{"id":6963,"date":"2023-11-28T11:33:05","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T09:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dineplan.com\/blog\/?p=6963"},"modified":"2023-11-28T11:33:12","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T09:33:12","slug":"8-ways-to-make-christmas-less-stressful-in-the-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dineplan.com\/blog\/8-ways-to-make-christmas-less-stressful-in-the-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"8 ways to make Christmas less stressful in the kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In This Article:<\/h3>\n
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  1. Prep<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Shop early<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Organise the kitchen<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Teamwork<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Take shortcuts<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Stock up on snacks<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Ditch tradition<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Don\u2019t cook, book<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    For many of us, Christmas is all about the food. It\u2019s the perfect moment to be decadent, to overeat, and to generally indulge all those festive cravings that can only be satisfied once a year.<\/p>\n

    The downside is that someone has to prepare this mountain of food, which can often go hand in hand with decidedly un-festive stress. No one wants to spend Christmas<\/a> sweating and panicking in the kitchen while everyone else is relaxing. Here are some ways to avoid that, and maximise Christmas cheer this year. <\/p>\n

    [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Blog Content” module_id=”trends-gildas” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”0px||0px||true|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”1. \tDo as chefs do: Prep ahead” module_id=”Do as chefs do” _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

    1. Do as chefs do: Prep ahead<\/h4>\n
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    The biggest lesson home cooks can learn from chefs is to prep, prep, prep. Chefs<\/a> plan and prepare almost everything in advance, leaving as little as possible to chance when service comes around.<\/p>\n

    The more you do the day (or even week) before, the less you have to think about when things get busy. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    It may seem extreme, but writing up a timetable is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Set dates and times by which tasks need to be completed. Wash salad leaves, pre-make sauces, and pre-boil potatoes. Slow-cooking meat the day before is a great option. That way you have plenty of time to make sure it\u2019s perfect, and all you need to do is gently reheat.<\/p>\n

    [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”2. Shop early” module_id=”Shop early” _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

    2. Shop early<\/h4>\n
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    An important aspect of prepping ahead is shopping ahead. This year, the 25th falls on a Monday. The best strategy would be to shop for the essentials before Friday the 22nd and the chaos of the Christmas weekend.<\/p>\n

    Early mornings are always quieter in the supermarkets, and shelves have usually just been restocked. Then all that\u2019s needed when the shops are frantic is a quick top-up of fresh produce.<\/p>\n

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    A post shared by Deli\u25aa\ufe0fButchery\u25aa\ufe0fBistro\u25aa\ufe0fHomeware & Gifts (@kleinjoostenberg)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n