WAYS TO KEEP YOUR KITCHEN UNDER CONTROL THIS CHRISTMAS

From preparing elaborate meals to baking festive treats, keeping your kitchen under control during Christmas can be a challenge. Here are some practical tips and strategies to keep things less stressful for everyone.

Plan Menus Ahead of Time

One of the best ways to avoid kitchen chaos over Christmas is to plan your menus well in advance.

• Create a Master Menu: Outline the meals you'll be serving, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. A combination of traditional dishes and new recipes will keep things interesting.

• Plan for Dietary Needs: Take into account any preferences or restrictions your guests may have, such as gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan, plus allergies. If you’re lost on what to provide, ask those concerned. Chances are, they will appreciate your concern and offer to bring dishes.

• Prep Ahead: Where possible, prepare components of dishes ahead of time. Chopping vegetables, marinating meats, or even baking desserts a day or two in advance can ease the workload considerably.

 Make a Detailed Shopping List

Once you've finalised your menu, it's time to go shopping.

• Organise by Aisle: If you know your supermarket well, organise your list by aisle so you don’t have to backtrack too much. Saves loads of time.

• Stock Up on Essentials: Avoid multiple trips to the shops by checking your pantry before leaving the house. Make sure you have all the staples, like flour, sugar and spices.

• Non-Perishables First: Focus on non-perishable items first, then hone in on meat and fresh veg as the day gets closer.

Tidy and Organise Your Kitchen

The tidier your kitchen, the quicker you can get on. Clean up a bit after each process or task, and focus on one thing at a time. At least group similar tasks together, such as getting all the veg peeled, or making enough pastry for both quiches and pies or tarts.

• Clear Counters: If there isn’t space in cupboards for all the things you won’t need, consider self storage so you can get them out of the house while keeping them damp-free and safe.

• Use Bins: Designate bins for composting, recycling, and general waste. Keeping rubbish and recycling handy helps prevent messes piling up during cooking.

• Organise utensils and equipment: Sort your cooking tools and equipment before you start so that they’re easy to find and use. 

Enlist Help

Cooking for Christmas can be overwhelming, so rope in as many helpers as possible. You shouldn’t be stressed out in the kitchen while everyone else is relaxing in front of the TV.
 

Get family and friends to muck in. You could ask dinner guests to contribute a dish or assign tasks to family members, such as chopping vegetables, setting the table, or preparing drinks.

 

 

Prioritise Cooking Tasks

• Use Timers: Set timers for each dish to ensure nothing gets overlooked. 

• Cook in Stages: Start with dishes that take the longest, such as roasts or casseroles. 

• Use the Oven Efficiently: If you have multiple dishes that can be cooked at the same temperature, put them all in together to streamline the cooking process.

 

 

Stay Flexible and Adaptable

• Have Backup Plans: If a recipe doesn’t go as planned or an ingredient goes missing, be prepared with alternatives. For instance, if you can’t find a specific spice, consider using a similar one or omitting it altogether.

• Stay Calm: Remember that Christmas is about enjoying time with loved ones, not perfection. If things don’t go perfectly, don’t panic. Embrace the moment and enjoy the time with friends and family.

 

Clean as You Go

 

• Wash Utensils and Dishes: Instead of letting dishes pile up, wash and put away utensils and bowls as you finish using them, especially items that don’t go in the dishwasher.

 

• Wipe Surfaces Regularly: Make it a habit to wipe down surfaces as you cook. This prevents spills from becoming more challenging to clean and keeps your workspace hygienic.

Plan for Leftovers

 

With the cost of food, make sure nothing goes to waste. Put leftovers into sealable tubs as soon as they’re cold, so you don’t end up with pots and pans littering the kitchen.

• Label Containers: If you’ve got lots of different tubs, label them, especially if you’re freezing stuff for later use. 

• Have a Leftover Plan: Consider how you can turn leftovers into new meals. For example, roast meats can go into sandwiches, soups, curries, or salads. If you’re having guests staying for a few days, this is a useful strategy for minimising both cooking and waste.

 

Keeping your kitchen under control during Christmas requires thoughtful planning, efficient organisation, and a calm approach. By prepping your menus in advance, making the most of self storage solutions to clear space ahead of time and enlisting help from family and friends, you can organise the festivities with less stress. Happy Christmas Cooking!