Christmas dinner checklist to keep your lunch prep in check

Christmas dinner is undoubtedly one of the best parts of the entire festive season – but if it’s your job to make the magic happen, it needn’t be a huge chore. We've put together a seriously epic list of everything you'll need to prepare Christmas dinner. We're talking a preparation checklist, Christmas table checklist, and the all-important food checklist - we don't scrimp on the details here.

Plus, we've included some handy tips and hacks that will not only save you time on prep but give you the perfect festive feast.

Time to dig in.

Christmas dinner preparation checklist

First and foremost, you've got to have all the necessary preparation tools in advance so the big day can go off without a hitch.

Just so you know, while we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections.

Christmas table checklist

Next up, you'll want to get the table looking extra festive for the main event and have all the necessary serveware so the family can help themselves to gravy, sweet treats, the abundance of veg on offer, and more. Though we won't blame you if you skip the Brussel sprouts.

And if you're wondering about how to decorate your Christmas table, we've also included a video for some inspiration:

Sure, you could stick to regular table settings and use an old jug for the gravy, but this is Christmas! It's the perfect time to get a little fancy and you can use these pieces year after year for Christmas days to come.

Christmas dinner food checklist

Everyone does Christmas a little differently, but here's a fab checklist that is sure to have your back covered so you don't miss any major food groups on the day.

Absolutely no one wants to do a last minute shop run - it's chaos.

Choice of centrepiece

• Turkey

• Gammon

• Beef

• Duck

• Goose

• Lamb

• Vegan or vegetarian options/ alternatives

Sides and trimmings

• Yorkshire puddings

• Potatoes

• Brussels sprouts

• Pigs in blankets

• Carrots

• Parsnips

• Peas

• Red cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Stuffing

Sauces and condiments

• Cranberry sauce

• Bread sauce

• Apple sauce

• Mustard

• Gravy

• Horseradish

• Chutney

• Butter

• Mint sauce

Desserts

• Christmas pudding

• Christmas cake

• Fresh cream

• Brandy sauce

• Panettone

• Stollen

• Fresh fruit

• Pavlovas

• Trifle

• Mince pies

• Yule log

• Cheese and crackers

• Ice cream/ Vienetta

Sweets and nibbles

• Nuts

• Crisps

• Dips

• Biscuits (including gingerbread of course!)

• Satsumas

• Savoury snacks

• Tin of chocolates

• After dinner mints

• Canapés

READ NOW: Christmas party food on a budget

Drinks

• Champagne

• Wine – red and white

• Spirits

• Eggnog

• Cocktails

• Beer

• Cider

• Low alcohol Christmas drinks

• Tea and coffee

• Hot chocolate

• Soft drinks and mixers

Top Christmas dinner tips

• Before you start your meal prep, get a plan of action sorted so you know exactly what you're dealing with. Find out numbers, dietary requirements, and make sure to get anything out of the freezer that needs defrosting the night before.

READ NEXT: Alternative Christmas dinner ideas to fit all dietary requirements

• Make a note of all the cooking times, taking into consideration oven space, in case you need to get food prepped in advance and so you can deliver all the food to the table at peak temperature.

• Employ the help of (hopefully willing) kids and family members to set the table while your hands are full. If you pre-select all the Crimbo decorations, cutlery, and settings, they can’t go too wrong.

• If in any doubt on numbers or appetites, get a little extra grub to save a shortfall on roast potatoes or stuffing. Worst comes to worse, they’ll make delicious leftover sandwiches.

• If you don’t have masses of room in your fridge/freezer, you can pre-order food from your favourite supermarket to be delivered in the days leading up to the big day. How easy and convenient is that?

Here are the supermarkets allowing you to pre-order Christmas food:

Sainsbury's Christmas food to order

Marks and Spencer Christmas food to order

Morrisons Christmas food to order

Waitrose Christmas food to order

Tesco Christmas food to order

Christmas dinner cooking hacks

Turkey

• The breasts of the turkey cook quicker than the rest of the bird. To stop them from overcooking, cool them down with ice cubes before cooking.

• Stop the bird from burning by covering it with tin foil – this will give you a perfectly golden brown turkey.

Roast potatoes

• Those all-important roasties are a job on their own, so stay one step ahead by cooking them the day before! This will definitely save you time on your Christmas prep.

• Use goose fat to get them deliciously crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle, and simply reheat the next day. We promise nobody will be able to tell.

Gravy

• No Christmas dinner is complete without some beautifully thick gravy. A top tip for achieving the perfect consistency is to mash one of the roast potatoes into the gravy and stir. You’ll be wondering why you’ve never done it before!

Vegetables

• Make the usually boring veg one of the most exciting parts of Christmas lunch by cooking your carrots in orange juice. Throw in the zest, some butter, and a pinch of cinnamon and you’re in business.

• As for those pesky Brussel sprouts, roast them – boiling them to death it the reason they always taste so bad. Add a bit of pancetta, maybe some chestnuts, and you’ve transformed everyone’s least favourite side dish.

Stuffing

• Prepare your gorgeous stuffing and cook it in advance. Freeze it and then all you’ll have to do is defrost it on the big day before warming it through.

Desserts

• Make these as far in advance as possible – and make a few. This way, there’s no unhappy faces at the table and you’ve got loads leftover.

We've also included a little video that can further help make your Christmas dinner seamless.

Read more on Closer Online:

30 gorgeous gift ideas for mum this Christmas

14 gifts perfect for the Mrs Hinch fan in your life

The ultimate Christmas jewellery gift guide for this season

WATCH: TOWIE's Chloe Sims Reveals What She Wants For Christmas

How long can you keep food in the freezer for?

If you've bought frozen food ahead of the celebrations, you may be wondering how long it'll last. Or maybe you still have some bits and bobs in the freezer from last year's Christmas flop and are wondering if it can still be put to use?

According to FoodSafety.gov, fresh poultry (chicken and turkey) can be placed in a freezer 0°F or below for up to one year, in contrast to fresh, uncured, uncooked ham, which should only be frozen for up to six months.

We recommend veg and potatoes be stored and frozen between eight and 12 months, and of course, keep an eye on those use-by dates!