Christmas is for friends and family and, of course, the feast. Whether you serve a Kiwi barbecue or a traditional glazed ham with all the fixings, here are our top 10 tips to feed the whanau and save yourself some stress.
1. Make a plan. How many do you have to feed? What dishes are must-haves? Plan your menu to avoid making too much or too little. If you’re totally stuck on where to start, check out these 8 Christmas menus.
2. Clean out the fridge before you shop to make sure you have enough room for everything.
3. Follow tradition and make your Christmas pudding on the Sunday before Advent. Need a recipe? Try this one.
4. Make your sauces and marinades two days ahead. Everything from dressings for coleslaw or potato salad to the glaze for the ham can be done to save time on the big day. Need ideas and recipes? Check out the list from the NZ Herald.
5. Take shortcuts by using premade items like bread rolls from a local bakery, using packaged gravy, and buying a pavlova.
6. If you’re serving seafood, go for a cold platter. Not having to serve everything hot is a big stress reliever, plus it can be done early and kept chilled.
7. Save money by choosing one special main instead of 4-5 meats, use seasonal fruit and veg, and dressing up your basics. This Kiwi mum has mastered Christmas dinner for $10 a head!
8. Keep food safety in mind. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Put leftovers away within 2 hours of cooking. Cool meat as much as possible first by breaking into smaller pieces.
9. Don’t waste anything. It’s easy to have cold meats and salads the next day, but what about the veggies? Make a breakfast hash, bubble and squeak, or a pot of soup. What you can’t save, put in the compost.
10. If stress is your biggest issue and money isn’t a concern, you can always have your Christmas meal delivered. Hello Fresh has a Christmas box that comes with recipes, a timing guide, and tips on what can be prepped in advance. Easy peasy!
Happy Holidays from the team at Just Cabins!
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