Your Ultimate Christmas Food Shopping List – Dinner Ingredients, Booze And Treats

Christmas cooking got you in a serious panic? 

Never fear, our handy shopping list is here. 

Don’t miss a thing for dinner, dessert, or even kitchen basics, and keep your family and guests – and of course yourself – stress-free and full this Christmas.

Food

Meat

Turkey and ham of course! If you’re looking at a big feed, make sure you order your turkey well in advance, else you’ll be stuck with the scrawny leftover crowns.

• Turkey (whole or crown)
• Ham

Vegetarian option

Nutloaf is the classic vegetarian alternative to Christmas turkey and ham, so if there’s a veggie in the house, make sure you stock up on the makings, including mixed nuts of course, plus mushrooms and vegetables

• Mixed nuts
• Mushrooms
• Root vegetables
• Red lentils

Sides

Stuffing, brussel sprouts, spuds, you can’t go wrong with the classics. Or mix it up with some pickled red cabbage, or crunchy green beans.

• Potatoes
• Brussels sprouts
• Bacon (for sprouts)
• Bread/breadcrumbs
• Sausage meat
• Fresh sage
• Onions
• Red cabbage
• Cranberry sauce
• Green beans
• Turnip/celeriac /carrots
• Salad
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Cucumber

Starters

Anything goes really when it comes to Christmas starters, but keeping it simple, especially if you have a large crowd over, is definitely something to consider. 

• Smoked salmon
• Charcuterie meats (prosciutto, parma ham, chorizo etc)
• Salad leaves 
• Peppers
• Scallions
• Prawns
• Cheese (try at least one hard cheese, and one soft)
• Chutney
• Fuit
• Crackers

Dessert

Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, mince pies – it’s easy to pick all these up pre-made, or try your hand at your own. Panettone is a great pudding alternative, a sweet Italian bread with dried fruit.

• Puddings
• Cake
• Mince meat
• Satsuma peel
• Pastry rolls
• Custard (or eggs, flour, sugar and cream if you’re making your own)
• Brandy cream

Larder

The little bits and pieces that are easy to forget.

• Salt/pepper
• Vinegar
• Eggs
• Spices: nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon
• Herbs: rosemary, parsley, bay leaves, mint
• Bread
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Salad dressing
• Garlic
• Tabasco sauce
• Lemon juice
• Mayonnaise
• Horseradish
• Cream – single, double and whipping
• Flour
• Sugar
• Icing sugar
• Vanilla essence
• Baking soda
• Jam/marmalade
• Goose fat

Drinks

You might burn the turkey or forget the batteries, but possibly the worst thing you could do to upset everyone on Christmas Day is not have enough drink to last the holiday. Don’t forget a good supply of teas and coffees too!

• Wines – a couple of reds like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon
•   a couple of whites like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
• Prosecco <3
• Mulled wine (or do your own with spices and citrus)
• Sherry
• Whiskey
• Port
• Brandy
• Champagne
• Gin <3 (and limes, grapefruit or cucumber for garnish)
• Beer 
• Eggnog (if you're into that kind of thing)

Mixers/soft drinks

• Tonic/soda Water
• Ginger Ale
• Orange juice
• Mulled punch
• Coke/Fanta/fizzy drink of choice

Other

• Coffee
• Breakfast tea
• Green tea
• Hot chocolate

Treats

There’s possibly an infinite number of treats you could supply your family with at Christmas. Your best bet is to have a good supply of the essentials like chocolate and crisps, but also some healthier options

• Christmas cookies
• Gingerbread
• Quality Street/Roses/Celebrations/chocolates of choice
• Biscuit tin
• Jellybeans
• Crisps (you can’t go wrong with O’Donnell’s or Keoghs)
• Fruit: oranges, apples, bananas, berries
• Mixed nuts
• Popcorn
• Nut butters
• Rice cakes

Extras

All the extra kitchen essentials that will cause serious panic if neglected!

• Tin foil
• Greaseproof paper
• Clingfilm
• Kitchen paper
• Cake tins
• Oven trays
• Bottle opener

And don't forget all the makings for a massive fry-up on Stephen's Day to cure the heads!

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