Traditional Foods to Cook for Christmas

After spending the most part of the year studying, this is the time to enjoy with your family and prepare the best Canadian cuisines. Canada is known to have some of the most unique and tasty traditional Christmas dishes in the world. Below we’ll feature our top favorites so you can pick some and give your family a tasty treat.

Tourtière

If you love meat pie, then you should definitely try the French Canadian Tourtière. The main ingredients in this dish are pork and potato. The meat pie comes with a thick pastry made using lard instead of butter.

Nanaimo bar for dessert

This is the perfect dessert for the Christmas season. It looks tasty and has a rich, unique flavor. The recipe is quite simple and is ideal if you are looking for a chocolaty dessert.

Yule log sponge cake

This is a sweet sponge cake made with an amazing looking frosting that resembles a yule log. It’s super tasty and quite easy to prepare.

Mashed potatoes

There’s no home in Canada celebrating Christmas without mashed potatoes on their dinner table. If you go grocery shopping, choose russets or Yukon Gold potatoes since they are the best for mashing. Add some roasted garlic for a rich flavor and texture.

Fresh brussels sprouts

Looking for the perfect starter for your Christmas party, get some fresh brussels sprouts available in the farmers markets. Brussels sprouts are in plenty anywhere in Canada plus preparing a starter with these healthy ingredients is super simple. This could be the reason why it’s a common dish in most Canadian homes.

Salmon

You’ll probably not find turkey on Christmas tables in Canada but one thing that’s unlikely to miss out is salmon. A slice of fresh salmon is all you need to indulge in after Christmas shopping. Wild salmon, in particular, has a very fresh flavor so it’s easy to incorporate with different dishes and serve it as a main meal.

Cranberries

This is one of those ingredients that symbolizes Christmas in Canada. Everyone loves the richly colored cranberries. They are mostly grown in British Columbia and the Atlantic. You can use this to make a tasty sauce or have them in the dinner table where people can pick them and add to their meal.

Apple cider

Though apples may not be readily available during the Christmas season in Canada, apple cider is a great alternative which adults and kids love to indulge in because of its unique flavor. Most apple farmers will turn their apples into cider because it has a great market during the holidays.

Pierogis

These are popular among the people of the prairie provinces of Canada. When coupled with sour cream, they can be enjoyed in their sweet or savory form depending on the fresh produce you have on hand during this time of year.

Wild turkey

Wild turkeys are widespread in Canada and can be hunted on particular seasons. They are a better alternative to domesticated birds. Make sure you don’t overcook them when roasting because their meat tends to be a little dry.

When there is no desire to cook, you can always visit cafes and restaurants on campus.