Holiday meals can be a big source of stress… let’s be honest, holidays, in general, can be THE source of a lot of extra stress!
Don’t get me wrong, I love the holidays but…
The shopping, the meal planning, the decorating, the holiday events, the parties…the list keeps getting longer and so do the unrealistic expectations.
On top of that, there are traditional meals with friends and family gatherings around Thanksgiving and Christmas that require extra planning and detail….and what if you don’t even enjoy cooking???
This article is written in partnership with Kroger.
I’m sharing more about how you can reduce your holiday meal stress with a simple and delicious solution.
There is NO SHAME if you don’t want to cook the Holiday Meal
It’s ok to admit that you have ZERO desire to cook everything that goes into a holiday meal. Or sometimes you have simply run out of time and there is no way to make it work logistically.
You are not alone.
I’m always looking for ways to get out of it.
Growing up my mom spent a LOT of time in the kitchen.
From meal prep to clean up I quickly learned at a young age that there is a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into creating a memorable meal.
As an adult, I find cooking to be a great source of STRESS in addition to my regular adulting responsibilities. I’ve tried and failed MANY times with recipe attempts that no one in my family enjoyed anyway.
Enjoy More Quality Time Together Without the Stress
Why put yourself through the additional stress on a bigger scale with holiday expectations?
I totally understand that many people are REALLY passionate about food. I have so many friends that enjoy creating meals with such detail that it’s an edible form of art.
There are also those of us who would prefer spending our time doing ANYTHING else…but we do enjoy eating the meals from those people who enjoy making meals.
And we REALLY love being invited over for dinner..hint..hint.
So here is the tension…what if you are in charge of the Thanksgiving or Holiday Meal and it’s STRESSING you out?
I have a solution for you. You have options.
There are Thanksgiving and Christmas Meal Options when you don’t want to cook
Insert the Kroger Holiday Meals option. There is no shame in letting the experts prep your Holiday Meal instead.
The Downside of Eating Out for Holiday Meals
Over the years our family has experienced holiday meals in a variety of ways.
Some years we joined my husband’s extended family with crowds of 25-50+ and some years we have a smaller holiday meal with my family with 6 people total.
(Are you picturing the contrast from the scene in the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”?)
We’ve gone out the eat some years but my boys don’t really like getting dressed up and you typically don’t get a lot of leftovers to take home which of course is the BEST part.
A holiday meal at a restaurant can feel more formal and sometimes you just want to be in a more relaxed environment. You want great food but also want the coziness of being at home.
Pick Up Your Holiday Meal from the Kroger Deli
Yes, it’s that simple. I’ll walk you through it.
How to order your Holiday Meal from Kroger
You have three options to choose from when you order your Holiday Meal from Kroger
- See a Deli Associate
- Order online at YourOrderOnline.com
- Call 1-877-894-3707
*Holiday Meal Procrastinators – Pay Attention to These Deadlines*
Yes, I’m talking to you!
As a fellow deadline/procrastinator myself, I share because I care.
Thanksgiving
The last day to order online and by phone is 11/22
Last day to order in-store (while supplies last) 11/24
Holiday
The last day to order online and by phone is 12/20
Last day to order in-store (while supplies last) 12/22
Choose Your Meat
For your Holiday Meal you have the option of one of three:
- Ham or Turkey (Boneless) Serves 4-6
- Hame, Turkey or Smoked Turkey (Bone-in) Serves 6-8
- Prime Rib Serves 6-8
You can also choose additional Proteins A la Carte
If you want additional meat the following options are available for purchase.
- Turkey, Bone-in
- Smoked Turkey, Bone-in
- Ham, Bone-in
- Turkey, Boneless
- Ham, Boneless
- Prime Rib
We opted for the Prime Rib to mix things up and it was wonderful!
The Sides That Come With Your Holiday Meal
The following sides are included with your Holiday Meal
- 1 Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing
- 1 Green Bean Casserole
- 1 Sweet Potato Souffle
- 1 Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
- 1 Turkey Gravy
- 1 King’s Hawaiian Rolls, 12ct
- 1 10″ Pumpkin Pie
Add Extra Additional Sides for Leftovers from Home Chef
If you enjoy having leftovers, or if you just want some additional options when it comes to side dishes, you have options.
- Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing
- Cornbread Dressing
- Green Bean Casserole
- Sweet Potato Souffle
- Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Creamed Spinach & Cheese
- Cauliflower Au Gratin
- Spiced Cinnamon Apples
- Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
- Turkey Gravy
Reheat and Serve
The sides come in packaging that you can reheat in the microwave or the oven. The side items can be ready to serve between 3-9 minutes.
In addition to Holiday Meals, Krogers is also selling pre-made Murray’s Cheese packages that are perfect for pre-dinner snacking.
Our Favorite Holiday Meal Sides from Kroger
Of course, mashed potatoes and dressing are standard staples to look forward to. I would suggest purchasing additional rolls because those always go fast.
The best surprise was the green bean casserole. I don’t normally even like green beans but these tasted really fresh and they were delicious!
The sweet potato souffle had a similar reaction. It’s normally a dish I don’t enjoy but this one tasted like dessert in a good way!
If you order a side of spiced cinnamon apple slices, you might want to buy some vanilla bean ice cream to put on top for an extra treat.
Pick Up Any Additional Items You Need While You are at the Store
During our holiday meals, salads are usually something that we eat while we are waiting for the carbs to be ready.
If you want a salad, you can always pick one up in a ready-made bag while you are at Kroger or you can go extra fancy and put the ingredients together on your own.
You Make Your Own Additional Special Sides or Desserts….but only if you want to
If there is a special family recipe that you REALLY want to have with your holiday meal, go for it!
It’s still WAY less stressful to make one side dish or dessert versus a whole entire Holiday Meal.
Should You Use Paper Plates or Fine China for the Holidays?
The right answer is… whatever you decide.
If you are spending less time on meal prep you can choose to either keep it really simple with regular or paper plates for quick cleanup.
If you want to go a little more extravagant, bust out the fine china.
Who cares that you only use it once a year?!!
Your mom felt that it was REALLY important for you to register for china, so now you can use it…but only if you want to.
You can serve the sides in their microwaveable dishes and dispose of them afterward. You can also transfer the items to a fancier dish and no one will know any different.
Spend Less Time in the Kitchen and More Time Together
Find a Kroger Near You
Check out the Kroger website to find a location near you.
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