Prepare your kitchen for STRESS FREE cooking this Christmas... yes you read that right - stress free cooking and entertaining. The roast turkey, pigs in blankets, Christmas cake, mince pies, gingerbread men, Brussels sprouts, and cranberry sauce. There’s no doubt that cooking and eating good food is a key part of celebrating the festive season.Whether you’re cooking for one or hosting a huge feast for family and friends, the slightest preparation can go a long way to reduce stress and make time you spend in the kitchen this Christmas more enjoyable.

Here are 7 ways you can prepare for the best experience you'll have when it comes to cooking the Christmas dinner this year. Check them out!

Declutter & clean your kitchen

Taking the time to reorganise, clear out and clean your kitchen before the festive day gets and make it a pleasure to spend time in. Empty and reorganise your cupboards, throwing away out of date or unused food to make room for the Christmas treats. Declutter worktops and shelves to create an aesthetically-pleasing and relaxing space to cook in -  you'll thank yourself later.

Then make sure that all the surfaces in your kitchen are sparkling clean - give it that deep cleanse its needed for a while. This includes cleaning the counters,  tiles, fridge, stove and of course, the floors. Doing all these will make sure you have a tidy and less stressful environment for all your festive prep.

Stock up on EVERYTHING

Now is the time to organise your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Make sure all old items are tossed out. Then rotate the stock you have with things that have the earliest expiry date and must haves for Christmas dinner at the front.

After you've thrown away the unwanted/out of date items and put the remaining stock in a priority order, now is the time to make a list of things you need to buy and go shopping. Be detailed as to the things you need to buy and run the list by someone else if you need to - they may think of something that you've missed out. Then the fun continues and you get to go shopping. Try not to stray from the list - keep to what you need and avoid paying for things that may go to waste.

We recommend you create a menu for your dinner parties as well as a list of the ingredients for the dishes you intend to prepare. Be creative and have fun with the menu - but remember to check with your invited guests if they have any food restrictions/ allergies. SUCCESS!

Clean & prepare the oven

The oven is one of the most used appliances in the kitchen, however it's often the most overlooked when it comes to cleaning. Yes, most homeowners know that it’s important to clean the oven, but it's one of those jobs that gets put on the back burner and forgotten about. Well... this can't be the case for Christmas. The easiest way to get your oven sparkling clean is by booking a professional oven clean. Our specialists here at Crystal Oven Cleaning use a unique oven cleaning system, suitable for all oven brands and models. This unique system means it is safe for use around children and pets, giving you an odour-free home with no mess! We promise to put the sparkle back into your oven for Christmas, so get in contact.

Check your cutlery, utensils & cookware

Make sure that you all have the necessary cutlery, utensils and cookware you need for the Christmas cooking you have planned. This way, you will still be able to purchase or borrow anything that is missing. Remember to sharpen your knives beforehand and make sure that all your serving plates and dinner plates are washed and ready to be used. And if you feel a little fancy this year, polish your silverware. Little touches like these can make all the difference.

Make sure your dishwasher is in working order

Your dishwasher should be running efficiently as you will need this appliance to hold a huge number of dishes after your shindig. Look into the drain and be sure to clear any residue from it. Check also if there are lost utensils or broken glass at the bottom. For tips on how you can improve your dishwasher's performance, click HERE.

Disinfect your bins

These bad boys are one of the most important things in your kitchen as they will hold all the food waste and gunk (bin juice) that needs to be thrown away. So, make sure that you take them outside and clean them off - you simply just need to use dish soap and hot water to wash them. Then, disinfect them before taking them back inside. We recommend this disinfectant. You also need to have more bin bags than you can use, to ensure that you have enough and not left short-handed.

Create a schedule for all your cooking

For your Christmas cooking and dinner parties of the festive period, it is always best to prepare ahead of time. The best way to do this is to make a schedule for everything you need to cook. Know when different foods need to be prepped and ready to go in the oven or on the hob, and for how log. We also recommend you chop vegetables beforehand and store them in the fridge. Having this schedule will allow you to be more organised than ever before so you can enjoy the day, no matter what.