What do you eat on Christmas day? Do you go easy in the morning to save room for lunch and dinner, or do you feast early in the day and casually graze on leftovers after all the excitement? No matter how you schedule your meals on Christmas, we’re sure we can inspire you with a Christmas feast that will suit your skills, your timeframe and your taste buds!
The Traditional Feast
If you want to keep your Christmas cooking classic then this one’s for you.
Breakfast – Start out slowly with a simple breakfast of fruit, yoghurt, cereal and toast. You don’t want to fill up too much before the main event!
Sides – Many of these can be served hot or cold, depending on the weather and your own personal tastes. But for a real traditional Christmas feast you’ll probably want them fresh out of the pan and onto the plate. Think roast potatoes with rosemary, steamed green beans with butter, big, fluffy Yorkshire puddings and plenty of gravy.
Mains – The main event is the meat in this Christmas feast! If you have enough room in your oven (and stomach) stuff a whole turkey – it will certainly impress your guests when you lay it on the table. Add a glazed ham, served hot or cold, and some delicious roast pork for the full experience.
Dessert – Love it or hate it for a classic festive dessert you can’t go past a Christmas pudding with brandy butter, ice cream and custard.
The Aussie Feast
For cooks who want to beat the heat and make the most of our fresh, local ingredients.
Breakfast – Have a mix of sweet and savoury ready for Christmas day breakfast or brunch. Invite people to build their own bruschetta, laying out thick pieces of toast, slices of tart tomato, crumbly feta and fresh basil. Compliment this with a fresh fruit platter and some cranberry muffins. Serve it all with orange juice and champagne.
Sides – Salads are so easy you can recruit family and friends of all ages to help you pout them together. Potato salad, barbecue pumpkin and nectarine salad, a classic Greek salad – whatever you think will be the most delicious.
Mains – Seafood is quintessentially Aussie, especially in summer. A big bowl of prawns is always a crowd pleaser, but feel free to branch out as well. Why not add some smoked salmon, chargrilled swordfish or some lovely fresh lobster to your festive feast menu?
Dessert – Nothing says Australian Christmas quite like finishing with a pavlova!
The Easy Feast
Don’t want to spend Christmas day in the kitchen? Make these meals ahead of time instead.
Breakfast – Again fruit is a great choice, but mix it up by creating your own fruit smoothie on Christmas morning. Everyone can choose their own ingredients and DIY their own Christmas breakfast treat.
Sides – Make your salads the day before but don’t dress them until you put them on the table. That way the vegetables will stay fresh and crisp. Add some simple homemade dips like hummus, baba ganoush and French onion to the table for people to graze on whenever they get peckish.
Mains – Cold cuts are perfect for a hot Australian Christmas, and the best bit is, they can be made up to two days in advance. Roast your turkey, chicken and ham ahead of time then all you have to do on the day is slice them up, put them on platters and serve!
Dessert – A trifle might look impressive but trust us, they’re incredibly easy! No baking required, simply layer the ingredients at your own leisurely pace and offer around to your guests with ice cream and fruit.
Do you have a go-to Christmas menu? Tell us on our Facebook page!