Christmas Dinner in a Box

[PrincessTinselToes]

In an attempt to make Christmas less stressful we’re going away to a remote cottage for Christmas. We’d still like a proper Christmas dinner, but not one that has me slaving away in the kitchen for hours and missing time relaxing with the kids and watching them open presents and enjoying terrible TV.

To this end I’d like to ask for personal experiences of Christmas “dinner in a box” (or just as easy alternatives). I don’t want to have to peel and prep veg, make my own stuffing, wrap sausages in bacon or make my own gravy so a box full of ingredients and instructions isn’t what I want, as I’m perfectly capable of assembling that all myself, I just don’t want to. I also don’t want to go through the palaver of heating 6 sad, individually packaged ready meals, so something in between I suppose?

Add to that, I’m not entirely sure how well-stocked the cottage is, so something that comes in or with its own foil roasting tins would be ideal (I’m usually against disposable anything, but for my own sanity and space in the car I think this will be necessary).

What experience do people have of these types of boxes? Are there any particularly good ones or ones to avoid? I’d also be open to buying all the components separately as long as the prep I need to do is minimal and ideally all from one place so I can place an order to be delivered or picked up en route.

Thanks in advance!

Sounds like you need M&S
Enjoy

As a Vicar’s wife with very young children I decided that Christmas was the dinner everything could be bought prepared. M&S was my friend then but Aldi/Sainsburys etc now do excellent prepared stuff too. So Turkey Crown fully prepped from M&S, pigs in blankets, stuffings and sauces from anywhere - for my family this is the best part, Auntie Bessie’s Goose Fat Roasties and honey roast parsnips. Prepped veg or frozen veg - and ready made turkey gravy. Quick microwave Christmas pudding and readymade custard. Be kind to yourself.

Take a cool box in case the fridge is too small.

Take the utensils you always use, just in case the ones at the cottage are no good.

I'd do an online shop delivered to the cottage, be prepared for substitutions, they are not the end of the world.

I’m a good cook and DH has over the years learned to do a mean Christmas dinner. But we cut all the corners at Christmas. M&S all the way.

one year when we’d had a family bereavement, the house was full of people who had flown in for the funeral, from very different cultures, we did a bbq. It was the only way to feed everyone. And it was also different, we didn’t want todo the same thing. There was also Christmas treats but it was a bbq. It Was different, there was no stress for it to be the perfec5 Christmas meal. So it worked. It was lo stress, it was still nice.

in your shoes I’d be really tempted to do something entirely different, a bbq, or picnic wrapped up well on the beach. Marshmallows round a fire….

Thanks everyone, you’ve given me lots to think about. It sounds like M&S, Cook, and Côte at Home are all good options.

@GoldDusteryou’re completely right that I’m still trying to make it perfect. Even doing the work of creating this thread... I’m going to present DP with these options and ask them to decide which one and take on the load of putting it all in the oven. If it’s late/burnt/soggy it’s not the end of the world.

The irony of it all is that the big turkey dinner on Christmas Day isn't even my tradition. My family always did a big meal on Christmas Eve (which I’m forgoing this year), a fry up of the leftovers on the big day and a buffet tea so no one has to cook, and the roast on Boxing Day when there’s not much else going on.

I recommend Cook.

I keep seeing ads for these Christmas Dinner in a Box deals and wondering if they’re actually worth it. Supposedly you get the whole lot — turkey, sides, even pudding — all ready to just heat up and serve.

On the one hand, it sounds amazing (less time in the kitchen, more time with the kids!). On the other hand, I’m worried it might feel a bit less “special” than cooking from scratch, or maybe not taste quite as nice?

Has anyone here given it a go in previous years? Was the portion size decent, and did it actually save you stress on the day? Also curious if it ended up more expensive than buying everything yourself.

Would love to hear if it’s a yay or nay before I take the plunge this year!

