10 steps to hassle-free hosting

Get ahead

Doing as much as you can before the day itself will really help to reduce stress levels. Peel, chop and parboil your potatoes (they will keep well in the freezer), prep your vegetables and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, stuff your turkey and pre-roll your pigs in blankets. If red cabbage or bread sauce features on your Christmas dinner table, you can also make these well in advance and heat them up on the day. For an even easier option, we’ve added a selection of Christmas sauces to our range, including this TRUEfoods Bread Sauce.

Invest in a meat thermometer

This is the ultimate stress-reducing tool. Simply insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat and keep an eye on the temperature dial. Don’t worry if the meat is cooked sooner than you expected – you can leave it to rest on a warm plate under some tin foil. If you order a whole turkey or turkey crown this Christmas, don’t forget to keep an eye out for our turkey timer. Insert into the deepest part of the breast before cooking and it will pop up when the turkey is cooked to the correct internal temperature.

Use a cooking guide

We deliver every Christmas order with a cooking guide for our most popular cuts. You can also get in touch with Anna and the team who will be happy to help with anything we haven’t featured.

Write down your timings

Making sure everything is ready (and warm) at the same time is one of the trickiest parts of Christmas dinner. Putting the timings down on paper is a really useful reference point when you’re also juggling drinks, canapés, guests, and roast potatoes.

Warm the plates

If your timings do go slightly skewwhiff then don’t worry. Warming the plates is an easy way to take the pressure off as any food that has already been served is less likely to go cold. The microwave does the trick for this if you’re tight on oven space.

Sharpen your knives

This is a must for Christmas day. A good sharp knife will make the carving process a breeze – even with the entire family watching and waiting in anticipation.

Try chef prepared

If all of the above is still sounding like hard work, then we recommend our chef prepared Christmas range. Including a selection of oven-ready and sous-vide cuts, already sous vide by our chefs, Steven and Tom, all you have to do is remove the packaging and heat the cut in the oven. Choose between traditional turkey breast joint, as well as mulled confit duck legs, beef topside with port, and gingerbread spiced pork belly.

Don’t forget the vegetables

Having a great veggie alternative is a must for unexpected (or expected) vegetarian guests. Long gone are the days of crumbly nut loafs or making do with roast potatoes and parsnips. Our Vegetarian Centrepieces are better than ever before, including a delicious and hearty Butternut Squash Wellington. Just don’t forget to put it in the oven…

Embrace ready to eat (and heat)

Certainly not a cheat’s option, ready to eat pies, smoked salmon and oven-ready sausage rolls are one less thing to worry about on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day.

Make a note for next year

If your turkey cooked in record time, the giblet gravy needed a splash of red wine, or the sprouts could have done with an extra spoonful of bacon, make a note and save it for next year. Your future self will thank you for it.