This post is part of my 10 week Christmas planning series. You can find the rest of the my Christmas planning series here.
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Each year as part of my Christmas planning series I share ideas for Christmas Menu Planning. Putting together a menu plan for Christmas doesn’t have to be complicated and it can include only dishes you know how to make. But the act of writing up the plan will show you:
- what you need to order in advance
- what you can cook in advance
- what you can outsource to others
- make it easy to create shopping lists
If however you are after inspiration to make something this different from Christmas I have listed four different menu plans below and you can find previous years here:
- Christmas menu plan ideas 2016 includes – Gluten free Christmas menu plan, Beginners’ Christmas, Jamie’s Christmas Day – the masterplan and Donna Hay Lifestyle Christmas Menu Plan
- Christmas menu plan ideas 2015 includes – BBC goodfood “failsafe” Christmas, Modern Australian Christmas, Chef George Calombaris’ Christmas lunch and Christmas cocktail party
- Christmas menu plan ideas 2014 includes – Gluten free and cane sugar free, Traditional Christmas dinner, Heston Blumenthal Christmas and Grand holiday buffet Christmas menu plans
- Christmas Menu Plan Ideas 2013 includes – Simple, Paleo, Asian and BBQ Christmas menu plans
- 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
Now for this year’s collection!
Not Quite Nigella’s Italian Christmas
Image from Not Quite Nigella
This is a gorgeous post from Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. It is packed full of recipes but also memories of the day and her travels.
A Christmas dinner inspired by travels to Italy. This year’s Christmas menu, celebrated on Christmas Eve featured several types of seafood as per Italian custom. The main event was a prosciutto wrapped Turkey Porchetta, a surprisingly easy and perfectly seasoned dish. Along with this we served a crab and leek lasagna, a last minute addition that ended up being a favourite at the table. Spiced cherries and gravy accompanied the turkey porchetta while a Mont Blanc chestnut cake with chestnut shortbread and plenty of marron glaces and whipped cream was served alongside chocolate salami, Italian ciambelle and biscotti as well as plenty of wine. {source}
Easy no bake Christmas menu plan
Image from bestrecipes.com.au
Not everyone wants to work in the kitchen over a hot stove on Christmas Day! This Christmas menu plan (no cooking required!) from Best Recipes includes:
- Heat free canapes
- Sophisticated entrees
- Scrummy sides
- Refreshing desserts
- After-dinner treats
A step-by-step guide to cooking Christmas dinner – Delia Smith
In this article from The Guardian, Delia Smith shares a minute-by-minute guide to a well-planned, traditional Christmas lunch, from the perfect turkey to the ideal bread sauce.
Starting on Christmas eve Smith takes you step by step through everything you will need to do to have a beautiful roast turkey on your Christmas table by 2pm. This would be perfect for those who are newer to the Christmas lunch preparations.
Step-by-step Christmas food planner
This step by step Christmas food planner starts four weeks out (about now!) with suggestions of food to buy, lists to make and food you can prepare in advance to make Christmas day less stressful.