This post is part of my 10 Week Christmas Planning Series. Click here to read more posts – Christmas Planning 2013.
Over the last few years I have collated some Christmas Menu Plan inspiration! You can find previous years here:
- Christmas Menu Plan Ideas 2012 includes – Vegetarian, Skye Gyngell Xmas Lunch Menu, Mexican Fiesta and Donna Hay Outdoor Christmas menu plan
- Christmas Menu Plan Ideas 2011 includes – Greek Inspiration, Curtis Stone’s Guide to Christmas, Aussie Christmas, Classic family Christmas dinner and Gluten Free menu plan
- Christmas Menu Plan Ideas 2010 includes – No-worries vegetarian Christmas feast, Christmas garden party, Nigella Lawson’s Christmas Menu and Seafood BBQ Christmas Menu Plan
- Christmas Menu Plan Ideas 2009 includes – Children’s Christmas Menu Plan, Modern Christmas Menu Plan, Traditional Christmas and Cheat’s Christmas
And here are some fresh Christmas menu plan ideas for 2013:
Christmas Menu Idea No.1 – Simple
This was actually what I cooked for the first of our family Christmas celebrations last weekend. We had an early dinner to celebrate Christmas with my husbands family. I tried lots of new recipes which I will share over the coming weeks:
Starters:
- Honey roasted macadamias
- Traditional noodle boxes
- Raw noodle boxes
Main
- Slow cooked shredded lamb with pomegranate and mint
- Slow cooked balsamic beef
- Pan fried chicken
- Scalloped potatoes
- Sweet potato au gratin
- Beet slaw
- Rocket and walnut salad
Desserts
- Ice Cream pudding
- Trifle (made by my sister in law)
- Raw chocolate cheesecake (which I forgot to take out to the freezer so couldn’t serve on the day 🙁 )
To finish
- Cheese plater (brought by my mother in law)
- Dark choc, almond and goji berry discs
Christmas Menu Idea No.2 – Paleo
I don’t consider myself Paleo but I do eat along Paleo lines and I know many readers have started to as well. (My Christmas menu plan above was 2/3 Paleo friendly.) This Paleo Christmas menu plan has been put together by Paleo Plan.
The plan includes recipes which are dairy, gluten, grains, soy, refined sugar and “vegetable” oil free and will feed about 5 or 6 adults.
Christmas Menu Idea No.3 – Asian influence
Taste.com.au has a lovely Asian influenced Christmas menu plan including these tasty dishes:
- Tamarind-roasted vegetables
- Prawn, mango & caramelised walnut salad
- Thai-style poached whole salmon
Christmas Menu Idea No.4 – Barbecue
For those of us in the southern hemisphere a Christmas BBQ menu plan can make a fun change, especially if you are catering for many in the heat.
This Christmas BBQ menu plan comes from taste.com.au and includes great step by step instructions to prepare in advance.
Christmas Ideas on Pinterest
And if you are still looking for inspiration, check out my Christmas Ideas board on Pinterest. This board isn’t limited to food and drink ideas, but has over 100 images of wonderful inspiration for Christmas.
Are you hosting Christmas at your house this year and if so, what are you planning to serve up?