Best prepare ahead starters!

[RabitWhole]

Hosting Christmas for the first time ever this year so I am looking for some inspiration for prepare ahead starters. Can be something that can be prepared in advance and frozen, or something done the evening before then thrown together on the day.

Would prefer not to have the old classic of smoked salmon/prawns etc and would like to cook/make something myself. Any suggestions welcome!

5 adults and one toddler for reference.

My go to starter is usually a mushroom soup. Prepare ahead and just heat on the day. Quick croutons can be made in 5 minutes on the day. On the day serve with a drizzle of truffle oil.

Oh clucky can you post a recipe for your mushroom soup? It's my absolute fave and all my attempts have been watery and crap

@catinboots123 I use this recipe as a base but I use a mix of chestnut mushrooms and whatever fancy mixed mushrooms I can get my hands on. I've replaced the dried porchini mushrooms with porchini mushroom paste too before and it has still been delicious. Add less stock to begin with. I start with 600ml and then add more as required after blending.

Mushroom Soup

I think the reason prawns and smoked salmon are so popular is that they are light and not too filling given volume of next course. Plus they are easy to prepare

Things like pate, parfait, terrines, mousses could all be made ahead. You'd need to check on individual recipes whether they would freeze.
Soups are the obvious one and most will freeze well.
Twice baked cheese soufflés (make &bake 1 Christmas Eve, bake 2 just before serving)

We don't have a starter (because we have a full English first thing so some restraint needed somewhere! ), but if we did I'd want something light and fresh like melon and Parma ham. Would need to be made on the day but really quick and easy.

We do have fish/seafood, but mainly because we like lighter and fresher before the massive heavy meal. However, these are usually something we've done ourselves.

Have made our own Gravadlax before, Coquille St Jacques is very easy and can be made the day before then just baked for 10 mins to serve. I generally like baked scallops, which we had on a pesto & pea puree a few years ago. Prepped the day before and again, 10 mins in the oven before serving.

Otherwise, vegetable tarts, baked cheese, beef carpaccio all work.

We always have seafood platter for the same reason others have mentioned, it's light before the main event of dinner . We have prawns , smoked salmon and salmon mousse with a few salad leaves and dressing . It's lovely because we don't have it often so feels special .