‘Posh’ sandwiches that I can freeze.

But the ultimate treat for most children is to be allowed to make (or choose) their own ice cream sunday with sauces, cream and decorations.

We used to do this for my boys' birthday parties: plain vanilla ice cream, sauces and loads of sprinkles. The guests were delighted they could add as many toppings as they liked!
Then for some never-explained reason they used to stir it all together and call it "Granny Faggot's Mush." 🤷

Oh, by the way, the KISS principle has been the principle I run on, all my adult life.

Callistemon I am 80. I can see no reason why someone my age, unless they are ill, should not still be entertaining guests.

I will be hosting Christmas this year as usual, My mother had a busy social life, including entertaining visitors until she died, aged 85. the same applies tomost of my 80+ friends.

Used to freeze cheese and onion, ham sandwiches when doing a soup run … they went down very well, and they were a fussy bunch, but never tried other more exotic fillings 🤔

The supermarkets at Christmas are full of lovely buffet foods to help you to cheat!!

you can serve plates with cold meats, another with salads, have the tubs of tuna, egg and chicken mayo, have part baked rolls/baguettes/garlic bread, buy some of the party packs of the mini frozen items, the 4 trays of dips with breadsticks and doritos or tortilla chips. there is so many varietes of crackers and spreading cheeses or sliced cheeses, most of this can be prepared before hand, bread can be opened and put on a plate wth butter at the table if people want to make sandwiches., the only cooking you would have is the part-baked items.

I prepare fillings ahead tuna red onion cheese savoury etc then put out bread buns and I let them help themselves less waste as well

A friend who was 80 and still entertaining friends and family advised me about the KISS principle:
Keep It Simple, Stupid!!

And my advice would be ABS:
Anything But Sandwiches

This is really old-fashioned and the only sandwiches I've successfully frozen: pinwheel ham and creamed cheese which are toasted from frozen when required. This is the one time I will use white sliced bread. Make a filling of tinned luncheon meat/SPAM whizzed up with a tub of full-fat cream cheese & a smashed clove of garlic and or chopped chives. You should have a spreadable paste consistency. Cut the crusts off the bread a to form rectangular slices. Flatten a pile of the the bread slightly with a rolling-pin. Spread some the filling on the top slice, then peel it off and roll. Put to one side. Repeat until you've done the whole loaf. Now cut each roll into three small rolls. Place the individual rolls in a plastic freezer box and separate layers with greaseproof paper or kitchen foil. Freeze. When you need them place them on a tray for a few minutes while the oven is warming to 180C. Bake for about 10 minutes until they are toasty on top. Always very popular at parties. They look quite sophisticated arranged in concentric circles on a nice plate, and people seem to have no idea they are eating SPAM!

Sandwiches will not be worth eating if you freeze them. If the tradition in your family is for sandwiches, buy the usual bread and fillings and let everyone butter their own at the table.

Otherwise serve some of the other options suggested here.

If you do something different than usual, tell the family so befoerhand, so no-one is disappointed.

I used to do sandwiches salad etc on the day. I now go to my dil and I take homemade muffins and some pies sausage rolls etc her parents bring home made soup and biscuits and a Christmas cake and my dil does salad dips and meat. We all going to eat it so it’s only right we all chip in and do our bit. Having owned a subway shop I’ve never froze filled sandwiches you can freeze your bread and filling separately then fill on the day. But a freezer is frozen with water you going to get wet sandwiches if you try do together

When we were both working we always made sandwiches for our lunches and froze them - the cost of buying decent sandwiches x 2 every day in Central London was exorbitant. The bread/rolls had to be well buttered to stop any fillings leaking into the bread, no salad stuff , and wrap tightly in cling film/wax paper before putting into freezer bag. Sometimes I would just butter the bread and freeze that in the same way. They would be taken out and defrosted, filled, then rewrapped and left in the fridge ready for the next day.

how about providing wraps and fillings so people can make up their own.

No eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, or lettuce.

Elegran

Those you had must have been badly defrosted, ican. In the days when we had three teenagers in the house and I used to cook a roast every Sunday, I would slice up what was left over and put it into buttered rolls, separately frozen in small plastic (labelled) bags. Every few weeks, instead of a roast we would take out a selection of rolls with different fillings, let them defrost and have a picnic lunch. They were never soggy.

Rolls are slightly different although I prefer my sandwiches freshly made. I can't bear the ones you buy in shops which have tomato or something that leaves the bread soggy. It makes me yip. I can't help it. I have sensory aversions to food rather than disliking the taste. My daughter who is also the same but with different sensory problems would take baked bean sandwiches to school and love them. 🤢

Lots of ideas coming my way. I’ve always found that basic sandwiches freeze very well. Given the people I’m feeding and the space I have I like Norah’s idea of serving soup. I can put part baked baguettes through the oven when I bake off my scones on Boxing Day morning. Thank you all for your advice.

You were lucky Elegran. My granny's defrosted sandwiches were a sore trial. We'd have to have at least one each so as not to hurt her feelings but they were forced down.
I agree the meat and cheese platters with maybe sausage rolls and pizza (easily heated) plus baguettes and soup would be lovely.

Those you had must have been badly defrosted, ican. In the days when we had three teenagers in the house and I used to cook a roast every Sunday, I would slice up what was left over and put it into buttered rolls, separately frozen in small plastic (labelled) bags. Every few weeks, instead of a roast we would take out a selection of rolls with different fillings, let them defrost and have a picnic lunch. They were never soggy.

Yuck, sandwiches which have been frozen are horrible. I can't bear soggy bread which they invariably end up. I'd definitely freeze other things which can make up a good spread.

When my children were at school, all the sandwiches for packed lunches were made and labelled on a Sunday, they were frozen and each day they were taken from the freezer to take to school. They were always defrosted by lunch time and never soggy or spoilt.

Callistemon21

How old are members of the family?
If there are children old enough you could get a production line going in the kitchen when you return from the Panto. All the fillings ready in the fridge in advance, sliced bread, soften the butter in the microwave, get one buttering, one filling and cutting into fingers or triangles and another plating up.

Other foods, platters etc, could be in the fridge ready to serve.

Don't try to do too much yourself, it's your day to enjoy too

I agree, the children would probably love to help. Rolls or toast are less fragile so easier to butter, you can have meat, cheese, cucumber, tomato or whatever ready sliced for them to put in. Chopped egg can also be made in advance, perhaps with a pot of cress to cut and add?
My grandchildren love hot dogs, the sausages can be pre-cooked and microwaved if you want to have them hot. Adding sauces and mustard is half the fun.
Fairy buns keep well and could be left undecorated so that the children could add icing, buttercream and decorations.
If you have an oven with a timer you could set it to preheat before you get back then cook big pizzas for everyone to share when you get back.
Another favourite in our house is scotch pancakes which you can buy or make in advance.
But the ultimate treat for most children is to be allowed to make (or choose) their own ice cream sunday with sauces, cream and decorations.

bread slices and baps freeze well and thaw quickly so why not just make the sandwiches on the day? best to freeze bread slices separately so they dont stick together.

I’d freeze the ingredients and have bread fresh then make up night before.

teabagwoman, I've always needed help - unless they want to wait three hours, that is - with a big family and houseful of relatives there's often twenty plus people around.

I don't think I've ever asked, they just offer. Everyone gets exactly what they want if they can help themselves.

CanadianGran, yes, the slow cookers - with vegetable chilli and chickpea curry - very popular.

Perfect Callistemon. I fancy that right now!