Christmas Dinner—Choosing the Best Sides

With Christmas just around the corner, now’s the time to start planning your holiday menu if you’ll be hosting this year. At Nick’s of Clinton, we have everything you need for Christmas dinner, from the main dishes to the perfect desserts. If you’re struggling to decide which sides to serve, we have you covered with a variety of premade side dishes that just need to be popped into the oven As you ponder over what to prepare, consider this rundown of common main dishes, favorite Christmas sides, and popular desserts.

Christmas—The Main Dish

For those who aren’t vegetarians or vegans, Christmas dinner will almost always feature a meat dish as the centerpiece of the meal. 

• Ham. A Christmas ham is one of the most traditional Christmas dishes, and can be found on tables throughout the country. It’s rumored that the tradition of serving ham for Christmas began in Germany. 
• Turkey. If you didn’t get enough of the bird on Thanksgiving, you might choose to serve a turkey on Christmas. Other fowl are also common, especially in other countries. 
• Prime rib. Not a pork or fowl type of person? If you want to serve something extra special, prime rib is another Christmas favorite. It’s so popular that many restaurants serving Christmas dinner will have this on their menus. 
• Lobster. If you live in the northeastern part of the United States or are from an Italian-American family, you may choose to feature lobster or other seafood on your Christmas table. 
• Lamb. Finally, serving lamb is a specialty that many families will choose this holiday season. Roast lamb with a pomegranate sauce may be especially delicious. 

Favorite Christmas Sides

Even if you are crazy about the main course, there’s no doubt that a Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without a range of sweet and savory sides. There are dozens of different sides to choose from, so we’ve put together a list of some of the best and most popular sides. 

• Yorkshire pudding. Not really a pudding in the traditional sense, Yorkshire pudding is a British dish that is a savory, baked pudding made from flour, milk, and eggs. As a savory dish, it’s typically served before or with the main course—not after as a traditional “pudding” dessert might be. 
• Creamed spinach. Delicious, savory, and healthy, creamed spinach is a favorite Christmas tradition on the table, and goes especially well alongside lamb or prime rib. 
• Biscuits or rolls (or both!). The Christmas table wouldn’t be complete without some sort of bread on the table. Flaky biscuits are always a delight, although some prefer more of a traditional roll. Undecided? Why not do both? 
• Brussel sprouts. Brussel sprouts have become much more popular in America over the past decade, as the main method of preparation has switched from boiling to baking or sauteing on a skillet. There are multiple different ways to serve brussels, including brussel sprouts baked with bacon and cheese. 
• Cranberry sauce. Like turkey, cranberry sauce is traditionally a Thanksgiving food. However, the deep red color and the sweet and tart combination make it a favorite during Christmas, too. 
• Yams. There are multiple yam recipes out there, including both sweet and savory options. If you did sweet yams with marshmallows for Thanksgiving, you might consider a more savory yam dish for the Christmas holiday. 
• Roast squash. Squash is a great dish to serve that’s healthy, savory, and just starchy enough to be filling. 
• Green beans. While a green bean casserole may not be as common during Christmas, green beans almondine is quite popular this time of year. 

Popular Christmas Dinner Desserts

Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without a dessert! Some of our favorite desserts include: 

• Cheesecake. Cheesecake will be found on a large percentage of Americans’ tables this holiday, and is one of the most popular Christmastime desserts. Try a peppermint cheesecake to be extra festive. 
• Yule log. A traditional dessert that is served in multiple parts of the world is a yule log cake. Prepared to look like a wooden yule log, this chocolate cake filled with mascarpone whipped cream is quite tasty. 
• Christmas pudding. A Christmas pudding isn’t exactly the gelatinous pudding that you’re used to in America; instead, “Christmas pudding” is a British dessert that’s more like a sponge cake or fruitcake. While British, it’s served in many American homes during Christmas. 
• Cookies. If you’re feeling a little whopped after all that holiday cooking and can’t fathom the idea of putting together a dessert on top of everything else, go with something simple—Christmas cookies are always a great option, and you can even buy a pack straight from the store. We won’t tell anyone. 

Get All Your Grocery Shopping Done at Nick’s of Clinton

At Nick’s of Clinton, we have everything you need for your entire Christmas meal, including your sides. Visit our location on Charles Parkway or call us with any questions at (301) 843-4825.