The most stressful time of the year is ahead of us… Christmas. I don’t mean that in a bad way. The reason why I find it so stressful is because all grocery shops are mad busy and it is so overwhelming to go out and do the shopping for over a week because of bank holidays the shops are closed. A lot of organising and preparation is required in advanced. Luckily I am quite organised this year. Presents are wrapped well over 3 weeks now so I am only left with the food now to keep my family fed.
Cooking is not a thing I love to do because it just takes so much time to do and with 2 small children I generally don’t get the time to make the effort but with Christmas coming I am making an exception.
I am sharing with you 9 Christmas dinner ideas from 24th December leading up to 1st January 2016. Maybe you find some inspiration for yourself over the festive period.
24th December – Potato Salad and Sausages
This is a traditional dish we have in Germany every year. Potatoes, mayonnaise, gherkins, egg and if you like you can add a bit of ham to it, too. Not everyone is a fan of gherkins, so you could replace that with something else. Be adventurous.
25th December – Turkey, red cabbage, brussels sprouts and roast potatoes
Hubby has requested this year to have turkey for Christmas dinner this year. The year before that we went with the traditional German duck. Let’s see how that goes and does he like my cooking. He has never denied or refused a meal so far.
26th December – Vol au Vent with rice
I love these. Probably one of my favourite meals ever. The puff pastry with a nice creamy chicken and mushroom filling is delicious and well worth it to give a try. It goes well with rice. I add a splash lemon to it as well.
27th December – Tuna Pasta
A lazy dish after all the cooking from the past 3 days. A packet from Schwartz. Cook your pasta as normal. Add the tuna mix as per instruction on the pack and you have a delicious easy meal which the kids will love, too.
28th December – Shepherds Pie
Generally I am not a huge fan of too much potato with Shepherds Pie being an exception. It has the mince and veg in it which adds a nice taste to the potatoes.
29th December – Salmon in white sauce with veg & mashed potato
I usually oven bake a few frozen salmon fillets, make the mashed potatoes, cook the veg and prepare the white sauce from Knorr. Delicious meal and very healthy.
30th December – Lasagne
Who doesn’t like Lasagne?
31st December – Party Food
New Years Eve I am going to be a bit lazy. I am planning to buy Lidl’s frozen party food and throw that in the oven with a prawn cocktail as a starter. We might even have a bit of champagne flowing once the kids are in bed and wait for the countdown into the new year.
1st January – Curry
We are going to start the new year with a Curry. Whether that’s a Thai, Indian or normal curry I haven’t decided yet.
Have you made a meal planner for the Christmas period? What are you planning to cook?
I haven’t made a meal planner yet but I might well be adapting yours. You have some great ideas but as we have decided on the traditional turkey this year there will have to be some turkey leftover meals fitted in as well.
Yum I love vol au vents, probably one of my favourite dinners but one i rarely make, perhaps I’ll change that now, lovely list of suggestions!
These look really tasty. We love Tuna meals and I’m loving the snowflakes on your blog. 🙂 Angela
Ooh I love vol au vents. Havent given a second thought to what we’ll be eating over christmas. Bar the big day it will be pretty much the same i imagine.
Wow, Janine – that is super organised. I’m impressed! I’ve definitely never been a long-term planner when it comes to domestic stuff. You’ve put together some great family recipes there. Hope you all have a lovely holiday x
I love cooking and some great ideas there for over the Christmas period! My presents are also all wrapped and organised just a few more bits a pieces to get althlough food shopping still needs to be got! I bet it feels great to be organised! X
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I am only cooking a main and some dessert. I get little time with 2 kids running around.
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I don’t no. I am not a person of turkey in general to be honest. I am only making it because hubby wants it so we are keeping both traditions alive. I have no idea that you eat turkey days after. lol Mine is not a proper turkey you cook for hours. I wouldn’t have the patience for it.
I haven’t even got that far! We are having dinner at a friends for Christmas and I’m in charge of starter and haven’t thought what I’m bringing yet!
Crikey, do you not have turkey leftovers for days on end? We have turkey for about 4 days afterwards and I love it. Otherwise, we’ll just have beef stew, maybe spag bol or macaroni, and salmon in between if the OH gets sick of turkey. Oh and I’ll probably cook a ham too, so there’ll be that to have with the cold turkey/ploughmans.