Jump to:Tip 1. Make Canapes instead of Starters Tip 2. Make-ahead Gravy Tip 3. Make those Roast Potatoes ahead too! Tip 4. Make-ahead Mashed Potato Tip 5. Keep the Roast Turkey simple! Tip 6. Wrap those Pigs in Blankets Tip 7. Buy Ready-Prepped Veg Tip 8. Make a Punch Bowl! Tip 9. Set the Table ahead Tip 10. Make-ahead Dessert (without taking up fridge space) Bonus tips! 📺 Watch the video 💬 Reviews
Tip 1. Make Canapes instead of Starters
Not only does this save having to wash up knives and forks if you’ve only got enough cutlery for one course, but it also takes the pressure off, as people can be having a chat and a nibble in the kitchen or living room – rather than waiting expectantly at the table! I love to serve these festive Cranberry Brie Bites. You can bake the puff pastry part ahead, then before serving, add the brie and bake for a few minutes (this will heat through the pastry). Then top with cranberry sauce and thyme and serve. Alternatively, go for my festive Sausage Roll Wreath - you can make it the night before!
Tip 2. Make-ahead Gravy
Gravy – often the dish that causes the most stress as it usually needs to be done last minute, when the turkey is already out of the oven. That worry of lumpy or tasteless gravy, or even worse – you find there are hardly any meat drippings at the bottom of the roasting tin to work with (which often happens when you’re cooking a turkey crown instead of a whole turkey). Try my make-ahead gravy – you’ll just need to roast a couple of chickens at some point before Christmas so you can use the carcasses to make delicious stock (you could even freeze some of the sliced roasted chicken so you’ve got backup meat on xmas day if you need it!).
Tip 5. Keep the Roast Turkey simple!
Go simple on the turkey – no basting, no stuffing – let the flavour of the meat shine without all the fuss.I drizzle over oil, season it well and add a cup of stock to the roasting tin. Then cook, covered in foil, so it’s nice and juicy. The foil just comes off for the last hour to brown the skin. Don’t forget, the roast turkey will need a good 30-60 minutes to rest too, so you have plenty of time to finish off all of the other bits once the turkey is out of the oven.
Tip 6. Wrap those Pigs in Blankets
Yep, get those pigs in blankets wrapped, then place on a baking tray, cover and refrigerate. On the day remove the cover and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes (add a drizzle of honey for the last 5 minutes for a lovely sticky finish). You can even cook them ahead if you like and reheat on the day – check out the make ahead section in the recipe card of my pigs in blankets recipe.
Tip 7. Buy Ready-Prepped Veg
Ready peeled sprouts, chanteney carrots and ready-trimmed green beans are great choices as they don’t need prepping.I like to steam them to cook them – so I can place in the steamer the night before. If steamed veg sounds a bit boring, you can prep a few toppings that can be sprinkled or drizzled on at the last minute:
Tip 8. Make a Punch Bowl!
This saves you from running around filling up glasses. The kids love filling up everyone’s punch glasses (just be sure to leave a couple of kitchen towels close by for mopping up spills!).I’ve got a great festive punch recipe here. You can make an alcohol-free version by leaving out the vodka and prosecco and replacing with lemonade or something like shloer.
Tip 9. Set the Table ahead
Or even the week before! Eating dinner on your knees for a couple of days before Christmas whilst watching a Christmas movie is fun!
Tip 10. Make-ahead Dessert (without taking up fridge space)
I like to do this so the dessert isn’t taking up valuable fridge space (I’m talking to you giant trifle!) – My chocolate cherry cake is a fantastic make ahead dessert, that you can serve cold, or you can microwave slices for a couple of seconds to warm up. Serve with a drizzle of thick cream or some ice cream.Alternatively, go for mince pies (like my frangipane mince pies), lemon or orange drizzle cake or some posh brownies (like my Turkish delight or Ferrero rocher brownies).
Bonus tips!
I really hope my Make Ahead Christmas Dinner tips and the bonus tips help! If you have more tips, please leave in the comments below so we can all help each other to have a stress-free Christmas! Stay updated with new recipes!Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos). Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
