Christmas: Foods

Think of Christmas foods and you probably think about cookies and maybe hot cocoa. But what about food that isn’t sugar-laden? What do you eat for Christmas that isn’t desserts?

Looking for Christmas dinner recipes online gives any number of options. Are there traditional Christmas meal foods?

In the United States, Christmas traditions come from a variety of cultures. This includes the food! 

A traditional Christmas dinner inspired by British culture might include a turkey (more traditionally, a goose) and a firm pudding soaked in alcohol. Potatoes and other vegetables serve as side dishes.

Also from historic England comes the Christmas ham. In Tudor times, this would have been a boar’s head. I would say there is more meat in a ham than in a head!

From Italy comes the Christmas Eve seafood dinner. Depending on where you live, you might not ever have associated seafood with Christmas, but for many families in the United States, the two go together without question.

Americans of Polish heritage might associate foods like borscht, mushrooms, fish, and perogies with Christmas. 

Mexico brings to the Christmas table tamales, roast pork, and a fruit salad.

There are many other cultures that influence what North Americans eat for the Christmas season. Still, there are a few common factors. 
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Christmas foods tend to be things that were historically expensive or cheaper alternatives to those expensive foods. A Christmas dinner tended to include one or more types of meat, many vegetables (out-of-season ones if you were rich), and lots of sweets and alcohol. 

If you’ve never had a Christmas food tradition but want to make one, consider your heritage, then experiment with traditional Christmas recipes from that country. Whatever your food restrictions and preferences are, there’s sure to be at least one recipe that you can make your signature Christmas dish.