Eating in at the holidays

According to a new survey, 76% of Americans said that their favourite meal was either prepared at their home or someone else’s home. (In the case of the later, it was likely because they didn’t have to do the washing up.)

And when it comes to the holidays, home-cooked meals keep even more Americans happy: 93% of those surveyed said that sharing one with friend and family was a “very” or “extremely” important part of the holidays.

But as the Crock-Pot survey rightly suggests, the reason that these idyllic dinners don’t often come to fruition is time.

During the year, long hours at work often make cooking a chore (for some, for some). And at the holidays, the thought of being stuck in the kitchen whilst everyone else enjoys themselves is not appealing. (Though this gap can be bridged, especially in an open plan environment.)

This writer is quite obviously a fan of in-house eating: click here for everyday ideas for nutritious and filling home-cooked meals.

But there are other ways, if cooking isn’t your personal passion, to sidestep complicated, time-consuming recipes. Using a slow cooker is an excellent way to multitask; there are worse things than coming home to a fragrant and waiting casserole after a day in the office.

Making extra portions of soups, chilis and sauces – and freezing the leftovers – is also an easy way through the holidays.

Many magazines advertise “make ahead” menus to get you through the holidays too. To enliven the rest of the mesh, just add easy-to-assemble starters such as smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives on oatcakes.