Christmas – it’s the most wonderful time of year…. and also, the most stressful and expensive. But it doesn’t have to be.
One woman who is an expert in all things Christmas feasting and hosting, is iconic broadcaster and organic orchardist Trudi ‘The Foodie’ Nelson.
Trudi is an expert in creating delicious meals that don’t cost an arm and a leg, which is more important than ever. She recently hosted Woolworths Christmas Table, a limited time pop-up restaurant experience where the entire feast was created with nothing but Woolworths Own food range and seasonal produce, to show that you don’t need fancy, expensive ingredients to make a special festive meal.
It’s not just cost though; nothing dampens the joy of Christmas like being stuck in the kitchen making hundreds of meals to try and please everyone.
It’s a struggle for many hosts and one Trudi is all too aware of. But over the years she’s refined her Christmas Day routine into a well-oiled machine. She’s developed an eight-step routine that has turned her festive season from chaos to calm, cruisy fun with the family.
Trudi’s tips are:
- Make a plan
- Decide what you’re making ahead of time and create a shopping list to avoid a last-minute Christmas Eve shopping trip. Buying your groceries online and getting them delivered can be a great way of making sure you don’t miss anything and avoid busy stores.
- Pre-prepare dishes ahead of time
- To make Christmas morning as easy as possible, try to prepare ahead of time. This could be chopping up veggies for side dishes, casseroles, or appetizers that can be stored in the fridge for up to two days. Gravy, cranberry sauce, and salad dressings can all be made a few days ahead and refrigerated. Plus, marinating meat and parboiling potatoes for roasting the day before all makes Christmas Day itself easier. Baking is another great way to get the jump on. Or if that’s too much work, Woolworths has plenty of delicious pre-made desserts such as a biscoff trifle, fruit mince pies and even the iconic smash cakes.
- Thrifty thinking
- This year has been rough and lots of people don’t have cash to splash, that’s why it’s the perfect time to embrace op shopping and funky retro tableware. Matchy-matchy is so last year. Instead, buy those 50 cent green glasses and red stemmed candle holders. Dress your table with goodwill goodness and then let everyone take their favourite piece home with them – they will always think of you and Christmas when they use it year after year.
- Make the most of your napkins
- Napkins are, of course, incredibly practical, but they can also add festive cheer. Fold them into elf hats, Christmas trees or bows and use them as seasonal and fun plate decorations. It’s not just napkins either, Christmas tree-shaped cheese boards can also add to the festive charm. My personal favourite is laying all the ingredients out in the shape of a tree by cutting the cheese into cubes, using the dried apricots as tinsel and the cherry tomatoes as baubles. This is a great way to add some wow factor to your pre-meal nibbles!
- Don’t forget about your slow cooker
- Slow cookers can be a fantastic way to keep sides like mashed potatoes, veggies and gravy warm without wasting valuable oven space.
- Get the kids helping
- Giving youngsters a job for Christmas morning is a great way of getting them involved and making things easier. Not only will it keep them off their screens, but you’ll also be surprised by how happy they are to help with “big person jobs” – get them to whip the cream, chop the cheeseboard, or lay out the platters.
- Embrace store-bought
- Woolworths Own range has a huge range of sensational desserts including smash cakes, fruit mince tarts, cheesecakes, and a Biscoff Trifle that’s to die for. Pick up one and voila – an easy dessert that is perfect for when everyone is too full of ham to even think about cooking.
- Smile, smile and smile some more
- As you get dressed in that green or red outfit or festive sparkly hat, look at yourself in the mirror and smile. Say “You got this” and walk into your festivities with a beaming smile and a great attitude! This works wonders.
