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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
11/12/2025
Working parents who are hosting holiday gatherings often feel overwhelmed trying to balance their jobs and holiday commitments. The good news is you do not have to create a "perfect" celebration - it is all about planning (prep!), using freezer-friendly items, and taking shortcuts!. With a little effort and planning ahead, you can easily create a warm and inviting meal that will impress guests without putting too much stress on yourself.
Instead of thinking about what you will do, think about how you can do things smarter. By designing a menu based on pre-prepared dishes, incorporating grocery store items, and getting guests involved in the cooking process, you can plan your holiday celebration without expending too much of your personal energy and time. Instead of worrying about hosting guests for five days in November, you can focus on spending quality time with family and friends. Planning your holiday celebration with thoughtful pacing will help you reduce holiday stress and allow you to enjoy the holiday season together.
Create a menu that accommodates your calendar. Limit your menu to meals that use ingredients that you have used before and will work well for you and your friends, and your family. This is not the year to try new recipes (like soufflés) or perfect a complex sauce. When choosing your main courses, choose items that will prepare themselves; think baked chicken, roasted pasta, or crockpot meals. Make your menu as early in the week as possible so you do not have to rush to get everything done in the last few hours before your holiday.
Your freezer should be your holiday headquarters! There are so many things to freeze. Casseroles, cookie dough logs, marinated meats, sauces, gravies – you name it, they’ll all taste better after resting for a bit. You can chop your onions and garlic a few days ahead of time, assemble your lasagna or enchiladas and then freeze them. You can create your mashed potatoes a day in advance and just heat them in the oven with some cream. There are also many desserts you can prepare beforehand. Brownies can freeze very well; trifles taste best after they have sat for a day.
For working parents, you don’t have time to prepare elaborate meals, so use cheats! When making salads, buy pre-washed greens, and just add your own dressing. Buy bakery bread and brush garlic butter on it before heating it in the oven. Use purchased puff pastry instead of making your own. Use rotisserie chicken to create a quick pot pie. Pick one or two dishes to prepare yourself, but allow everything else to be prepared by taking advantage of shortcuts you’ve identified. Guests remember the flavour and warmth of the food; they don’t care if you made the potatoes yourself.
Contributing is something people enjoy, and all you need is to let people know what to bring. Provide them with categories—drinks, dessert, appetisers, etc., so that you don't end up with five boxes of chocolates. Have someone else bring the ice. Enlist the aid of the older cousins to supervise a small craft/project/game area for the little ones. When you are the host of a party, do not feel responsible for doing everything on your own. It is a group effort, so you can divide the responsibilities into sections (food categories) and make it an enjoyable event for all.
Buffets are lifesavers! Present all the food to your guests in a very basic self-service method, so you are not serving food on plates or running around the house waiting for others to return to their chairs. Use oven-to-table cookware so you do not need to transfer the food into beautiful serving dishes. Put beverages in a large container filled with ice so guests can serve themselves. Make sure your garbage bags are readily available so you do not have to worry about cleaning up after everyone has left. Scale down on the table settings! Use a table runner, some candles, and some greenery you can pick from your yard—this will be all that you will need.
Make a child's plate very small and predictable: macaroni and cheese, sliders, simple vegetables, French fries, etc. Do not get fancy! Create a special area for the kids to eat so they can have a separate table or blanket to sit on to minimise the mess that kids create while eating! Provide the kids with quick activities to keep them occupied while adults take a moment to breathe. If the kids are calm, then "The party's over!"
Don't stress over an elaborate dessert. Make it easy to present your dessert and leave a simple store-bought snack to accompany it. For example, serve one warm crumble with vanilla ice cream, or pair with a mousse made from chocolate and crushed cookies, or serve with mixed berries on top of a cheesecake. Less time spent on putting an elaborate dessert together means more time spent enjoying it with your family and friends.
Working parents already have plenty to do around the holidays. Your holiday dinner does not need to be beautiful enough to hang in a frame - it needs to invite people in to feel at home. If your guests leave with full bellies feeling comfortable and happy, you have done your job. Focus on celebrating the little things, use your best ideas to create a wonderful atmosphere, and remind yourself that it's all about connecting with others during this busy holiday season.
