Suzanne Mulholland, a mother who once openly confessed to dreading Christmas Day, has transformed her festive experience through the power of strategic preparation. The 49-year-old, known online as The Batch Lady, revealed that the immense pressure of orchestrating the entire celebration – from gifts and decorations to the culinary centrepiece – left her feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from the joy of the day.
"When the kids were little, I actually didn't like Christmas. I didn't feel it was my day. I felt like it was everybody else's day," Mulholland explained. She now looks back with a tinge of regret, recalling moments she missed with her family. "I really did miss some key moments where I would have loved being the one sitting just helping build Lego, or whatever it was, but I felt tied to the kitchen."
The Batch Cooking Revolution
Her solution to this festive burden was batch cooking. After sharing her practical methods on social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram, her account, The Batch Lady, was born. This innovative approach empowered her to reclaim her Christmas, freeing her from spending the entire day isolated in the kitchen. Mulholland's journey was gradual. She began by ensuring elements like roast potatoes were prepared ahead, but over time, she perfected a system to do everything in advance.
She advocates for starting the process in November, a quieter month before the December chaos of school fetes, carol concerts, and work parties ensues. "If you happen to have a Friday morning or a Tuesday evening in November where you're not doing anything, you can think, actually, I might get four recipes done for Christmas," she suggests. An added benefit is financial; buying Christmas food in November helps spread the cost.
Two Methods for a Flawless Feast
Mulholland's system is built on two distinct types of recipes. The first is 'cook ahead', where dishes are fully cooked, then frozen and simply reheated on the day. This method works perfectly for a variety of festive staples.
Accompaniments and sides ideal for 'cook ahead' include:
- Bread sauce and cranberry sauce
- Roast potatoes
- Shredded Brussels sprouts with pancetta
- Homemade Yorkshire puddings
- Mulled wine red cabbage
She also recommends this for starters like parsnip and apple soup, and desserts such as panettone bread and butter pudding. Mulholland is quick to dispel the myth that freezing compromises flavour. "People would be so surprised to know that in the absolute top-end restaurants [chefs] prep in advance. A lot of things actually taste better if you've cooked them in advance."
The second method is 'grab and cook', which involves preparing ingredients and assembling dishes to freeze raw, ready to be cooked from frozen on Christmas Day. This approach ensures freshness while eliminating last-minute prep work.
Perfect for the 'grab and cook' method:
- Stuffing mix, pre-formed into balls
- Pigs in blankets (bacon-wrapped sausages)
- Herby butter for the turkey
- Parboiled and seasoned roast vegetables, flash-frozen
- Starters like pork and Stilton sausage rolls
Mulholland creates what she calls a "meal prep kit" in November. "I'll get the pack of streaky bacon and put it beside the herby butter. I'll make my stuffing mix. Then I'll get my frozen turkey from the shops and I'll put it next to it... I know that everything's there."
Beyond Christmas Day: Taming December Dinners
The strategy extends beyond the main event. Mulholland strongly advises batch cooking additional family meals to see you through the hectic December schedule. Having nutritious, home-cooked meals like a pork, parsnip and mustard traybake or a coconut and butternut squash curry in the freezer prevents reliance on expensive takeaways and reduces daily decision-making stress.
She highlights the mental and financial toll of not planning: "[If you know] 'I've got a fish pie in the freezer, and I'm going to put it in the oven tonight' – that is the easiest thing ever... But if you haven't done that, your headspace is 'I don't know what I've got in the house'... You'll rack up a lot of money and a lot of stress."
By adopting these methods, what was once a source of anxiety for Suzanne Mulholland has been transformed into an organised, enjoyable, and stress-free celebration, allowing her to finally be a part of the Christmas magic with her family.
