Woman Creates Genius Christmas Dinner Leftover Hack – Plus 4 Other Awesome Hosting Tips!
December 3, 2020
source: Facebook/Jennifer Melnick Carota
We hosted Christmas dinner for the first time last year, and I can honestly say it was the most stressful holiday I can remember. If you’ve ever cooked for a large crowd, you don’t need me to tell you how difficult it can be to simultaneously cook, clean, and entertain, all while trying to time the cooking of dishes properly. Luckily for you, I’m about to share five Christmas dinner hacks that will make hosting a little less stressful and a lot more enjoyable.
1. Prep, Prep, Prep
The secret to being less stressed on the day of your Christmas dinner? Prep everything you can ahead of time. Peel all the vegetables and get that little, time-consuming prep work out of the way. That way, when it’s actually time to cook, you’ll have a lot more time and a lot less stress.
2. Make A Big Breakfast
This is one of the best Christmas hacks of all time. Make a large, filling breakfast for your guests on Christmas Day. Everyone will be so full, they won’t be interested in eating lunch – meaning you’ll have all afternoon to get organized and begin cooking dinner.
3. Make Use Of The Slow Cooker
Never underestimate the power of a slow cooker! Slow cookers are wonderful for cooking things like veggies, meat, and other side dishes. Not only will using a slow cooker free up valuable oven space, but it will also keep food warm while you finish up the rest of your cooking.
4. Make Leftover Trays
Each year, I try to give everyone leftovers but always end up running out of containers to send people home with. The solution? Use a disposable muffin tray instead! According to Jennifer Melnick Carota, using a muffin tray makes portioning and transporting food simple. Guests can either toss the tray in the oven to heat it up later, or spoon the food onto a microwave-safe plate to enjoy. Genius!
5. Designate Cookers And Cleaners
A great Christmas dinner hack is to designate one or two helpers who can assist you with prepping and cooking the meal. When everyone has eaten, those who have not assisted in cooking get to clean up the meal. The cleaners can form an assembly line of loading the dishwasher, hand-washing dishes, drying dishes, and putting them away.
Hopefully now that you know these simple hacks, you’ll be better equipped to handle cooking for a crowd so that you can focus more on what truly matters: spending time with family and friends. Happy holidays!