Preparing for a COVID Christmas dinner
With pandemic restrictions and the economic impacts of lost jobs and wages, it would be easy to consider Christmas 2020 a lost cause.
But it doesn't have to be that way, especially when planning Christmas dinner.
Rebecca Robar is the regional dietician for Loblaws at the Lower Sackville and Elmsdale Atlantic Superstores in Nova Scotia. She says it should come as no surprise this Christmas is going to be very different, with fewer people around the table and reduced budgets.
“There is going to be a lot of change with regards to what kinds of foods are served and how to best utilize those leftovers if you have company that has to stay for a couple of days,” she said.
Robar says portion sizes will vary but she imagines there will be a lot of scaling back this Christmas.
Shopping habits have also changed because of COVID19, with people shopping less frequently but leaving with larger grocery orders.
“I doubt people will be buying full-size turkeys if they're serving smaller-size family gatherings,” she said. “If the family is local and able to gather in, say, a group of 10, it might still be that typical Christmas family meal.”
Not knowing what Christmas is going to bring or how COVID will impact it, Robar says it's wise to think smaller. Instead of a dessert bar with cheesecakes and pies, she envisions individualized desserts.
“Muffin tins are my Godsend when planning individual desserts,” she said. “Even some of the side dishes we serve might be individual servings instead of big casseroles.”
Another option would be a smaller chicken instead of a turkey. Cooks should plan about three to five ounces of meat per person, she says.
How much you cook could also be determined by how many leftovers you want. For some, leftovers are a key part of the holidays.
To save some dollars, Robar suggests buying a smaller bag of potatoes and instead of a turkey, ham, and chicken, consider plant-based side dishes like stuffed squash.
She also suggests stocking up on root vegetables in advance so people can begin their shopping earlier, when items are more available. There are also canned vegetables that can be purchased in advance. Robar says it's still possible to eat healthy while celebrating the season.
Robar also expects people to spend more time in the kitchen baking this year. It was no surprise to her that flour flew off the shelves in the pandemic's early days.
And don't forget to plan for the beverages that go with Christmas such as punch ingredients and flavoured sparkling waters.
The biggest thing is don't forget to enjoy the season.
“Celebrate with who you can and create some new traditions along the way,” Robar said.
INCREASED FOOD COSTS
Andrew Morrison is a chef/ instructor at Holland College's culinary institute in Charlottetown.
“Even working in the industry and teaching at the institute, we still operate full-service restaurants at the school. The biggest thing this year is the increased cost of food,” Morrison said.
“There are more people out of work and food is more expensive. It's a huge problem.”
People on the East Coast trend toward traditional Christmas dinners, with turkey and all the fixings. He figures it will be hard for people to find a more cost-effective alternative without being at the mercy of high food prices.
But there are other ways to continue Christmas traditions within a budget.
“Something a lot of people don't think about is living in the Maritimes, usually within a short range of everybody are farmers who distribute locally,” he said. “There are lots of roadside stands and, being the end of the season, those local farmers can put together potatoes, carrots and things like that for a pretty good price. It would be much cheaper than buying things individually through the larger grocery stores.”
Morrison also says smaller is better when planning Christmas dinner. He also said it's important to assign dishes to other family members.
“Make someone responsible for the dressing, the vegetables, dessert, and you cook the turkey,” he said. “You can spread the burden so it doesn't fall on one person and it's a little more family homestyle that way as well.”
It also doesn't hurt to consider making traditional meat pies, which are part of the region's Acadian and Indigenous traditions. People can add their own ingredients and instead of using game or rabbit, substitute ground turkey or pork.
“You can have all the elements of a traditional Christmas flavour at less cost,” he said.
COVID-19 will put a dent in everyone's Christmas, but it doesn't have to threaten anyone's celebration. Planning ahead, and preparing to pivot away from the routine are key.
“It's about celebrating things like family that make Christmas special,” he said. “If anything, going through COVID has made us all think outside the box, and Christmas shouldn't be any different. We can still have our Christmas traditions and flavours, but maybe we can switch a few things around.”
FOOD STILL AT THE HEART OF GATHERING
Ilona Daniel, also a chef/ instructor at Holland College and a food columnist with Saltwire Network, says despite the challenges COVID has brought, gathering with loved ones during the holidays is still special.
“We may pare down meals and be more budget-conscious, but at the heart of it is gathering,” Daniel said. “We can still have a pretty good Christmas.”
Daniel believes COVID will change the way people think about spending money and how they host people during the holidays. One important thing, an almost necessity, is to plan the holiday menu well in advance.
“You need to plan ahead,” she said. “Think about what you want to serve. Think about what's in season and what's on sale. Root vegetables and potatoes are a no-brainer, but think about butternut squash or turnip and parsnips. Cabbage is also fantastic.”
Daniel said it's OK to cook less food and avoid excess. Another option is to cook a ham instead of a turkey.
Buying things ahead of time, when they are on sale, is key, she adds. While some people are tempted to wait until the last minute to do their Christmas dinner shopping, Daniel urges East Coast residents not to fall into that trap because no one knows what the pandemic could do to supply and prices.
“Plan now. We do that in the restaurant business. Chefs begin thinking about the holiday menu in October. There's no reason why everyone shouldn't think ahead and plan early,” Daniel said.
“It doesn't hurt to plan ahead. Snap things up when they're on sale. It will also make your preparation time less stressful because you're not going to have to hit up the grocery aisles at the last minute.”
Be creative, and get back to basics by baking your own biscuits and bread, she adds. Become more connected with your food and make as much as possible from scratch.
“It's budget-conscious, but it also adds more meaning to the holiday season and makes it a little brighter,” Daniel said.