Hosting Christmas lunch doesn't have to mean spending all morning in the kitchen.
This Australian Christmas Menu was created for a relaxed summer Christmas with simple food the whole family can enjoy.
You can pick and choose from the ideas below to create your own menu and do as much as you can ahead of time to keep Christmas Day cooking to a minimum.
The main focus of Christmas for us is good food but also, more importantly, spending the day together and having fun.
An Easy Christmas Lunch Menu
Here is a done-for-you menu (further down you'll find more options):
Christmas breakfast: Blueberry Brioche Buns with fresh summer fruit
Appetiser: Christmas Vol-Au-Vents
Main: Christmas Glazed Ham
Sides: Creamy Potato Bake, Fresh Summer Christmas Salad, Homemade Focaccia
Dessert: No-bake Passionfruit Tart
Drink: Ginger and Lime Fizz
Use the ideas below to add or swap dishes depending on your family, how many people you're feeding and everyone's favourites.
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Easy Christmas Breakfast
My favourite thing for Christmas breakfast is something freshly baked like some sort of scrolls or buns. I make the dough the day before, pop it in the fridge then bake fresh on Christmas morning while we're opening presents.
Some of our favourites are:
For more ideas, browse all our Simple Christmas Breakfast Recipes.
Easy Christmas Appetisers
If you're going to be serving nibbles before Christmas lunch then we recommend keeping it simple. You want to save room for lunch after all!
Our Christmas Vol-au-vents With Tomato And Mozzarella take 20 minutes start to finish and look lovely and festive with very little work.
If you're after something that can be made way ahead of time, try our Chicken and Feta Sausage rolls. Freeze them then thaw the night before and reheat before guests arrive.
Of course a simple platter of cheese, crackers & dip (like our Roast Capsicum Feta Dip) is always a winner too.
Find more ideas in our Easy Christmas Appetisers & Entertaining.
Christmas Main
For an easy Christmas lunch, I build the main meal around one main meat rather than trying to cook multiple.
For us, Christmas Ham is the standout option because it can be served cold or warm. For super easy, a Slow Cooked Roast Chicken is something you can have ready to turn on when the kids wake up early.
Then all you need is a few delicious sides.
Easy Christmas Sides and Salads
A must have at our Christmas lunch is always my Mum's Simple Potato Bake made with just a few staple ingredients.
Then add one or two fresh salads. Some of our favourites for Christmas are:
- Fresh Summer Christmas Salad is our favourite and has been on repeat for a few years.
- Pumpkin, Spinach and Goats Cheese Salad
- Pesto Pasta Salad
If you're after a lighter version of potato bake, try our Mayo-Free Potato Salad. It can be served warm or cold.
Australian Christmas Desserts
Of course it doesn't really seem like Australian Christmas without pavlova.
Our favourite is our Brown Sugar Pavlova with Yoghurt Cream and Strawberries.
For something light and fresh that you can make in advance, our No-Bake Passionfruit Tart is always a crowd favourite.
For more ideas browse our Easy Christmas Desserts.
Christmas Drinks
We like to have one festive drink that everyone can enjoy.
Our Ginger and Lime Fizz is a refreshing non-alcoholic drink that's perfect for summer and Christmas celebrations.
What can I make ahead for Christmas?
The easiest way to make Christmas Day more relaxed is to avoid leaving everything until the morning of. Do as much as you can in advance.
A simple plan could look like this:
A few days ahead: Do your shopping, make any Christmas baking and check that you have everything you need to serve (platters etc) and condiments.
Christmas Eve: Prepare your breakfast. If you're making something like the Brioche Buns or Cinnamon Scrolls, prepare them up to the second rise then pop in the fridge. Put them straight from the fridge to a cold oven and add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time.
Prepare the ham & make the glaze. Chop all the items for the salad and make any parts like couscous or cook things like sweet potato. We like to get it to a stage where we just have to throw it all in a bowl just before lunch.
Prepare the potato bake and cover with foil ready to put in the oven before lunch. If you're making potato salad, make this the day before too.
Just before lunch: Cook or reheat anything that needs to be hot, throw the salad together and toss with dressing then put everything on the table.
Don't be afraid to delegate either. If someone asks what they can bring, give them a job. Drinks, fruit, salad or nibbles are all easy thing to hand over.
Keep your Christmas menu simple
My biggest tip is not to turn Christmas lunch into a cooking competition (save that for Christmas games!).
Choose one main, two or three sides and a dessert you know everyone will enjoy.
Make whatever you can ahead of time, ask guests to contribute and leave yourself some time to actually enjoy the day with your family.
If none of these ideas are quite right for you, you can browse our full range of Easy Christmas Recipes as well as Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas for more inspiration.
Don't forget the Homemade Christmas Crackers with Classic Christmas Jokes for the table (and here's some Christmas Table Inspiration).
Christmas Recipes
- Thermomix Chocolate Mousse
- No Bake Passion Fruit Tart
- Thermomix Strawberry Jam
- Lemon Meringue Ice Cream
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