Help me to not spend Christmas in the kitchen please

[SugarAndLemon]

I see people here speak of a cozy and fun Christmas Eve, going for walks on Christmas morning, and I don't know how they do it. My husband does an equal amount of food prep/cooking but it feels like Christmas is spent in the kitchen rather than enjoying the day. Even the night before we are prepping food rather than relaxing. Can you help us?

We don't have many people to feed and want to do a traditional roast with sides. Ordering or relying on pre-prepared food is not an option unfortunately. Where are we going wrong and how can we better arrange our days?

@BlackLambAndGreyFalcon

I make ahead as much as possible - roast potatoes (parboiled and frozen), pigs in blanket, stuffing balls, sauces etc.

Yes, this. Roast potatoes are even better done this way as the freezer dries the surface whilst they are open frozen (bagged once frozen) so they get even crispier. We also parboil and freeze the parsnips, cooking from frozen. Anything you cant freeze is prepared the day before. There's much less to do on the day.

We also sometimes do cauli cheese and I have done the steaming/boiling of it in advance, and making the sauce - I put them both into an oven-proof serving dish and into the fridge (and have even frozen it that way), so it just reheats in the oven at the end rather than needing full prep on the day. Our sauce is made using cornflour so is GF (not intentionally so - we grew up with DM making it that way so I am rubbish at flour based sauces), and because the flour doesn't need to be "cooked out" in the pot before adding the liquid, it is much quicker to make the sauce.

* see people here speak of a cozy and fun Christmas Eve, going for walks on Christmas morning, and I don't know how they do it. *

This is my Christmas
Single parent
Two primary aged children

It’s absolutely magical

@BiddyPop

Another way to save time - you don't need to put a cross in the Brussels sprouts stalks!

You're welcome

From M&S (and I'm sure other supermarkets), you can get the veg you can steam in the bags in the microwave :)

Read the ingredients, and buy ready made sides instead of making them. I like the Plant Kitchen mashed potato.

Then all you'd have to do is cook the meat in the oven. Done.

Hello

Delegate tasks now before it is too late. These days you can even order your own Christmas meal from a supermarket. Or you can do it all in the week before Christmas perhaps, that may work out quite well.

You can also purchase boxes of ready made mince pies and Yorkshire puddings from the supermarket too or M and S. Parboil and freeze any roast potatoes. Cauliflower cheese can be safely prepped in advance.

If you have a freezer, then you can use it for things like red cabbage etc. In terms of doing the other stuff, you can limit the side dishes and starters. A fresh cheese board or a fruit and cheese platter is enough.

I do salmon blinis with champagne
Roast fillet of beef with potatoes, cauli cheese, gravy, green beans, broccoli and red cabbage.

Blinis and salmon take seconds they are already in the freezer

Meat takes 30 mins.
Gravy cauli cheese red cabbage all made and in the freezer
Basically I do potoatws and veg on the day

I get a talented friend to make the pudding

All super easy.

Those who freeze roasties, do they get coated in oil before freezing?

I/we do everything on the day but it doesn’t seem a chore, it’s part of everything else. So we’ll do the presents then the turkey will go in. Have a drink, prep the veg as and when.
Maybe it helps that the kitchen isn’t a separate room.

OP I’m coeliac - Christmas dinner can be totally GF very easily.

Use Knorr stock cubes for gravy with GF plain flour, use a Free From packet stuffing mix or make your own with GF sausage meat (all good quality sausage meat at supermarkets is usually GF anyway) and some GF bread for breadcrumbs - the rest should all be naturally GF anyway.

If you’re having beef buy frozen GF Yorkshire puddings. Buy a jar of horseradish sauce and just check the label.

If it’s lactose intolerance, veganism or severe nut allergies then the lactose shouldn’t be an issue as long as you don’t serve cauliflower cheese or mashed potato, the nut allergy will be fine as if you’re having beef you won’t have stuffing. If somebody is a vegan just buy them a vegan main to heat up in the oven from M&S.

Go to M&S or Waitrose and read the backs of the labels on all their sides, then order whatever you fancy and that suits you all.

If someone is a really fussy eater and they’re grown up ask them to bring their own main course.

For beef I’d just do:

Beef,
Jar of horseradish,
Gravy (easy to do GF),
Carrots,
Sprouts or savoy cabbage,
Roast potatoes or parsnips

None of that should contain allergens, except the horseradish (potentially).

Some brilliant ideas here, thank you! Sorry I cannot reply to everyone individually.

We do have egg and nut allergies (and another 12 between the DC and DH) so Yorkshire puddings for example have to be made from scratch. But no reason not to make a big batch now and freeze them, don’t know why it didn’t occur to me sooner.

