Here's how to grocery shop + meal prep for Christmas day when grocery stores are closed and you want the family to "feed themselves" while you enjoy your day.

In the podcast, I "walk you through" the grocery aisles to choose food for Christmas Day. I also share how to make my famous "peach tea" and simple syrup. I hope this is helpful to you on a day that you want to spend relaxing (not cooking).

Food for Christmas Day

When grocery stores close for 24 hours on Christmas day, it is great to be fully prepared with food in the pantry and the fridge. Here is my grocery list for pre-Christmas Day shopping. I also share how I instruct everyone that "DIY" dining is the name of the game after everyone enjoys Christmas morning. After all, Mama (or dad in some cases) has cooked, wrapped, and cleaned non-stop and needs to enjoy the day like everyone else.

The following foods are on my Christmas day grocery list. I buy these things so that we will have plenty of food and snacks on hand for the 12-24 hours that grocery stores are closed. We have several "meals" that we have enjoyed on Christmas day over the years.  Taco bar, DIY sandwiches, DIY salads, etc...Below is a list that encompasses most of what you need to make any of these meals available to your family on Christmas day.

• Sliced deli meat + cheese
• Sabra or Boar's Head hummus
• My Three Sons Pimento Cheese
• White Queso (La Banderita?)
• Fresh Gourmet Salsa
• Pita Bread or flatbread
• Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, washed Romaine, carrots, cauliflower & broccoli (bagged), avocadoes
• milk, yogurt, sour cream,  Dean's French onion dip, eggs, sharp cheddar
• 3 lbs package ground turkey + taco seasoning
• Good Seasons Italian Dressing
• Crystal Light Peach Tea
• Sandwich bread + small soft rolls or yeast rolls + Carb Balance soft tortillas
• chips, Tostitos, Wheat Thins or Simple Mills crackers
• paper plates + bowls

Meal prep for Christmas Day

• Make simple syrup equal parts sugar + water; put in the fridge.
• Make salad dressing from a Good Seasons packet.
• Boil some eggs for salad.
• Make tuna salad & chicken salad (or buy locally).
• Brown ground turkey; make taco meat with it. Put in a container in the fridge.
• Cut fruit and bag/refrigerate.
• Chop lettuce, tomatoes & all veggies for tacos. Grate cheese. Put in containers in the fridge.
• Place white queso near all of this.
• Make peach tea with simple syrup.

Give everyone instructions for "serve yourself" dining.

• Tell everyone where all the food is located and what the options are. What foods are where.
• Specify paper plates, bowls & utensils.
• Remind them that mom (or the cook) is off-duty:-)

Enjoy your Christmas day!!!