Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Yemi writes for the Stray Ferret about her love of the area’s food and shares cooking tips. 

There’s a moment each December when the joy of the season starts wrestling with the reality of hosting and cooking Christmas dinner. Guest lists grow, food costs creep upward and suddenly Christmas feels less like a celebration and more like a logistical obstacle course.

But festive entertaining doesn’t have to drain your wallet or your energy. With a little planning, a few clever kitchen shortcuts and some simple, comforting dishes, you can spend more time with the people you love and less time in the kitchen.

This first part of my festive series is all about easy, affordable, low-stress hosting and ensuring you actually enjoy your holidays.

Batch, bake, and breathe

One of the secrets to relaxed festive entertaining is choosing dishes that do the heavy lifting for you. Anything that can be batch-cooked, oven-baked, or prepared ahead earns its place during the holidays.

Inexpensive batch dishes that never fail

Batch dishes are crowd-pleasers for a reason: inexpensive ingredients, minimal effort, maximum comfort. Your oven, pressure cooker and slow cooker are your friends in the kitchen and I hear an air-fryer can work some magic too. Think slow-cooker spiced beef or mushroom ragu served with pasta, polenta or jacket potatoes or lasagne. The slow cooker does everything; you just plate up.

For more spice, consider a one-pot chicken, chorizo and chickpea stew that requires a handful of pantry ingredients with enough protein and fibre to keep everyone full. This tastes even better the next day. Plant-based diners can enjoy a festive vegetable and lentil bake with seasonal veggies, red lentils and a cheesy topping that is nutritious, colourful and easy on the budget.

Baked rice cooked with tomatoes, onions, pepper, garlic, ginger and good quality chicken stock. Top this with browned chicken thighs and cover with foil before baking in the oven for about 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped herbs and transfer the entire pot to the table.

These dishes are perfect because they’re forgiving, inexpensive, and keep beautifully in the oven if guests arrive late. This is perfect when people are arriving at different times as it allows you to grab a cuppa and have a moment of quietness to yourself.

Oven-bake everything for stress-free hosting

Your oven is the unsung hero of festive hosting and cooking. It allows you to cook big batches without crowding the hob, keep dishes warm with zero fuss and reduce washing-up; you can even bang in a forgiving dessert or snack like flapjacks along with your main dishes.

Easy oven-bake crowd-pleasers include traybake festive chicken thighs. Roast chicken thighs with sprouts, potatoes, cranberries and orange zest all on one tray. Alternatively, add in some baby tomatoes, shallots and garlic for a self-saucing dish of inexpensive protein with a full flavour profile.

Couscous topped with roasted vegetables, fresh herbs and feta makes a cheap seasonal dish that looks far fancier than its price tag.

Prep like a pro before guests arrive

You don’t need a week off work to pull off a calm, cosy Christmas gathering. Spread out the prep and you’ll be glad you did.

Some of the easiest tasks to prep days in advance are:

Three days before: chop hardy vegetables (carrots, parsnips, squash), make marinades or dressings and bake loaf cakes or gingerbread because they keep wonderfully and can be turned into desserts or served with hot drinks.

One to two days before: prep your casseroles or bakes but don’t cook them, make salads like slaws, and pickle some vegetables as they improve over time.

During the festive period: simply reheat, drizzle, garnish, relax. Remember, hosting shouldn’t feel like stage-managing a West End production.

Prep low-stress drinks that don’t require a PhD in mixology

Make self-serve mulled cider or mulled apple juice; warm in a slow cooker with spices and citrus and ask guests to help themselves. Mix a festive juice (cranberry or clementine) with sparkling water or prosecco when serving. 

Add herbs and fruits to water jugs and simply refill as needed. Bags of frozen berries and other fruits are perfect for making drinks, non-churn ice cream and smoothies.

Simple (and cheap!) breakfast and brunch ideas

Morning hosting is one of the easiest ways to stay on budget; people expect lighter dishes, and you avoid pricier evening menus. Keep it simple, warm and make ahead where possible.

Waffle batter in the fridge with prepared toppings or baked eggs with spinach and tomatoes served with toast works as breakfast or brunch. A DIY bagel bar with a selection of bagels, cream cheese, cold meats, sliced veggies, eggs, and a few festive chutneys means you’re off the hook. This is minimal cooking with high impact.

Hosting Is about people, not perfection

It’s easy to believe you need elaborate menus or meticulously decorated tables to make the holidays special. But guests rarely remember the garnish – they remember how welcomed they felt.

So choose dishes that free you from the kitchen. Light a candle, put on music, draw yourself a bath, let people help themselves, and give yourself permission to sit down with a plate and enjoy the meal too.

Because the heart of festive entertaining isn’t the food – it’s the time with the people who matter to you.