Christmas dinner for two: an easy, no-waste menu

Cooking for two this Christmas? Skip the oversized turkey and the week of leftovers. Here are three easy menus sized for a small table.

Christmas dinner for two should feel special, not stressful. The trouble is that most Christmas food is made for a crowd. Turkeys are sized for six. Hams could feed a street. You end up with a packed fridge and a week of leftovers. This guide shows you how to plan a Christmas dinner for two that is easy, generous and wastes nothing. Every idea comes from our Christmas menu, so it all arrives ready to heat, bake or serve.

Why Christmas dinner for two needs a different plan

Cooking for two is a different job. Most recipes and packs are sized for four or more. Buy a whole roast and you will be eating it until New Year. Buy lots of small supermarket items and the bill climbs fast.

The answer is to choose food that suits a small table. Look for two serve packs. Look for items that arrive frozen, so you only defrost what you need. And plan your leftovers before you order, not after.

How much food do you need for two?

A few simple portions keep waste low. Our Christmas catering guide suggests 200 to 250g of cooked meat per person. It suggests 250g of prawns and about 150g of salad. It also suggests three or four finger food pieces each.

For two people, that adds up to about 400 to 500g of cooked meat. Add 500g of prawns if you want a seafood starter. Add around 300g of salad. Stick to those numbers and you will rarely over buy.

Three easy Christmas dinner for two menus

Here are three menus built from our Christmas range. Prices were correct when we wrote this, so check them when you order.

Menu one: the classic 3 course turkey dinner

Everything you love about a traditional Christmas, sized for two. Our Christmas Classic 3 Course Hamper is our entry level option, at $78 for two or $156 for four. It comes with prawns to start, a full turkey dinner with vegetables, gravy and stuffing, and sticky date pudding to finish. You really can't go past $39 per person.

If you prefer to buy these items separately and create your own menu with other items, then select:

•    Starter: ½ kg Australian tiger prawns (serves 2), $24.90. Serve them chilled with lemon or aioli.

•    Main: Christmas turkey and trimmings dinner for two, $39.00.

•    Dessert: Sticky date pudding for two, $14.90.

Total: $78.80, or $39.40 each. 

Menu two: the restaurant night in

Want something a little fancier? This menu feels like a restaurant meal, minus the booking.

•    Starter: Vodka cured gravlax (serves 4), $28.00. Share half on Christmas Day. Once defrosted it keeps for five days, so the rest makes a lovely Boxing Day brunch.

•    Main: Duck confit with pear and orange jus (serves 2), $42.00, with parmesan mash for two, $8.40.

•    Dessert: Chocolate fondants (serves 2), $14.90. They bake straight from frozen in 15 minutes.

Total: $93.30, or $46.65 each.

Menu three: steak night

Prefer a main event without a starter? Keep it simple.

•    Main: Eye fillet with roast garlic butter (raw, serves 2), $44.00. Pan fry or barbecue it just the way you like it.

•    Side: Roast herb chat potatoes (serves 2), $8.90.

•    Dessert: Chocolate fondants or sticky date pudding for two, $14.90.

Total: $67.80, or $33.90 each.

Five ways to waste less food at Christmas

End Food Waste Australia research shows about 70 per cent of household food waste is still perfectly edible, as reported by The New Daily. Christmas is a big moment for that. These habits help.

1.    Keep it frozen until you need it. Many of our items arrive frozen. Leave them in the freezer, then defrost in the fridge overnight.

2.    Know the shelf life. Our storing and serving guide lists the shelf life of every item. Once defrosted, prawns keep for three days and gravlax for five.

3.    Choose two serve sizes. Look for “serves 2” in the product name. It takes the guesswork out.

4.    Plan Boxing Day now. If you order one of our sliced meats, decide on the sandwiches and salads before the food arrives.

5.    Pick sauces that keep. Our cranberry chutney has a three month use by date, so it will happily last well past Christmas.

Make it feel like an occasion

A small table can feel just as festive. Set it properly. Add candles and a little greenery. Plate the food on your best dishes and hide the packaging before you sit down. Our make it or fake it tips show you how. A glass of something bubbly doesn’t hurt either.

Order early for Christmas Day

Our delivery slots fill fast so start planning now and clear space in your freezer and fridge. Check our Christmas delivery schedule for your area, then order by early December to lock in your slot. Browse the full Christmas menu or our Christmas hampers. Not sure what to order for two? Call our team on 1300 131 070 and we’ll help you choose.