Make Ahead and Freeze for Christmas Dinner

Preparing some Christmas food ahead gives you fewer jobs to do on the day and is a great little money saver. Gravy, stuffing and several side dishes can be made in advance and frozen, leaving you more time for the main roast and anything you prefer freshly cooked. So, dive in and thank me later 😊🤣

NOTE: All the recipes are linked in this post with full method and ingredients. You can print them out completely free or just read them off the website, you choose…

Enjoy!

Start by looking at you own Christmas menu and choose the dishes in this post that will save you the most work on the big day. You do not need to prepare an entire Christmas dinner for the freezer (you technically could but you don’t need to).

Below are the dishes you can get ready ahead of time, with individual recipes linked here covering preparation, freezing and cooking.

Christmas food you can prepare and freeze

Freeze-ahead roast potatoes

Peeling and parboiling potatoes can take up valuable time on Christmas morning. Preparing them ahead means you can have them ready for roasting when you need them.

Use my freeze-ahead roast potatoes recipe for the preparation method and cooking instructions.

Freeze the prepared potatoes spaced apart on a tray before transferring them to a freezer bag or container. This helps prevent them forming one large clump and makes it easier to take out the quantity you need.

Write the cooking instructions on the bag, including the oven temperature and whether they should be cooked from frozen. On the day, leave enough space on your roasting tray for the potatoes to crisp up.

Make-ahead Christmas gravy

Making the gravy ahead removes one of those last-minute jobs that can get ‘put on the backburner’ during the Christmas dinner rush. I LOVE a good gravy and in my opinion, it needs time and attention. Making ahead and freezing takes nothing away from a delicious gravy experience, so it is a firm favourite on my make ahead and freeze Christmas list.

My make-ahead Christmas gravy recipe also covers freezing it and reheating it for your meal.

Some of my tips for freeze the gravy are, do in portions that suit your gathering. Use shallow containers or bags as they are easier to stack in the freezer. Leave some space in whatever container you use as the gravy will expand as it freezes.

Make-ahead sage and onion stuffing

Stuffing is easy to prepare beforehand. We usually have meat-free stuffing, and while this simple recipe doesn’t take long, it is another job you can get out of the way for a calmer Christmas dinner.

You can fully bake it before freezing, then defrost and gently reheat it on the day until steaming hot throughout. Label the container to remind yourself that it only needs reheating, as another full bake could leave it quite dry.

Alternatively, cook the onions in butter, let them cool and combine them with the breadcrumbs, seasonings and remaining ingredients. Freeze the assembled mixture without baking it, then defrost thoroughly in the fridge and bake on Christmas Day. Mark the container “uncooked” so you know it needs the full cooking time.

Follow my make-ahead sage and onion stuffing recipe for the full method.

Make-ahead Christmas red cabbage

Red cabbage brings lovely colour to the Christmas table, and it’s an easy side dish to get ready beforehand. Cook it when you have a little time, then freeze it ready to gently reheat alongside your main meal.

Freeze enough for the number of people you’re feeding. If you have extra, tuck it into a separate container for another roast dinner.

Reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of water if needed. Give it a taste before serving and adjust the seasoning to suit you.

Follow my make-ahead Christmas red cabbage recipe for the full method, including freezing and reheating.

Carrot and coriander soup

Soup makes a lovely Christmas starter, and having it ready in the freezer leaves the oven free for the rest of dinner.

My carrot and coriander soup uses simple ingredients and is easy to make ahead. I like to keep a few individual portions for lunches as well as enough for the Christmas table.

Defrost in the fridge, then reheat gently until steaming hot throughout. Add a splash of water if it needs thinning, and have any toppings you enjoy ready to serve. A swirl of cream, fresh herbs or a few croutons are lovely.

Follow my carrot and coriander soup recipe for the full method and storage instructions.

Make-ahead mince pies

A few mince pies tucked away in the freezer are lovely to have ready for visitors or an evening cup of tea. Bake a batch when you have time, let them cool and freeze them separately before packing, so you can take out just a few.

Once defrosted, serve them as they are or warm them in the oven or air fryer for a crisp pastry finish. Let the filling cool a little before taking a bite, as it can get surprisingly hot.

Follow my make-ahead mince pies recipe for the full method, including freezing and warming.

Make-ahead cranberry sauce

Cranberry sauce brings a lovely tang to Christmas dinner, and it’s a quick little job you can get out of the way beforehand. Once made and cooled, tuck it into the freezer until you need it.

Defrost in the fridge and give it a good stir before spooning it into a serving bowl. It’s served cold, so there’s nothing to reheat while you’re getting dinner onto the table.

Follow my make-ahead cranberry sauce recipe for the full method and storage instructions.

Organise your freezer before you start

Before adding your Christmas food, have a look through the freezer and plan a few meals using what’s already there. It’s a useful way to make space and catch anything you’d forgotten about.

Keep your Christmas dishes together if you can, or jot down where you’ve put them. Label each container with the dish, date and number of portions, adding cooking instructions where helpful.

Keep that list with your Christmas menu so you can see what’s ready before you shop or start another batch.

Cool, freeze and reheat food safely

A little care with cooling and storage will help keep your Christmas food safe. Divide cooked dishes into smaller portions so they cool more quickly, then get them into the fridge or freezer within one to two hours.

Unless your recipe says to cook from frozen, defrost thoroughly in the fridge. The general UK guidance is to use food within 24 hours of fully defrosting; check the individual recipe for any specific storage advice.

Reheat cooked food only once, until steaming hot throughout. Taking out just what you need makes this easier and leaves the rest safely stored.

You’ll find more advice in the UK Food Standards Agency’s freezing and defrosting guidance.

Add defrosting to your Christmas timetable

Once the food is tucked away, make a note of when each dish needs to move into the fridge. Check the recipe timings and leave enough fridge space for everything to defrost.

Then sketch out when you’ll cook or reheat each dish, especially those sharing the oven. Having that written down saves you trying to work it all out while dinner is underway.

The menu page in my free Christmas Budget Planner is handy for keeping these notes together.

Choose the jobs that will make the biggest difference to your morning. Having the gravy and a side dish ready may be plenty; you can add more if you have the time and space.

I hope this list is helpful to you,

Enjoy ( and say hi in the comments x)

Ruth