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Our Family Tradition For a No-Cook Christmas

It’s 5 a.m.  on Christmas morning and your little cherubs come racing into your bedroom, their tiny faces full of excitement. They jump into bed, and in the loudest whisper they can muster say “Mommy… wake up, Mommy! It’s Christmas, Mommy! Can we go open presents, Mommy? Mommy, are you awake Mommy?”

If you’re lucky, this only happens to you a couple times a year. If you’re like me, though, this is your morning… every morning. Lol, but hey, it’s Christmas day! They get a free pass… this time.

You’ll get up out of bed, eager to see the joy on their faces as they open their gifts. And the delight when they find oodles of chocolate candies in their stockings. Wait, what? Candy? In the morning??

Here we go… now they need some real food to offset the sugar. But it’s Christmas morning… do you really feel like cooking?? Christmas day should be a time for relaxing and celebrating… NOT for cooking.

WHAT?!?! You mean we don’t have to feed our family? We can let the littles stuff their faces with cookies and sweets?!?!

No, that’s not what I said. I said you don’t need to be cooking, but that doesn’t mean your family should starve or be on a constant sugar high. You can still provide delicious tummy filling food without all the hassle!

One of our family traditions is a no-cook Christmas. We have plenty of food prepared to last all day, and maybe even the day after, too! I’d love to share some of our favorite recipes that will encourage you to give this no-cook Christmas thing a try! It’s amazing… I promise.

 

Our family tradition for a no cook Christmas

 

Peach Roll Monkey Bread Cups

Homemade peach rolls have been a Christmas morning tradition for as long as I can remember. Over the years, my mother has slaved in the kitchen to perfect the recipe, and that’s absolutely amazing, but I’m a sucker for a shortcut.  

Snag a can of cinnamon rolls, thank you Pillsbury, and chop each into 6 pieces. Toss the roll chunks into a muffin tin and top with chopped peaches mixed with brown sugar. What could be easier than that? Well, this… make them the day before, cover with plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator overnight. Just pop a batch in the oven (15 minutes at 350)  first thing to keep the family happy while the REAL food warms up in the oven.

What better way to start Christmas morning than with a cup of coffee anda warm peach roll that you didn’t have to make from scratch? WIN!

 

Eggs A Day Ahead

Next up is breakfast and my all-time favorite way to give your crew a good solid morning meal. I’ve even doubled the recipe to feed a crowd during a family reunion a few years back. It was a huge hit, and one of the uncles even emailed to get my recipe! That’s a big compliment in my book.

You’ll be hard pressed to keep any leftovers, so just plan ahead and make extra! Soft scrambled eggs are mixed with cream of mushroom soup and shredded cheddar cheese, then topped with sautéed mushrooms and baked. The combination of flavors, along with just a bit of butter, makes for a rich and smooth dish!

The purpose is to prepare this meal, you guessed it, a day ahead of time. Hence the name. Get it? Lol. I also cook up some sausage the day before and warm it in the oven as well. All you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven and make some toast or serve bagels and cream cheese. And pour your mimosa… can’t forget the mimosa. Get the complete recipe here!

 

All Day Snacks

Here’s where it gets fun. We don’t typically plan any other “real” meal times on Christmas after breakfast. We just snack. And we snack well. All. Day. Long.

Now, it’s not always cookies and fudge, there are veggies too. Yeah…. veggies on top of crescent rolls and cream cheese! Again, thank you Pillsbury.

We also incorporate protein in the form of deviled eggs, crab dip, and sliced ham. Here’s a run-down of our favorites along with links to the recipes:

Deviled egg dip: easy way to get the same taste with a fraction of the work.

Veggie pizza: this may be the only way to get your veggies in on Christmas.

Easy Crab dip: we always make a double batch, and rarely have leftovers!

Honey ham on Hawaiian rolls: this does not require a recipe. Get yourself a honey ham that has been pre-sliced and a couple big packs of Hawaiian rolls. You know the ones, super soft and a bit sweet. Maybe snag a few packages of deli cheese too. Yummy.

 

 

But wait. What’s Christmas without some sugary goodies? Lol. Join our mailing list and receive a FREE ebook, “4 Easy Make-Ahead Christmas Treats.”

4 Easy Make Ahead Christmas Treats for your Family Celebrations

 

 

Whatever you decide to have for your Christmas day feast, just know that it is not all about the food. Even a frozen pizza will suffice, as long as you’re with the ones you love.

 

The creator of Paper Plate Lifestyle, Mel, is a sarcastic wife, mother of two, self-proclaimed frugal foodie, and DIY addict. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, she now calls Chicagoland home after 10 years on the west coast in Seattle and San Francisco. Mel started blogging in 2017 to share recipes, stories, and toddler antics. Most days you can find her up at 5 am, chugging a pot of coffee, with her 3-year old already revved up in high gear.

 

 

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