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Christmas
The Ultimate Christmas Dinner Checklist
When you picture the festive table, a golden roast turkey often takes centre stage. To ensure your Christmas feast is perfect, whether you’re hosting for the first time or the tenth, starting with a comprehensive food checklist is essential.
At Eric Lyons, we pride ourselves on tradition. For over 100 years, we’ve crafted Christmas dinners using only the freshest, locally sourced produce – so it’s fair to say we know what makes a great Christmas meal.
In this blog, we’ll cover everything from Christmas dinner essentials to what typically goes on a Christmas dinner table, plus tips for your Christmas food shopping list.
Your Christmas Dinner List: What to Include
A traditional Christmas dinner usually revolves around a hearty main course with plenty of sides and desserts. We have broken down everything you need to pop onto your list. However, before you dive into your shopping list there are a few key things to consider:
- Head Count: Although obvious you should start by finalising your head count! Knowing how many people you’re feeding is crucial for calculating ingredients.
- Food Intolerances: You shouldn’t make any assumptions around diets, always cross check with your family and friends. If members are vegan, gluten-free or more, it could affect the quantities of your shopping list.
Christmas Party Food:
Whilst Christmas dinner is truly worth the wait! We all know it can take time to prepare, so having some starters can be perfect to tide you over for the main event.
Pork Pie
“A wonderful treat for any occasion. absolutely delicious with very little fat.its full of good meat and must be tried to appreciate the goodness of it.” Vanessa Thorne
Main Course
While Turkey is the classic Christmas choice. There are plenty of delicious alternative meats for your Christmas table including;
Roast Turkey
At Eric Lyons, our bronze, free range whole turkeys are sourced from local farms, including Abbots Bromley with farmer Benjamin Browning. For those looking for easy carve turkeys, our boneless turkey breasts come from a different trusted supplier, Adlington. Both full of flavour and the highest quality.
Fillet of Beef
“I cooked this for a dinner party, the meat was sensational, and enjoyed by everyone.” Adrian Ellis
Gressingham Whole Duck
A delicious and versatile Gressingham whole duck that is bursting with amazing flavour and texture.
Gammon Joint
“Excellent gammon. Unlike others I have had recently, this hardly shrunk so was not full of water. The flavour was delicious and I will definitely be buying this again.” Bruce Joubert
Side Dishes
Your centerpiece needs some festive company! With so many side dishes – many of them Christmas dinner staples you’ll want to over-buy to ensure delicious Boxing Day leftovers.
You’ll need:
- Roast potatoes
- Stuffing (classic sage and onion or sausage-based)
- Pigs in blankets
- Mashed potatoes
- Brussel sprouts, carrots, and parsnips
- Green beans or peas
- Yorkshire puddings
- Gravy and sauces (cranberry sauce is a must!)
Desserts
There’s always room for dessert at Christmas! Just be sure to stock up on ice cream, cream, or custard to perfectly accompany your sweet treat of choice.
Homemade Mince Pies
Fun Fact: Our Uncle John comes out of retirement each year to make our best-selling homemade mince pies. Last year he made a whopping 18,000! There’s a reason he makes so many – the demand is huge! You don’t want to miss them.
Festive Cheese Platter
Fulfil all of your festive cheese needs in one convenient Festive Cheese Board! The platter contains: – Snowdonia Black Bomber Cheese (200g) – Red Leicester (200g) – Brie De Meux (200g) – Cropwell Bishop Shropshire Blue (200g) – Caramelised Onion Chutney – Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Sea Salt Crackers
Drinks
Raise a glass and make a toast! No Christmas gathering is complete without the perfect selection of drinks. Don’t forget the garnishes like cranberries and citrus slices to make every drink feel special.
- Wine
- Cocktails
- Beers
- Soft Drinks
Pantry Essentials
Prep the ultimate Christmas dinner without a hitch by filling your pantry staples. Beyond the main ingredients, you’ll need those seasoning agents: a reliable supply of stocks (chicken/veg), oils, butter, salt, pepper, and herbs. As well as those fundamental kitchen essentials:
- Flour, sugar, and butter
- Stock cubes and seasoning
- Extra wide foil
- Butcher’s string
- Baking Paper
- Reusable food containers
- Meat Thermometer
- Gravy Jug
- Roasting tin
- Non-stick Baking Trays
Take the stress out of Christmas, follow our list and explore our Christmas range. You can avoid the supermarket rush, we’ll deliver directly to your door.
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