Seriously Christmas is much improved by sacking the whole thing off and just eating what you want.

never heard of Christmas dinner in a box. we usually go to a holiday chalet at Christmas due to personal reasons. I am vegan, do not eat dinner obviously but my partner likes his festive feast. Last year I cooked the meat at home, though they do have a full cooker and loads of stuff, etc, but it saves me having to sit smelling the turkey all holiday! took prepared veg etc, but I do wonder what these boxes are and what they contain? more importantly, the cost, as it might be an idea

@PrincessTinselToes if you're going to be anywhere in the NW near a Booths I highly recommend losing yourself in their Christmas book when it comes out in October and ordering something to collect. They do a main course Christmas dinner in a box but also lots of lovely other things that need very little preparing. Booths Christmas Preview | Booths Supermarket | View a Sneak Peek

We're are irritating foodie people who rarely go for prepared stuff because we just end up saying we could do better ourselves. And we've found Cook to be entirely acceptable (with the possible exception of roast potatoes as I am vvvv fussy about those). Also Booths as I've just linked to, but they are limited to a smallish part of the UK unfortunately.

I have literally just had an email from Cote launching this year's! The range looks great.

2 roast potatoes each ! There would be mutiny in most houses.

I have never cooked a ‘proper’ Christmas dinner!! Usually go to my parents or sisters and when it’s just us I go to M&S and buy everything pre-done. Their food is delicious. I get a turkey crown, stuffing balls, pigs in blankets, potatoes, etc, etc and all you have to do is bung it in the oven. I’ve never had the desire to stress myself out on Christmas Day, I like to have a rest!! We are considering doing the same as you this year and getting a cottage. Food will be M&S, picked up a couple of days before and put in the fridge.

Do the Cook boxes tend to sell out early?

Agreed. My cousin went through similar and booked a cottage for Christmas, only to find she had to go out and buy roasting pans and utensils. She ended up being more stressed and they went home earlier than intended. I second finding a restaurant to eat out in.

How rural is the cottage? If you are going to pick the stuff up on the way will there be room in the car? I definitely would not rely on a supermarket delivery, nothing you can do if it does not turn up. The weather in rural areas generally means we do have to plan in advance. It sounds like a very stressful way of doing Christmas.

I just treat it like any roast dinner I'd do once a week, with a couple of extra M&S sides. No fuss.

MIL gets m&s food every year. The turkey covered in bacon is nice and the sprouts with bacon./ chestnuts. Pigs in blankets are great, cauliflower cheese nice enough. I don't personally rate the honey glazed parsnips and I don't eat the red cabbage, carrot and swede mash is OK but does not taste home made. I don't mind their roast potatoes but think I prefer aldi frozen goose fat/duck fat ones.

They do really nice little prawn starters or mini mine pies or individual panacotta with raspberry coulis.

I'd be tempted to get m&s food myself this year and save myself the hassle.

I have previously hadn't amazing pastry wrapped camembert and a gorgeous fish pie with lobster and scallops.

I might do this for Christmas...

There is so much truth in this. Once we aren't cooking for everyone at Christmas I'm intending to suggest this. I think my DH is the one who really wants the big Christmas dinner and everyone else would be happy with something else.

You can contact the cottage owners/rental firm in advance to find out about kitchen equipment if not listed in the booking. I've done that before.

I had Chinese takeaway last year, it was great but this year I fancy the traditional meal, I just don't want to cook it!

A restaurant fairly near to us which is open on Christmas Day also does take away Christmas dinners. It cannot be the only one in the country. If the cottage is not crazily remote maybe you could research local restaurants that are open Christmas Day and then see if they do a take away option? You'd just have to drive to collect it on the day and maybe heat up again in the oven depending on length of journey.

I haven't done Cote at Home for Christmas but I have for other meals and it's really very good. The only issue I had was that it did require a bit of fancy footwork with the various ovens, which could be more of a challenge in a cottage.

My other suggestion was just to really pare the whole thing back. Rib of beef or something that's easy and forgiving. Roast potatoes (ideally pre-peeled spuds), bag of frozen peas or other veg. Fancy pre-made gravy. done!

Hi try https://coteathome.co.uk/christmas/

I've used Cote at Home for easy birthday dinners etc. We enjoyed them and I loved relaxing and not stressing over prepping meat, veg & sauces etc.
Also something quite 'gifty' about unwrapping all the stuff.
I felt a bit spoilt LOL.
Waitrose 'At Home' also do a good selection of bung in the oven type Christmas dinner food - prepped veg, prepped meat in a tray etc etc but order early.