Even the most experienced home cook can feel flustered under the pressure of cooking a festive feast for family and friends. Katy Beskow looks at ways to make this Christmas the most stress-free ever!
✓ Make a list Now is a great time to sit down and make your food shopping list for Christmas. Firstly, count up how many people you are hosting. Consider how many meals you will be preparing, from the main Christmas dinner, to festive breakfasts, Christmas Eve supper, and buffets. Write up a meal plan (this will save you so much time in the throws of Christmas) and draw up a shopping list from there. Don’t forget to add some special treats to your list, like vegan mince pies and cream – it is Christmas after all!
✓ Buy for later Many items on your Christmas food shopping list will be ambient and long-life, so you can buy them in advance and store until needed. Think about flour, dried fruits, nuts, vegan biscuits, chutneys, crackers, crisps, vacuum-packed chestnuts, and long-life plant milk (for the extra cups of coffee for your guests). Keep them hidden away until Christmas, in a cupboard or even a dedicated box. Frozen essentials such as cranberries, vegan Yorkshire puddings, dairy-free pastry, and vegan-friendly party foods can all be purchased now and kept in the freezer. Consider adding one or two items to your regular food shop starting from now, to spread the cost and take advantage of any pre-Christmas discounts the supermarkets might offer. Just remember to tick them off your list!
✓ Check your utensils When cooking for more people than usual, there’s nothing worse than finding out (usually too late) that you don’t have enough roasting tins, serving dishes, cutlery and wine glasses. Use your meal plan and shopping list to decide how many of each you need, and buy or borrow them in advance.
✓ Reusable roasting tins will last you for years, but if you don’t have the storage space, opt for foil trays that you can dispose of after use. You can borrow wine glasses from friends and family, or look out for offers in large supermarkets that carry homeware, or have a charity-shop haul for an eclectic look to your Christmas table. Don’t forget to make sure you have enough chairs for everyone to sit at the dinner table!
✓ Try something new Now is a great time to find a new vegan Christmas recipe book in a bookshop or library. Search online for festive recipes and inspiration, save recipes from seasonal magazines, or flick through your existing cookbooks to find wintery recipes. It is gr
