normally have a roast at my mums (non traditional Christmas meal) and then party food.

Due to church and video calls well be doing party food Christmas day and a traditional Turkey dinner boxing day.

Picky bits, usually get Buffet food from M&S, have some leftovers. Easy when we watch football and play games all day x

Mashed potatoes, homemade coleslaw, ham & turkey, sausage meat stuffing, pickles and cheese with bread, it's also the only day of the year I eat salad cream.

It's always served as a buffet meal no matter which house in the family we go to. My favourite meal is Boxing Day lunch.