Prepare Ahead For The Holidays- Save Stress, Time And Money
A T.V. ad and a mailbox full of catalogues reminded me that I’m late with my annual post on preparing for the holidays. In many countries December holds two major holidays, but in the U.S. Thanksgiving is added the last week in November. Its date was deliberately set for commercial reasons to encourage holiday shopping and usher in the most expensive period of the year. There are gifts to purchase, decorations, perhaps travel plans, celebrations to organize, and of course food to buy for the occasions. Most families host at least one large dinner, then there are the regular holiday “goodies” to provide and often some social entertaining to do as well.
It’s a busy, financially demanding, stress filled period. Years ago I learned the only way for me to cope was to amortize it; to begin the planning, buying and some of the actual preparation weeks, even months in advance. My personal chef training validated this approach by teaching me how to cook ahead for serving at a later date. Now, I wonder how I ever did things “seasonally” and I’m grateful that I have time to relax and enjoy the trappings and companionship. There’s still plenty of last-minute tasks, but no real pressure either on my schedule or my wallet.
Part I – Amortizing Expenses:
Oddly the supermarket chains seem to be playing my tune, even stepping up the beat. Until a few years ago, I bought the special Christmas baking ingredients, things like chocolate, coconut and colored sugars in December. Then, about five years ago, I realized that prices seemed higher than they had been a month before. The following year, I bought those supplies before Thanksgiving and watched to see if the prices changed and I was right, they went up! Not just for those ingredients, but for most of the items I needed for holiday meals and treats. I have my own theory as to the reasons behind this marketing strategy, but ever since, I purchase most of my food supplies well in advance.
This fall I’ve noticed another trend in marketing. The featured sales, at prices I know will not improve later, of favored holiday ingredients started really early. I bought the butter in September, the sugar, flour and any other baking supplies I’ll use, in October. Even the canned goods and cranberry sauce are less than they will be in a couple of weeks. I can honestly say that I will have all my supplies for the holidays by Thanksgiving.
Here’s an extra tip. If you plan on serving turkey in December, and have freezer space, take advantage of the Thanksgiving prices and buy a frozen one. I always ordered a fresh bird for Christmas until I was snowed in one year, and a neighbor with a van offered to get it for me. Forgetting to give the neighbor my market card lost me the early-order discount, but, still, I was surprised to see it cost four-times the price at Thanksgiving. Since then, I’ve given my nerves, and my wallet too, a break and bought frozen turkeys in November. Let it snow, I’m set!
The concept of stocking ahead for any holiday or event is a straight forward one. You see something you know you’ll need in the near future, at a good price, and buy it. The costs are absorbed in your weekly food bills, rather than presented as one large expense. You’re saved the stress of last minute shopping during the busy season and the clutter of unloading items in an already full pantry.
However, there are a few rules to follow or you can run amok, because you can’t depend on memory alone. This is a great example of my theory that the best way to economize on money and time is through organized planning and informed shopping, and the all-important tool is a comprehensive list. This is easier than it sounds. Most holidays and special events rely on traditional or requested dishes so the food items and/or ingredients are well known. Simply write a list of your menus, break each dish into ingredients, add any other foods you plan on making, gifts, cookies etc. and do the same with them. Calculate totals when possible (flour, sugar, eggs etc.) and make a master list. Keep it handy when shopping and mark an item you buy. Don’t delete anything or you may forget and duplicate, plus checking things off gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Part II—Amortizing Time
Obviously acquiring needed items over weeks, rather than having to schedule, or “work in” special shopping trips is a time saver in itself. The menu choices will affect prior preparation too. Egg dishes, generally, should be cooked just before serving. If you are open to communal contributions, be sure that you’re not going to spend the afternoon juggling things to finish them or keep them warm.
