Holiday meals: Stress free cooking! (+ Free printable!)

I LOVE planning holiday meals!

Coming up with different combinations, some new recipes, some all time favourites… it’s all so much of fun!

If you find it a bit overwhelming, No problem! Here’s a few tips to make your life easier and get you a fun and stress free cooking experience this holiday season!

Let’s say.. it’s easy as ABC (D). 😉 

A is for Ahead

Make sure to write a menu a few weeks in advance. That way you don’t waste time on thinking and planning in the few days before the dinner night. It also gives you some peace of mind knowing you already have a plan.

B is for Breaking

For each item on the menu write down the recipe, or at least the ingredient list, and then break the lists into individual ingredients – don’t forget to include the quantities needed.

C is for combining

Combine all the ingredient lists into one shopping list and.. go shopping. Make sure to list each ingredient once even if it appears on different recipes – just add up all the quantities you wrote in the previous stage.

D is for deciding

Decide when to cook what. write it down so that you have a proper plan and you stay completely stress free. Be realistic with the cooking times and don’t leave anything for the last moment!

Easy, right?

And to help you get into a festive mood and plan a great meal for your loved ones and yourself, here is a meal plan you can download, print and fill in!

Download all three papers right here:

Are you going with new dishes every year? Do you have regular dishes you always cook for the holidays? Or is it a combination of both? 🥧