Hello Fresh, Marley Spoon: Are Christmas boxes the solution to festive stress?

UNLESS you are some kind of culinary magician, there’s a chance you’ve found cooking on Christmas Day somewhat stressful.

It’s often hot, you sometimes discover you’ve forgotten a key ingredient at the 11th hour — and oh god, the shops are shut — and you tend to spend an insane amount of money on a bunch of recipe requirements that you’re unlikely to use again (a bag of mixed peel festering at the back of the pantry is a common issue).

So there’s something to be said for the array of Christmas feast boxes that you can now order in online.

There are a few benefits to this approach:

1. You don’t have to step foot in a supermarket. The box just turns up on your doorstep a day or two before Christmas Day.*

2. You don’t have to spend any time thinking about the menu and trawling recipes. Someone has done all of that planning for you.

3. You see upfront what you are spending per head on the meal, so you don’t run the risk of your budget blowing out.

4. Food waste is kept to a minimum. Many of the boxes give you a measured-out quantity of the ingredients you need, so you’re not buying bags of stuff that will loiter around in your pantry for the duration of 2018 (and possibly beyond).

5. The recipes are usually quite simple, so if you’re not an amazing cook you should still be able to pull off an impressive feed.

6. The menus are often put together to focus on seasonal produce, which keeps the cost down and is better for the environment.

If this sounds like the answer to your prayers, here three companies and the different options they offer.

* Just keep in mind, if you live in a more remote part of Australia you’ll need to double check they deliver to your area.

Marley Spoon

This company is offering “a festive feast for 4-6 people, ready in just 2.5 hours, from $41.50 per person”. While it says that it serves 4-6 you can easily order more produce to go with it to feed more.

On the menu is: Roasted nuts and artisan cheeses with goat’s curd and beetroot blinis to start; maple baked free-range ham and roasted Huon Tasmanian salmon with labne and pickled fennel as mains, served alongside crunchy hasselback potatoes with crispy sage, and asparagus and watercress salad; and a cinnamon and fruit mince edible Christmas wreath with vanilla custard to finish.

The Christmas boxes arrive on Saturday 23rd December and include simple recipes, menus and a full schedule to help you get Christmas dinner on the table in time.

It costs $249 with free delivery. The box is a one-off delivery that can be ordered without signing up to a Marley Spoon subscription.

Cut-off for orders is December 17.

Aussie Farmers Direct

This company has a range of options for different budgets and headcounts.

For those wanting to keep an eye on the calories this festive season, the $170 Christmas meal box which serves 8 (making it $21.25 a head) represents excellent value and includes specially selected meals for the health conscious.

They also give you a bit more flexibility with your menu as you can mix and match your options. Say, for example, you have a number of vegetarians in your party, you can order more of the vegetarian sides to make up the bulk of your meal. There’s an array of desserts to choose from as well.

You can also order tableware and bonbons, so you genuinely don’t need to leave the house and battle the crowds.

Another great thing about Aussie Farmers Direct is they give you the option to purchase a $45 ‘Project Rudolf” food box, which will go to a family in need on December 25.

Cut-off dates for orders is December 15.

Hello Fresh

Hello Fresh gives you a couple of options with their Christmas box. You choose whether you are catering for six or 10 people, and whether or not you want a cheese platter with your menu.

For six people it’s $199.95, for 10 it is $299.95 (cheese platter is an extra $40).

On the menu: two different styles of crostini to start (tomato fetta and chive, and smoked salmon and dill goat’s cheese), lemon roasted chicken with rosemary and thyme stuffing, Christmas ham with sticky orange mustard glaze accompanied by four different sides. For dessert there’s Eton Mess with raspberries, passionfruit and macadamias and chocolate brownie with pistachios.

Cut-off date for orders is December 18.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7y6Kdnqukrrmme8KhqaKrpKKutHvOq5ueqpmjtG6tjJyfq6Gjqbqiv4yfpqicXZe8uXnOp6OippViuqLFjKyYr51drry2voysmKehpK56tbTIrGSfnaOptrexjKycmqufo3yvsdasZKysn6fGcIGTnmhtnWWXrnp%2Blm9tbJ6TmrN2r5SdbZ1uaW6zo4DB