Easy Holiday Dinner Hacks That Make Hosting a Breeze
Putting a holiday dinner together can feel like trying to solve an impossible logic puzzle. If you want it to be simple, there’s no way to make it elegant. If you want it to be elegant, there’s no way to get it all on the table quickly. And don’t even think about making it Instagrammable, too.
We think we’ve found the answer though, and it involves some easy grocery shortcuts, your phone, and Walmart’s grocery pickup. All it takes is one order through the app, and you’ll be ready to cook and serve a multi-course meal that tastes as good as it looks — no Insta-filter required.
Faith Durand, Kitchn Editor-in-Chief, put Walmart’s grocery pickup to the test. She picked up everything she needed to feed her family an easy-to-prepare but oh-so-delicious holiday dinner. Now, she’s sharing her secrets with us.
Remember these helpful tips and add these items to your next Walmart Grocery pickup order to make entertaining a breeze:
Look for Appetizers That Bake at the Same Temperature
This Spinach, Artichoke & Gouda Dip and these Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites are two guaranteed crowd-pleasers for two reasons. One, because we always say yes to cheese. And two, because they both cook at the same temperature, so you can pop them in the oven together and save some valuable prep time. You can either put them out before dinner for your guests to snack on or serve them with the rest of the meal.
Choose a Main Dish That Lends Itself to Leftovers
After Thanksgiving, it’s probably safe to say that everyone’s turkey-ed out, which makes ham a perfect choice for the main course. This sweet and savory Brown Sugar Double Glazed Ham is easy to prepare and bakes quicker than you might think — just 10 minutes per pound at 325º. Plus, you can use the leftovers in a breakfast casserole the next morning, or in sandwiches for lunch. (Of course, that’s assuming that there are leftovers).
Upgrade Your Bread Basket
Every holiday table needs a roll, and these Savory Garlic Knots are a fun twist on the traditional bread basket. In addition to their rich buttery, garlicky flavor, they bake in the bag they came in, making cleanup a breeze. You can get them on the table in just 10 minutes.
Dress Up Dessert
Who needs to bake dessert when it can thaw while you’re enjoying dinner? Just slide this Peppermint Crème Pie out of the freezer, put it in a festive pie plate, and add a few crushed peppermint candies and some seasonal sprinkles to glam it up before you serve it.
Simple: check. Elegant: check. Instagrammable: check. Bring it on.