Providing two meats, a couple of salads or roast vegies and two or three desserts is all that is needed to satisfy the hungry souls at your table. The more you have to choose from, the more confusing it is for the eaters. How to fit it all on the plate ? There is only so much you can eat at one meal and many people travel from table to table ( famliy home to family home ) in one day.
Also, the more you provide, the more likely you are to be left with leftovers for a week. To avoid gastro most foods should be consumed within two days of cooking. You are also less likely to forget what is left in the fridge if it is consumed within a small timeframe.
I've cooked traditional and casual Christmas lunches in the past. Here's what I've provided for my guests
TRADITIONAL
Roast lamb served in gravy
Roast chicken
Roast potatoes, pumpkin and carrots
Cauliflower and broccoli with white sauce and cheese on top
Mint sauce
Sticky date puddings in muffin size with caramel sauce, cream and icecream
CASUAL ( BBQ )
Rissoles
Bbq steaks ( cut in half )
Sausages
Mushrooms and onions
Bread stick
Green tossed salad
Potato salad
Pasta salad
Plum pudding ( no name ) with homemade custard, cream and icecream
Mini pavlovas ( homemade ) with cream and berries
REALLY THRIFTY
Corned silverside ( cooked in the slow cooker ) or
Crumbed chicken drumsticks
Roast veggies and / or
Salad
Bread stick
Apple rose pastries with custard or cream.
Both the traditional and casual meals have been hugely sucessful and everyone is full and satisfied. The casual meal had a lot more leftovers. We just ate salads and sausages for the next two days. The best thing about these meals is that I have most of those ingredients on hand already so there are no grocery blowouts. The only extra expense is the meat and a few vegies / salad things. The leg of lamb is bought in Spring when it's just over $7 a kilo and usually costs me under $20. Snacks are bought on sale in November and bon bons are bought at half price on Boxing Day the year before.
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| Roast lunch |
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| Dressing the roast lamb for extra flavou |
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| Apple rose pastries |
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| Megan's custard tarts |
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| Setting the table with all the finery |
Dear Wendy, great advice as usual, As of today I am officially finished Christmas shopping n all matters. I have bought all food, gifts and treats etc, have a bursting freezer and pantry with plenty of some items to last me into the beginning of February!. I have plenty of everything. My menu for Christmas is organised because I will be eating at my sisters for lunch and have purchased my contribution a month ago, most of it, I just need to make two dips to take , my whole family and the family joining us for lunch are all working together to provide lunch for about 15 people, we are having ham, I think Turkey, chicken, vegetables and nibbles , ice cream cake and one more sweet and the dips etc are for morning tea for my immediate family before the other family arrive. Then Christmas night is our traditional W family gathering , there can be up to 90 plus people there depending on the year and other plans , we just take sweets and my gran and Aubty provide all food and some drinks we take our own drinks if we want more than tea coffee punch or water, I drink tea and water or juice punch ( one glass!) . It will be and always is a huge day but does not break the budget for anyone.love Barb W. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Wendy. I have been buying food and presents for weeks so it's not a big hit to our budget. I just have to buy salad items for Christmas Day. We are having pork, turkey, prawns, cold salads and pavlova for dessert. It sounds like a lot but we graze for days and I enjoy the break from cooking.
ReplyDeleteWhen the sales begin I'm going to start looking out for presents for next Christmas.
Your posts really helped us to stay within budget this year. I believe a big part of being frugal is being content with what you already have. Thanks. Rachel :)