That being said, it’s amazing the number of recipes that can be made or partially made in advance. My eyes were opened when a chef in my U.S.P.C.A. chapter asked for help to cater a large wedding. The daughter of her biggest client was determined to have a menu she had seen in a magazine and none of the catering firms would be so specific. Fortunately, the chef knew a caterer who gave access to a commercial kitchen and offered professional advice. The menu was extensive; a wide selection of hors d’oeuvres, five courses, with choice of entrees, including dessert and, of course, the cake. Five of us started Tuesday and by Thursday evening everything was ready to be delivered to the venue on Friday, for Saturday’s wedding. All that remained to be done on site was to heat various sauces for which large hot plates were included. It may be a surprise to learn many popular venues lack cooking facilities.
The point is that, many dishes can be prepared ahead, but the storage is as, or perhaps even more, important than the cooking. In fact, safe handling, or Safe Serve as it’s called, is a course in which all chefs need to be certified. Knowing how to freeze different foods is a major asset. For a crash course, see my posts of January 11, 19, 25 and February 2, 2012. Click Table of Contents on the Home Page header and then click the dates to link to the posts. Most foods require some degree of refrigeration, so be sure you have adequate space before embarking on making several dishes in advance.
The process of planning to prepare dishes in advance of an event is highly individualized. Your menu choices and personal schedule must figure in your calculations and, therefore, it’s difficult for me to give any specific directions other than the advice contained in the posts cited above. Perhaps the best way illustrate the process in a general way is to share my Christmas timeline, and you can get a general idea of the process to adapt to your needs.
1) Early Oct. –1) Process celery and onion mixture for the stuffing and freeze
2) Bake fruit breads. See 10/29/15 post for recipe
2) Mid Oct. – 1) The salad dressing for Christmas is ready in the fridge
2) The Cumberland sauce for one hors d’ouvre is made
3) End Oct. – 1) The sautéed croutons for the stuffing are in an airtight can
2) The cheese spreads are made and chilling in crocks.(Extra stored in plastic containers)
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4) Early Nov. –1) Nuts toasted and salted
2) Cranberry sauce made and kept well chilled
MID NOV—Thanksgiving preparation- task schedule similar to Christmas as detailed below
5) End Nov.-Make cookie batter-store in fridge
6) Early Dec. – 1) Make cookies
2) Bake cakes and freeze them
7) Xmas Week –1) Make any add-ins for vegetables=sautéed onions or mushrooms, toasted nuts etc.
2) Roast, thaw, prep vegetables for sides, put them in dishes in which they can be heated and served. Cut and soak salad greens –Refrigerate all
3) Thaw turkey
4) Store everything plated and ready to serve—cookies on covered platters etc.
DEC. 23rd – Make stuffing and chill.
DEC. 25th – Cook bird, thaw cakes, finish vegetables, toss salad, make gravy.
New Year’s Week-Dec. 26th – Strip carcass, saving enough meat for a large casserole, freeze the rest and the stuffing separately in 2 portion size packages. Boil the bones and freeze broth.
Dec. 27th -29th-Make turkey casserole, and a mixed vegetable one with pasta and/or grains. Refresh cheese crocks, bake ham and cake bars for dessert tray.
Dec. 30th– Shop for fresh items, seafood, salad greens, bread and cream. Chop and soak greens. Prep any hot hors d’ouvres. Have everything ready on or in serving vessels.
Jan.1st– Cook casseroles, heat hors d’ouvers and bread, toss salad, make Eggnog.
I’m including my annual New Year’s buffet as an example of how easily social entertaining can be included in the holiday schedule. A plus is being able to use leftovers from one event to build another. Please note that the foods for the New Year’s party, with the exception of the necessary fresh items, had been purchased well in advance, along with the other holiday supplies. So it was really a breeze to arrange, with no extra strain on the schedule or wallet.
If you’re looking for recipe ideas, you’ll find loads in my archives, everything from leftovers to vegetables, to salads and dressings. There’s even one on muffins and rolls that may appeal. Just click Table of Contents, and then choose posts that interest you.
So save yourself expense and stress this holiday season, by remembering what the Boy Scouts always say; ”Be prepared!” —-then you can relax and enjoy the festivities.
