Take the Pressure Off Mum during the festive season 2025 ( many updated prices )

Fast, easy & make-ahead family dishes before Christmas 

A partner/parent/older kid who helps pick up the slack for Mum during the festive season will feel the glow of giving.  These recipes take stress out of mealtimes in Nov/Dec --  and the dishes  are so rewarding for the novice cook.  Includes advice for Festive Season storecupboard recommendations

updated 2025; first posted 2017 

Imaginative touches like these might be few and far between in the weeks before the festive season but these simple, tasty, fun recipes will make up for it.

Note: most prices have been updated to 11/25; a few are a 1-2 years out of date; others longer.  Calculate accordingly

ALMOST INSTANT

Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup, classic & irresistible, vegan option

Peachy Fruit Sponge, ever-so-quick & tasty

Almost Instant Tomato Soup

Spinach & White Bean Soup, frugal but easy; half an hour from start to delicious finish, vegan

Almost Instant Intense Tomato Soup, stunningly delicious & so easy, vegan

Simple Chicken Wings: easy, kid-friendly, link to other popular wing recipes

7-minute Pork/Chicken & Pineapple Noodles, if the body's demanding carbs, this is the way to go

Cheat's Tortilla Espagnol, eggs, a trip to the chippie, Bob's your uncle and kids will be thrilled!!


PEPARE AHEAD

Creamy Tuna Casserole, kidults love the potato crisp topping; no one notices the wholemeal pasta

'Chicken' Gougons, vegan delight; they won't miss the meat

Bunless burgers with dark mushroom gravy: simple lower-fat North American classic

Spanish Roast Chicken: an unexpected glorious Mediterranean twist takes the chill off Arctic temperatures, make ahead

Tantalizing Make Your Own Pizzas, 3 Vegetarian Pizzas with carnivore options: Sausage & Grape, Mushroom & Cheese, plus Potato; dough made the day before

Chunky Lentil Soup 

EASY HEALTHY SOUPS

Puchero'. a high-nutrition wallet-friendly peasant Spanish Stew

Chunky Lentil Soup with Meatballs, kids love the meatballs

Egg-Flower Pea Soup

Kids adore this vegetarian soup with vegan option; low-fat/cholesterol/salt 

German Potato and French Bean Soup: carnivore or vegetarian frankfurters make it a whole meal; vegan option


SLOW COOKED

Slow Roasted Lamb Ribs

Slow Roasted Lamb Ribs, low-fat, easily turned into mixed grill with veg


Slow Roasted Low-sugar Pork/Beef Ribs, beautifully spiced


Lamb Mongolian Style, 2 ways: crispy & wrapped in lettuce leaves OR a casserole served over rice or noodles;  fabulously low-fat;Slow Cooker  

LOW SUGAR BREAKFASTS

KIDS'  EGG'N TOAST BREAKFASTS:

frugal, sugar free, dairy free, healthier

Egg-in-hole

 

Egg & toast Flowers

Double-dipped French Toast, frugal, crunchy; kids help make this

SO EASY, THE KIDS CAN MAKE THEM

Aubergine Caponata: Mediterranean Aubergine Dip/Spread for kids' palates which older kids will love to make themselves; with  a hint of Sweet & Sour; stovetop; easy 

Eggs in White Sauce: 

childhood favourite; lower-fat; frugal, easily digested

Incredibly yummy Lower-sugar Cherry Coconut Kisses: ambrosial, effortless, lower sugar treats

BREADS

World's Easiest Cheese Muffins?

4 ingredients in one bowl, prepped in 5 mins = fabulously cheesy muffins for soups, stews or breakfast; egg-free

15-min flatbread/pizza base vegan option

Cheese & Walnut Light Wholemeal Loaf: 1-bowl wonder

                   ***

Storecupboard recommendations 

Cook in advance & freeze:

• stock/broth, preferably homemade (make ahead & freeze) or good granules, eg  Marigold 
• ham hock (frugal) OR salt beef (not-so-frugal): shred and bag in small portions
• cooking the new breed of supermarket rices, See Cooking rice the Chinese way and Easy-cook Longgrain.  
• sausages: beef, chicken, pork, toulouse, vegetarian (all pre-poached until partially cooked OR until nearly cooked); freeze in pairs) 
• bacon or sliced pastrami (freeze in double slices)
• bread (freeze in pairs or rolls)

Store cupboard

• dried noodles (wheat, rice or low-carb green pea starch)
• tins of tuna, sardines or mackerel
• frozen peas and corn (or tinned corn)
• eggs
• onions ( yellow/purple & spring ) OR fennel plus carrots, celery, tomatoes, lettuce & peppers 
• potatoes
• supermarket pre-cooked rice, dried or pre-packaged
• flour, plain & wholemeal, wheat or (for those with digestive issues) spelt, sugar & fat for baking
• bagged ripen-at-home pears, apples or plums for easy-peasy crumbles
• fat-free plain yoghurt, dairy or goat
• jar of candied ginger in syrup or crystallised stem ginger (near dried fruit section and cherries)
• chocolate for baking i.e. chocolate chips/callettes, bars of baking/cooking chocolate and/or good quality cocoa (not drinking chocolate) 

                Also see Nav Bar: How to...Christmas 2016/ Christmas 2015 AND
.                                      Nav Bar/Recipes/ Almost Instant & Slow Cooker 
                                                             



These recipes have been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.