Christmas food timeline: what to order, defrost and cook, and when

The Christmas food shop is easiest in three stages. Book a delivery or collection slot in November, plan the menu and order the main items in early December, then do the fresh shop and the defrosting in the last few days. On the day, work back from the time you want to eat.

This guide sets out the timeline, with the Food Standards Agency's safety guidance quoted where it matters.

What should you sort in November?

• Who is coming, and on which days
• Any allergies or dietary needs, written down once so everyone shopping can see them
• A first draft of the menu for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
• A delivery or collection slot: check your supermarket's Christmas slot dates and book as soon as you know where you will be
• An order with the butcher or farm shop, if you use one
• Space in the freezer and fridge

What should you sort in early December?

• Finalise the menu and the guest list
• Plan the meals for the whole holiday week, not just the big day, so the shop covers the days in between
• Build one shared shopping list, split into what can be bought now and what needs to be fresh
• Cook and freeze anything that freezes well
• Agree who is bringing what, if family are contributing dishes

When should you start defrosting the turkey?

The Food Standards Agency says: "In a fridge, allow around 10-12 hours per kg." So a 5kg turkey needs around 50 to 60 hours in the fridge, which is two to two and a half days. Work back from Christmas morning and put a reminder in the calendar for when it needs to come out of the freezer. Check there is room in the fridge first.

How do you plan the cooking on Christmas Day?

Start with the time you want to eat and work backwards: when each dish goes in, when the oven needs to be free, and who is doing what. Write the timings down and put them where everyone in the kitchen can see them. The Food Standards Agency says to "cut into the thickest part of the meat and check that none of the meat is pink and that any juices run clear."

What about the leftovers?

The Food Standards Agency says: "Cool cooked food quickly at room temperature and refrigerate or freeze within one to two hours." For food you have frozen and defrosted, it says: "Once the food is defrosted eat within 24 hours and do not refreeze," and "Make sure you reheat any defrosted food until steaming hot." Plan a couple of leftover meals into the days after Christmas so food gets used. See our guide to reducing family food waste.

How does Haevn help with the Christmas food?

• Meal Planner plans 1, 3, 5 or 7 days, with allergies kept as a hard constraint, so the whole holiday week can be planned at once
• Lists hold one shared shopping list that everyone in your household can add to
• The shared calendar in Plan holds the delivery slot, the defrosting reminder and who is cooking what

For the rest of the season, see our Christmas planning checklist and meal planning with allergies.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Food Standards Agency, Christmas food hygiene, GOV.UK (published 11 January 2018, read 3 November 2026): www.gov.uk/government/publications/christmas-food-hygiene/christmas-food-hygiene