Christmas might be the most wonderful time of the year, but it's also often the busiest.
From tips on the perfect gifts for couple friends in your life to Christmas centrepiece ideas that will set the scene for your parties and dinners, if there's inspiration to be taken from anyone, it's the experts. Enter: Jamie Oliver.
The superstar celebrity chef knows all too well how busy Christmas can be, and with everything else going on, you don't want to neglect your food prep and planning. Nothing brings together friends and family like food - here Jamie shares his top tips to get ahead for Christmas.
Jamie's 5 top Christmas dinner tips
1. Plan your oven space
It's really important you take the time to work out what needs to go in the oven and when, so you're not left with a dilemma like having to choose between cooking the roasties (which Jamie makes with an unexpected ingredient to get them perfectly crisp) or cooking the stuffing!
Start with the time you want to sit down to eat, and work backwards.
2. Cook your gravy ahead of time
A good gravy will hide a multitude of cooking sins, so make it a couple of weeks before, getting it perfect, and freeze it. Then heat it up on the day.
3. Make and freeze your puddings
Everyone loves a festive pud, but don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself by making it on the day - do your dessert in advance and freeze it. My chocolate orange Arctic roll is perfect for that, or my tiramisu.
4. Prep the turkey and veg the day before
Parboil potatoes and toss them in your chosen fat, peel and chop carrots, prep your Brussels, get all the flavour into your turkey. Then on the day, all you'll need to do is cook them!
5. Lay the table on Christmas Eve
Set up everything for the next day, so the pressure is off and you can spend more time with your nearest and dearest.
Thankfully for us, Jamie didn't stop there with his expert advice, and when asked if he has any cheats he relies on, he said: "Of course!" Jamie tells us, proving even the experts don't spend hours on the day itself.
Jamie's favourite cheat is his 'get-ahead gravy - it's the recipe I use every year and it gets even me out of trouble!
'Left the carrots in the oven a little too long? Or cooked the veggies too early? Pour over some piping hot, delicious, flavoursome gravy, and no one will ever know.'
Jamie also shared some helpful ways to help reduce food costs this time of year. 'One of the easiest things is keeping to the traditional veg sides, because seasonal produce is often cheap. So carrots, parsnips, sprouts, cabbage, clementines - they're all in season.'
Another tip? 'Freeze lots of food in advance, so you're not paying out in one lump sum. I'll make mince pies, Yorkshire puddings, desserts and freeze them all.
'Also, don't feel like you have to buy a whole turkey - a crown or just the legs are just as delicious. You can even opt for frozen turkey rather than fresh if you want to save money.'
This article originally appeared in woman magazine - subscribe here.
