A woman has shared her early Christmas dinner prepping hack but not everyone can get on board.
Charlotte Crouch shared her secrets on TikTok, and the internet is divided on whether she has changed the game or is just ‘plain mad’.
Crouch takes a different approach – she prepares her Christmas feast a whole month in advance. But, before you raise an eyebrow, there is a perfectly good reason behind her doing that.
“Firstly, have you been to a shop before Christmas? Those few days before Christmas, they are manic," she says in one video.
"I’ve done the whole going in at 5 o’clock in the morning, and the queues are up the aisles. I’ve gone late in the day, there are queues up the aisles. People just go nuts.
“But if you go in November, they are just normal.”
Crouch went on to share that if you shopped a month ahead you would not fall victim to empty shelves or subpar ingredients that have been left over.
She said: "I can get my favourite King Edward roast potatoes, the ones I prefer to deal with.
"I can get a Maris Piper or a red one but it's just not the same.
"They're not the same, in my opinion. I like them done properly."
@charlottescrunchymama Replying to @Debbiej hope that makes sense! #xmasdinner #makeaheadchristmas ♬ original sound - Charlotte Crouch
The means that the mum does not have to worry about store-bought meals, she can just make it all herself well in advance.
Crouch continued: "Secondly, it means I can make every part of the roast dinner from scratch.
"Normally, I make almost all of it from scratch - but I might buy instant gravy.
"Christmas dinner, that is not gonna cut it. I love proper gravy.”
Even though it does seem to be a practical and budget-friendly solution to the mad rush of Christmas Day, not everyone is on board with Crouch’s Christmas dinner hack. Some believe it is all about that fresh-cooked magic, not the reheated ease.
One person said: "But it’s reheated and ruined."
"I like my dinner fresh. Not frozen," said another.
But Crouch remained unfazed. "This is what I do personally - and it works for the family,” she replied to the haters.
Another commenter praised her idea, writing: “I've never even thought of doing this! It's genius, especially the tins to cook in!”