Meals either side of Christmas

[ProudCoralBear]

What food/ meals do you have planned between the 23rd and 28th, I always focus on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and need inspiration for the days around then.

I have avoided this issue by meeting friends for dinner or lunch on the 23 and 27th. Sorry it’s probably not helpful.

Before - fish or vegetarian simple meals like beanburgers

After - leftovers ( curry and pies and fry ups ) with lots of fruit and vegetable and salad

Jacket potato

usually nicer dinners than we would have midweek like steak or salmon. I tend to make curry from left over turkey too. But I might freeze that and make something fresh whilst at home.

Leftovers if I’ve cooked a big meal on the 25th for Boxing Day. Sometimes a takeaway. The first Christmas we moved from a very rural house to one in a village we had a Chinese takeaway on Boxing Day. My mother was surprised at how busy they were and they said it’s one of the busiest days of the year!
Buffet type food although with children who are fussy I’ll probably do an afternoon tea as they’ll enjoy making it.
I might do a historical style meal one day either Tudor or Victorian as my two will love helping to make it and learning about it.
If I’m not feeling inspired though it’ll be whatever’s in the freezer

We're going for things of a different style and have guests over the whole period so we're going for fajitas one night and a tapas/meze style meal with fish, salamis, breads etc, for the other.

We always have macaroni cheese on Christmas Eve.

Then a boxing day BBQ.

We alternate roast dinners and buffets from Christmas Day until New Year's Eve. So turkey on Christmas Day, buffet with hot roast pork on Boxing Day, roast beef on 27th, buffet with salmon and homemade sausage rolls on 28th, gammon with mash and cabbage on 28th, buffet with lots of cold meats on 29th, roast lamb on 30th...we get through a LOT of cheeses, pates, salami, pickles and chutneys, crackers and bread, olives, salads etc as we vary which ones we use at the different buffets.

Alternating roasts and buffets sounds like a great plan, different themed foods sounds good too. Thank you

I’m going wheat free in Jan so I’ll be spending the whole of Christmas eating crusty bread with roast garlic & Camembert!

Nothing specifically planned, because we are waiting to hear who is coming, and have no kids!

Christmas day- rib of beef with all the trimmings. Possibly prawn cocktail and pavlova, smoked salmon terrine on the side as a dip.

Another day- pressure cook pork ribs in some cider and hoisin sauce. When almost done, remove and crisp in the oven with more hoisin over them.

1 year we had lots of cheese leftover, so I made the most delicious macaroni cheese after Christmas

Just done a draft plan for our Xmas week. Might change it but sharing in case it helps. I get fed up of potatoes so needed a pasta and a rice meal.

23rd - fresh filled pasta & sauce, might get fancy ones rather than usual basic ones
24th - takeaway (tradition)
25th - Xmas roast
26th - leftover pie or picky tea
27th - chilli con carne

Also realised we will be having a roast on the 22nd and also on the 28th with different parts of the family so need “non meat & 2 veg” meals dotted around!

We are having a Christmas dinner with family on 22nd so 23rd will be leftovers, probably turkey and stuffing baguettes. 24th is a buffet, then another full Christmas dinner on 25th. Leftovers again on 26th and then 27th we’re at a family birthday so probably another buffet. 28th will most likely be fish with new potatoes and broccoli as well be ready for something lighter/healthier by then.

Following

Xmas Eve we have takeaway. After xmas is bubble and squeak with leftover meat and eggs, buffet food, cheese and crackers, Camembert with baguette.

Just the usual meals we'd normally have, also I am usually fed up of cooking / eating so may do table picnic with meats, cheese & salad, eggs on toast, soup & nice bread.

Korean chicken with sticky rice, an Asian slaw and salad. Crusty bread and a fancy baked Camembert.

Fajitas on 24th. 26th will be whatever mum cooks as we’re staying there. Might be cold meat from left over turkey with veg.

We are eating out on Christmas day so no leftovers to rely on unfortunately! But I have just done a rough meal plan

23rd- Toasted Italian Grinder subs with tomato soup.
24th- Always a Chinese takeaway
25th - Out
Boxing day- Picky bits and dips. Definitely a tray of nachos with guacamole and maybe some buffalo chicken wings.
27th- Steak & chips with pepper sauce, peas and mushrooms.
28th- Hosting. Chicken shish, kofta, tabbouleh, greek salad, grilled pitta, seasoned fries, dolmades, tzatziki and chilli sauce.
29th will definitely be leftovers as I always make too much food.

Monday iS usually what we call shit from the freezer day. So will probs go with that.
Christmas Eve is Chinese takeaway
Boxing Day is a buffet
27th possibly leftover gammon with jacket potato’s
28/29/30 not sure yet
31st - fish and chips/kebab 😄
1st - another mini buffet (basically easy stuff I can shove in the airfryer) to clear the freezer out ready to defrost it, then refil it

23rd very plain simple food like an omelette and homemade vegetable soup. 24th boiled gammon with mashed potatoes, carrots and peas, 25th Xmas dinner and all trimmings, 26th Boxing Day buffet, 27th turkey stew with root vegetables and dumplings, 28th salmon and mashed potatoes, 29th and 30th pasta Bolognese and New Years day I roast a turkey crown and all trimmings because I am not cooking on Xmas day. I'm going to my elder adult DS and his partner. I'm going to visit MiL on Boxing day and she always offers turkey sandwiches and a buffet with a choice of frozen desserts which DH and youngest DS love.

Xmas Eve we always have a cooked ham with purée of Celariac and potatoe with asparagus tips

I just spent today batch cooking loads of meals for the freezer for that week. I did

2 batches of cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese (i cook the pasta fresh) and 2 batches of roast chicken to shred on top
2 batches of beef stew with onions and carrots in a tomato sauce
2 batches chicken bean and kale stew
2 batches Korean bbq pulled pork
2 batches sausages in Mexican tomatillo sauce with onions and peppers

then depending on who is over for dinner I can just defrost and heat and all I have to do from fresh is a starch and sometimes a veg.

I freeze them all in disposable foil trays so that they stack easily in the freezer and I dont run out of big dishes.

No idea yet but I will try to make Cornish pasties

Oh what a good idea ! I may have to ask DH to make some as the eldest is home from Uni. He makes the best pasties, well apart from my MIL 😊