How professional foodies keep their Christmas stress-free

Skip chaos in the kitchen this Christmas with 12 simple tips for staying organised and stress-free.

Holiday season is a time of good laughs, good people and even better food. However sometimes it can be stressful planning out the perfect Christmas feast for your loved ones.

Here are 12 tips to help you stay organised and prepared in the kitchen this Christmas thanks to taste.com.au.

1. Compile your own Christmas cookbook

Bookmark recipes you’ve tried and loved and keep time-honoured family favourites to create the ultimate festive cooking resource.

Roast lemon and mixed herb turkey.

2. Share the stress!

Plan your menu early and designate one dish to each guest – sides and sweets are ideal. Plus, it frees up space in your oven and fridge.

Roast pumpkin salad with cranberries and pistachio.

3. Formalise your grocery list

Ingredients hastily scrawled on the back of an envelope won’t do at Christmas! Write up a comprehensive list and divide items into categories like ‘bakery’, ‘fresh produce’ and ‘herbs and spices’.

Flexible and delicious Mediterranean lemon rub.

4. Get the kids involved

An afternoon baking gingerbread men gets everyone in the spirit – and the spoils make the perfect last-minute gift.

Share the love at Christmas with beautiful handmade gingerbread men.

5. Make a timeline for Christmas Day cooking

Work backwards from the hour you want to sit down and eat Christmas dinner, factoring in cooking times for all your dishes. This timeline will help you keep everything in line (including your sanity!)

Moreish slow-cooked lemon and paprika beef.

6. Don’t forget Santa!

Jolly St Nick and his reindeers need their nourishment, too! Jazz up his cookies by sprinkling sea salt on top, while Rudolph and co might appreciate another colour other than orange. (You can re-heat the carrots for lunch the next day!)

Sticky maple cinnamon roasted carrots.

7. Set the table early

A beautifully decorated table really sets the mood, so attend to this first. Make sure everything fits into your colour scheme and theme, be it vintage, fine dining or industrial chic.

Orange & marmalade roast turkey with cranberry stuffing.

8. Buy extra rolls of GLAD Baking Paper

This hard-working kitchen staple helps food be its best – and keeps tins and trays cleaner. You can even use it to wrap up leftovers, make food parcels for nibbles or desserts and to stop food sticking as it cooks.

Try this glorious steamed Christmas pudding.

9. Skip the roast

Speed up cooking times by featuring seafood as your centrepiece. This stunning platter takes just 15 minutes on the barbecue.

Sizzling seafood platter with aioli.

10. Sip champagne!

It’s Christmas! Enjoy this special time in the kitchen – it only comes around once a year. Make sure you choose things you like to cook, rather than dishes that are going to stress you out.

A simple and easy-to-make Campari Champagne.

11. Have your containers and cling wrap ready

Keep food fresh by packing treats in individual lunch boxes for a quick fix on Boxing Day. Then, you can put your feet up and relax!

Orange & marmalade roast turkey with cranberry stuffing.

12. Get creative with leftovers

Think outside the sandwich. These egg and ham tarts are delicious for brunch and definitely impress more than ham, cheese and pickle!

Be sure to plan early, but don’t forget to enjoy the festive season.

Egg, ham and asparagus tarts.

For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.

Originally published as How professional foodies keep their Christmas stress-free