Christmas dinner eaten elsewhere.

Apintplease

JIL said:

Floss said:

JIL said:
One of each couple has dementia, so its not that straight forward. 

But their partners will have preferences and would probably appreciate the question.

Crackers, chocs, cheese & biscuits, wine, LED candles.
Table gifts? Promise of a Zoom call for lighting your Christmas pudding? 

They are just genuinely grateful. Everytime they have been at Christmas, (or any other time) theres always been a choice. 
I and husband will still do our Christmas food and will cater for us and children and two partners. So I'm hoping that we can cook once, feed 12 in three different homes.
Zoom isnt something we can do, no wifi and would be great if it were possible.

Jil, i have just re read the whole thread

Now I dont know if like me, you cook your meats long before dinner? Like here in this house I cook a goose on Christmas Eve , then early Christmas Day I cook a ham and turkey  - all out of the oven long before 12, cos I like to go to the pub. I also cook up the stuff like carrot and parsnip mash, make the gravy, par boil the roasties and prep whatever needs prepping


What Im thinking is, if you are like me, then its not a million miles away to cook enough veg for all four, have your wee hamper ( box ) ready with the extra, then you and hubby go do the deliveries to the olds whilst the adult children get the rest of your dinners ready. If you have two drivers and two cars, one could do each side, help serve up, break a cracker and be home within the hour which is when your own roasties will be out of the oven? Neither set of parents having to juggle with the microwave, you get to spend a wee bit of time, it breaks all of yours day up a wee bit

Your day may not be the exact timetable that you are all used to, your dinner may be an hour later, but this is a strange year and we are all having to juggle and reset the clock 

With my mum, we have her trained for a 3pm dinner ( lol ) so she will have either a later breakfast or will take a small early lunch. Actually we only get starter at 3pm, dinner is closer to 4pm

Anyways, just thoughts on how to manage things, may or may not be helpful but all the same , its great your and yours are being so very sensible about this Christmas, Thank youxx

maman

I thought I'd revisit the thread for advice on reheating.

I'm planning to cook for my DD and her family. She's now going to collect the food so that means I can have a tipple while I'm cooking! 😁 I offered to do this as she's a key worker and I want to make life easier as she's not coming to us as usual. 

Although it's not very mse I've decided to cook her meal and some of ours (meats, potatoes, parsnips carrots, gravy etc) in advance.  I'll cook her greens but  but leave our sprouts (more accurately DH's sprouts😉), broccoli, cauli and cook that  after she's gone. It'll give us time to have a socially distanced chat.

I don't want to plate up her meal. I appreciate that it's different for those cooking for the elderly.   I want them to serve up as much as they fancy and keep leftovers for later/Boxing Day as we would if she was here. 

I'm thinking of putting the meat (wrapped in foil), roast potatoes, parsnips in a foil tray for  reheating in the oven. Carrots, greens in plastic tubs for the microwave and gravy in a pot to reheat on the hob.  Any advice?

-taff

A sturdy bag to transport it. You don't want it sliding all over the place in the car or by hand so pack it firmly so there's no movement.

Floss

Or a box lined with newspaper?

maman

Thanks for those ideas. Would you agree that some things are better reheated in the oven than the microwave? 🤔

The last time I remember anything like this was when my father had his dinner reheated over a saucepan of water when he was late home from work. Microwaves didn't exist then! 🤣

joedenise

I'd definitely say that things like meat, roast potatoes and roasted veg would definitely be nicer reheated in the oven.  Veg are fine reheated in the microwave.

maman

Thanks denise. I was thinking about which veg is better kept moist. 🤔

joedenise

maman couldn't your DD just cook the veg fresh while the meat is reheating?  Fresh veg is much nicer particularly things like cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels - nothing worse than overcooked veg.  

maman

I had wondered about that. I'll think about it. It only takes 10 minutes. No sprouts involved, only DH eats them...annually! 🤣

maman

Just to report back, the dinner was a great success. DD1 decided to collect so that was good so I could have my usual bubbles while cooking. She sent me pics of them enjoying their meal and later enjoying a 'picky tea' of leftovers and some of the cheeses and crisps and other goodies I'd sent them in a pre-Christmas hamper. 

My DD is a key worker so I was delighted to make it an easy day for her.