Feeding the in between

The days from Christmas to New Year’s can seem like a food purgatory as you wait a week for the next big party after indulging in a huge feast. What to feed everyone in this in-between time can be a challenge. There are leftovers, of course, but no one wants to eat the same thing for days in a row. The Guardian asked a handful of “practical wizards” what they would do and shared their advice.

Everyone agreed it was a good idea to follow up a heavy meal with something lighter, like a vegetable soup. Author Seema Pankhania suggests a roast parsnip and carrot soup, while chef Phil King looks to Italy for his idea of tortellini in brodo. Bonus points if you roasted a bird and use the leftover carcass to make stock. But as Ina Garten would say, store-bought is fine.

I’m a fan of grazing during this somnambulant period. Since a lot of people take time off to be with family and friends, routines are out the window. Meals get eaten at unusual times, so having nibbles that can be snacked on throughout the day is welcome. Charcuterie boards are wonderful, but it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Snacks of nuts, fruits, crackers, chips/crisps, and crudités can keep people satiated and add variety to meals that revolve around leftovers.