Your Holiday prep timeline

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When dinner becomes a team sport, you need a plan. This holiday we’ve made getting ahead simple. Because a little advanced prep goes a long way.

1 week before - Get ahead

Sauces you can sort ahead

Serving up your own sauces on Christmas day says you’ve made the effort. Making cranberry or apple sauce sounds complicated, but is as simple as three or four ingredients and tastes so much better than the jarred stuff. Stir it all together in our Space Steel Saucepan, and freeze or keep it in the fridge in a sealed container.

2-3 days before - The extra prep

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Nest™ Bake Non-Stick 2-piece Blue Round Cake Pan Set
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Nest™ Bake Non-Stick Blue 2lb Loaf Pan
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Nest™ Bake Non-Stick 3-piece Blue Baking Pan Set
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Nest™ Bake Non-Stick 12 Cup Blue Muffin Pan

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Stir up something sweet

Classic festive desserts actually benefit from being made ahead. Christmas pudding, citrussy cakes, cheesecakes and trifles all taste better after the flavours have had time to develop, and meringues can be frozen easily. Just add your decorations and toppings on the day. Explore our Nest™ Bake tins, with easy-pull handles for safe oven transfer.

Nibbles and gifts

Get the nibbles right, and the pressure is off. A simple win to make in the week before Christmas is our flavoured nuts. They taste brilliant, and last for weeks, so you can prepare them now and bag them up beautifully to give as gifts.

Get-ahead gravy

Preparing and storing a gravy base in advance with roasted vegetables, herbs and chicken or turkey bones avoids the last-minute rush on the day. To finish it, simply stir in the roasting juices from your tin and carving board on Christmas Day. Cut&Carve™ Plus Multi-function Chopping Board is our board designed for preserving every drop of gravy goodness.
Batch-cook for days in between

Having prepared dinners in your freezer is a real ‘not-my-first-rodeo’ move that will make hosting more relaxing. Get your largest roasting dish from the Nest™ Oven Non-stick 3-piece Roasting Tray Set and batch cook a stew, curry, or lasagne this week. Then reheat from frozen on those busy days of present-wrapping.

The day before - The main prep

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Elevate™ Steel Knife Set with In-drawer Bamboo Storage Tray

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Prep root veg ahead

Peeling and chopping vegetables is one of the most time-consuming tasks of the big Christmas meal. Getting ahead with it the day before means less time in the kitchen on the big day, and more time with loved ones. Multiple boards such as the Folio™ Steel Bamboo 3-piece Chopping Board Set makes the job easier.

Peel and chop carrots, parsnips and other root vegetables and toss in your oil and seasonings in roasting trays, ready to go.
Peel and prepare potatoes, then place in cold water in a pan on the stove ready to be par-boiled before roasting.

Cabbage and sprouts

Braised cabbage tastes even better after the flavors have had time to develop, so it's the perfect make-ahead side dish. Trimming sprouts ahead of time with a sharp knife from our Elevate™ Steel Knife Set is an easy trick that means they're ready to cook in minutes on the day, whether you're team boil, fry or roast.
Messy meat prep? Done

When the messy task of meat prep and seasoning is moved to the day before, Christmas morning is more relaxing. A dry brine ensures tender, delicious meat or fish and gets your joint oven-ready. It's as simple as seasoning the meat or fish generously all over with salt. Embellish the brine with herbs, spices and sugar if you like, ground together in the Dash™ Pestle & Mortar with Bamboo Lid.

On the day - Bring it all together

For the main event

The challenge of the main meal is getting everything together on the table, hot. Meat needs to rest and retains heat well when covered with foil. Plan to have it ready 45 minutes before your potatoes and root veg are done (these need to be enjoyed hot). Place meat on a carving board. When it’s time to serve, carve and place on plates or a platter. Pre-made cabbage can be reheated 10 minutes before serving, and sauces should sit out of the fridge for a few hours to come to room temperature.
Cheese and dessert

Cheese is best eaten at room temperature. Get yours out 1-2 hours before you plan to eat it, and keep wrapped so it doesn't dry out. Arrange on a natural board such as Nest™ Boards 3-piece Bamboo Chopping Board Set, with chutneys, crackers and crunchy things like apple, celery, grapes and nuts for textural variety. Have cheese out for no longer than 4 hours to avoid soft cheeses becoming runny. Desserts that are eaten cold, such as trifles and cheesecakes should be removed from the fridge 1-2 hours to come to temperature.