Part 3: Your guide to a stress-free Christmas

This season I promise to spend with intention, waste less and more time enjoying the celebration.”

Bake ahead (simple, freezer‑friendly)

Food-safety tip: Cool baked goods quickly before storing. Avoid stacking warm items – they trap heat and moisture, inviting mould.

Shortbread and spiced cookies

• Choose recipes that freeze well. 
• Bake, cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers. 
• Thaw at room temperature before serving.
• Cooling rule: cool hot foods 60 °C → ≤ 21 °C within 2 h, then ≤ 5 °C within 4 h before refrigerating/freezing. 
• Use shallow trays.

Mini pavlova shells

• Whip and bake now.
• Store in airtight tins.
• Add cream and fruit on Christmas Day right before serving. 
• Keep dairy ≤ 5 °C and avoid overloading shelves—airflow keeps food safely cold.

Make‑ahead toppers

• Toast coconut, crumble biscuits, pre‑slice fruit and chill. 
• Cold toppings reduce “bench time” in the danger zone (5–60 °C).

Chill Drinks Without Overloading the Fridge

• Move soft drinks and water to an esky with ice packs. This frees fridge space for seafood and salads.
• Pre-chill wine and sparkling water in the fridge now, then transfer to an esky on the day.

Wrap with what you have – zero‑waste wrapping ideas

Use brown paper, old maps, or fabric scraps for wrapping. Tie with string or ribbon saved from previous gifts. Add a sprig of rosemary or a dried citrus slice for a natural touch.

Fabric wraps (furoshiki)

Wrap with scarves, tea towels or fabric offcuts and tie with knots – no tape required.

• choose a square cloth
• place gift diagonally
• fold near corner over
• fold far corner back
• tie the two side corners in a square knot on top.

Brown Paper + Natural Accents

• Reuse old paper bags or butcher’s paper.
• Decorate with sprigs of rosemary, eucalyptus leaves, or dried citrus slices.
• Secure with saved ribbon or twine.

Jars & containers

• Perfect for homemade treats or bath salts.
• Add a handwritten tag and a fabric topper from scrap material.

Maps, magazines, calendar pages

• Repurpose old road maps or glossy magazine pages for a unique look.
• Pair with string or raffia for a rustic finish.

Plant-Based Tags

• Cut tags from cardboard boxes and decorate with pressed flowers or leaves.

Food‑safety quick wins for our summer

• Keep cold foods ≤ 5 °C and hot foods ≥ 60 °C.
• Use the 2‑hour/4‑hour rule for anything that leaves the fridge:
  < 2 h → re‑chill; 2–4 h → serve now (don’t re‑chill); > 4 h → discard. (Time is cumulative across prep + service.)

Week 3 Shopping Checklist

Fruit

• Lychees – 500 g (fruit platter/snacks)
• Watermelon – 1 small (fruit platter/snacks)
• Rockmelon – 1 (fruit platter/snacks)
• Passionfruit – 3 (dessert garnish)
• Avocados – 2 (ribbon salad)
• Grapes – 1 bunch (fruit platter/snacks)
• Nectarines – 3 (fruit platter/snacks)
• Peaches – 3 (fruit platter/snacks)
• Plums – 3 (fruit platter/snacks)
• Cherries – 250 g (fruit platter/snacks)
• Bananas – 3 (fruit platter/snacks)

Vegetables

• Sweet corn – 3 cobs (salsa)
• Tomatoes – 2 (roast ahead for galette or salsa)
• Capsicums – 3 (roast ahead for galette or charred veg)
• Cucumbers – 2 (salad sides)
• Zucchini – 2 (galette or roast veg sides)
• Eggplant – 1 (roast veg sides)
• Beans – 200 g (salad sides)
• Lettuce – 1 head (crisp salad base)

Herbs

• Basil – 1 bunch (galette garnish and salads)
• Mint – 1 bunch (garnish kits and drinks)
• Coriander – 1 bunch (salsa and garnish)

Pantry

• Sponge fingers or plain biscuits – 1 packet (icebox cake base)
• Coconut cream – 400 ml can (icebox cake filling)
• Flour – 2 cups (pastry for galette and cookies)

Dairy

• Greek yoghurt – 1 cup (herb dip)
• Whipping cream – 600 ml (icebox cake and dessert toppings)

Drinks and Cooling

• Soda/sparkling water – 2 bottles (spritzers)
• end week 3 Block ice and ice bricks – enough to fill esky (pre-chill for Week 4)

Where to shop locally

• Kawana Waters Farmers Market (Birtinya) — Sat 6 am–12 pm, fresh produce, bread, cheese, plants. Website
• Yandina Country Markets — Sat 6 am–12 pm, big range of plants, local produce, deli. Website
• Fishermans Road Market (Maroochydore) — Sun 6 am–12 pm, community‑run, produce and preloved goods. Website
• Cotton Tree Markets (Maroochydore) — Sun 7 am–12 pm, artisan goods and local food. Website
• Caloundra Street Fair — Sun 8 am–1 pm, 120+ stalls, food, locally crafted homewares. Website
• Witta Market (near Maleny) — selected Saturdays (often 1st & 3rd), fresh produce and local makers. Check week’s date. 

See you next week for the final week of prep