How far is too far when prepping for the holidays?
Some social media users think this woman has reached the limit of when it’s too much.
A mum who shared her tips for prepping a Christmas dinner has gotten flack for her hack, but apparently, it’s a game changer on the day.
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We all know the rush of Christmas preparations can be a stressful time, especially for the person who’s cooking the ginormous feast for everyone.
When slaving away for hours in a hot kitchen doesn’t seem appealing, or buying hundreds of pounds worth of nom, this woman has the perfect solution.
Mum Charlotte Crouch posted a TikTok about why she chooses to cook her Christmas dinner one month in advance.
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She explained: "Why do people prepare their Christmas dinner a month ahead of schedule?
"Firstly, have you been to a shop before Christmas? They are manic.
"The queues are up the aisles at 5 o'clock in the morning. People just go nuts.
"But if you go in November, it's just normal."
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Charlotte went on to share that if you shop a month ahead, you won’t 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.
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"They're not the same, in my opinion. I like them done properly."
This hack means that the mum doesn’t have to worry about store-bought meals, she can just make it all herself well in advance.
So that’s no last-minute runs for a bag of Yorkshire puds.
Charlotte continued: "Secondly, it means I can make every part of the roast dinner from scratch.
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"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.
"We do have proper gravy in the freezer, because you can freeze gravy.
"I will make a batch of gravy. Proper minty, juicy that can go with my Yorkshire puddings - which I've also made from scratch."
She added: "Thirdly, it saves washing up all the prep stuff.
"I put all of my stuff into disposable tins. It's the only time I ever do it, but it's so I can spend time with my kids."
Even though it does seem to be a practical and budget-friendly solution to the mad rush of Christmas Day, not everyone was convinced by the hack.
One person said: "But it’s reheated and ruined."
Another wrote: "I like my dinner fresh. Not frozen."
And someone else commented: "Do they taste the same as if you've cooked them fresh? Honestly."
But Charlotte quipped back: "This is what I do personally - and it works for the family."
Some viewers did praise the mum for the idea.
One commented: "I'm definitely doing this this year!"
A second added: "I've never even thought of doing this! It's genius especially the tins to cook in!"
While a third penned: "Honestly this is SUCH a good idea."
Featured Image Credit: Tiktok/charlottescrunchymamaTopics: Christmas, Social Media, TikTok, Food And Drink