The in-laws are the driving force behind the traditional dinner and they make a big deal of food made from scratch and everything cooked that day all the sides etc but I think they will have to make do this year with some compromises. I was doing more frills than a normal roast for their sake but it isn’t worth the stress.

And pre prepared stuff can be found for every diet these days. I like Cook as can filter by gluten free, then good labelling of the other allergies.

* so Yorkshire puddings for example have to be made from scratch*

You see there’s your problem
There’s no “have to” about it
Just don’t do them

I know you said you can't have various pre-cooked stuff due to allergies, but COOK for example do the best frozen roast potatoes - Potatoes, Rapeseed Oil, Salt - no other ingredients. Their veg are pretty basic too, brussels, leeks, carrots, with maybe additional butter and salt. All the ingredients are what you would find in your kitchen cupboard, just like homemade. Are these out of the question?

For the last few Christmases I have ordered in some of these basic "sides" and it really makes a difference to be able to just bung them in the oven.

[quote BIWI]@BiddyPop

Another way to save time - you don't need to put a cross in the Brussels sprouts stalks!

You're welcome [/quote]
Or buy frozen sprouts which I prefer. Makes sense as sprouts do better after a frost.

* Or buy frozen sprouts which I prefer. Makes sense as sprouts do better after a frost.*

Major sprout lover here. I eat all year around
Frozen on a patch on fresh.

The in-laws are the driving force behind the traditional dinner and they make a big deal of food made from scratch and everything cooked that day all the sides

COOK food is all made from scratch, in their kitchens, just not by you (!), and cooked on the day . Your in-laws are being unreasonable.

Have never heard of COOK and am off to investigate immediately! Thank you, that sounds very possible for us.

Roast turkey. Not that much work once its in. With stuffing.
Roast potatoes
5 veg if you must - Carrots, Brussels, Brocolli, Green beans, Red cabbage? Could be prepped day before. I think 3 is plenty.
Cranberry sauce. Make before
Gravy. Make before or use bisto.
Yorkshire puddings.
Not that much work really. I do it the time the turkey cooks (3hrs) with plenty of breaks and TV and choc and present opening and walks inbetween.

I haven’t read the full thread but I prepare the vegetables the night before and leave them in their pans in cold water in the fridge. The next day you just need to put fresh water in and stick them on the hob.

You've had some great suggestions here, OP (I am taking screenshots).

If it's your in-laws that are the problem, here are two options.

1. Freeze ahead and prep the veg the night before. With my lot, this is a bit of a ritual in itself. Drink in hand, James Bond movie on and everyone chucking carrots/potatoes/sprouts into various pots with water. The kids join in now, each with their own glass of schlur. In the day, everyone pitches in with my mum as the Director (so it's not all on her).

2. Have a "cold" starter and dessert that can be left in the fridge, meat in the slow cooker and an oven timer for the rest. Go down the pub. I am in awe of my friend walked back into the house one year, microwaved the veg packets and served up within fifteen minutes of us getting through the door!

Someone else does Xmas breakfast. Usually M&S easy to assemble things.
11.30am Prep turkey and put in oven. Prep usually takes 20 mins.

Do own thing for 2hrs. Walk, presents, drink, choc, TV, assemble toys, build lego.

Peel potatoes, or get someone to, and put in for 1hour.
Make batter and put in oven for yorkshires.
Do own thing for 30 mins. Normally drunk by now as I'm a lightweight.
Prep veg and boil or steam.
Reheat cranberry and gravy.
2.30pm Serve

Rest of day to xmas things.

Frozen Brussels sprouts don't need washing/peeling/scoring. Just tip into pan straight from bag.

But seriously, just ditch some of the sides. Yorkshire puddings are a traditional starter to beef, the point being that it filled you up so you didn't notice the parsimonious portion of beef which followed. Their proliferation in other roast dinners - particularly lavish ones such as Christmas - is alarming to any self-respecting Yorkshireman. So just don't make them.

Cauliflower cheese similarly seems to have inveigled its way into Christmas Dinner. Just don't make it, and say you're cutting down on dairy for climate reasons.

In advance I make & freeze:
Cauliflower cheese
Pigs in blankets
Cranberry sauce

The day before I make:
Bread sauce
Chop & peel veg and store in cold water
Lay the table
Make trifle
Cold starter prepared

On the day I:
Stick turkey in oven, timer on
Ditto potatoes
Cook veg
Make gravy

Hardly any time in the kitchen other than waltzing in & out to check on it.

Everything is served on the dining table in dishes & carved at table too.

Pre prep is the way!

And - absolutely no need for a starter. That's making work for yourself.