Three alternative New Year’s Eve menus

The last meal of the year ought to be a special one, but after such an unpredictable and frankly unfathomable 12 months, it also seems fitting to serve up something with a twist. Here are some less conventional ideas that will provide a suitably unprecedented end to 2020.

Pudding platter

This is the final night of all-out indulgence before the 1^st January strikes and we all claim to be entirely new people with go-getting attitudes and impossibly healthy diets. Make the most of it by skipping the starter and main and heading straight for the dessert. It’s the perfect excuse for satisfying your sweet tooth, and those who really want to embrace the New Year’s Eve theme can also opt for boozy classics such as trifle, tiramisu or perhaps a lighter prosecco jelly. What better way to bid good riddance to the current year and welcome in the new one than a pudding night where you can fast forward to your favourite part?

Fakeaway feast

Many have taken advantage of this year to fine-tune their cooking skills, and this could be the perfect time to put this to the test and serve up a sumptuous spread. This doesn’t necessarily mean anything too obscure – in fact, a safer bet is recreating the classic takeaway favourites. Save money by cooking up your own curry buffet using authentic spices and recipes, fry up mouthwatering Chinese and Thai plates with fresh herbs or for a fun kitchen challenge that will get the whole household involved, make your own pizzas. You can be as experimental with the toppings as you want, or if you haven’t got on the bread wagon yet, try out making your own sourdough starter for the base. Those looking for last-minute inspiration could check out Chris Bavin’s recipe book Fakeaway: Healthy Home-cooked Takeaway Meals, available on kindle for instant download.

Decadent delivery

After a year like this, it might be a far more appealing prospect to just put your feet up and let someone else do all the hard work. The good news is that it’s easier than ever to order in, given that many restaurants have adapted specially to deliver their dishes straight to your door. On New Year’s Eve it’s about pushing the boat out, so for one evening look past your local joint to see if there is a fancier food box that will allow you to experience fine dining from home. Michelin-starred Ollie Dabbous is offering up a celebratory Hide at Home menu from the 31^st December to the 3^rd January, and similarly Arros QD is running throughout the festive period, delivering sharing boxes nationwide that are prepped by none other than three Michelin-starred chef Quique Dacosta. There are plenty of local options to choose from depending on your location, including Hakkasan in Mayfair – who will deliver across multiple households simultaneously so you can celebrate together virtually – and Lyle’s Provisions in Shoreditch.

Rosamund Kelby