No time or skill to prepare a holiday meal? These Ozarks restaurants have you covered

Holidays are stressful enough without the added anxiety of planning and executing an entire feast. If you’re not feeling up to being in the kitchen at all, check out our article on restaurants that will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

But, if it’s your turn to host family and friends and you just don’t have the time — or skill — to pull off a meal that looks like it came straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting, don’t worry.

Here are some options for meals that you can serve up without the stress. These are all heat-and-eat, so if you start preparing them before guests arrive, you can pretend you’ve been slaving over the hot stove all day and Aunt Edna will be none the wiser. Just make sure to hide the receipt.

  • Both Billy Gail’s , 1882 W. James River Road in Ozark, and Flat Creek , 772 US-60 in Republic, are open on Christmas Day. But if you’d rather eat at home, both sell a Christmas dinner that will feed up to 10 people. For $199, the dinner includes a carved pineapple-glazed ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, green beans, garlic buttered rolls, classic stuffing, cranberry sauce and your choice of pie. The package comes with serving pans and utensils, too. The meal is available Christmas Day through Dec. 29 and people should call Flat Creek at 417-732-5441 or Billy Gail’s at 417-582-2600 to reserve meals.
  • Cracker Barrel , 2858 N. Glenstone Ave., will be closed Christmas Day but offers plenty of catering options for meals. Don’t want to cook Christmas morning? Pick up a heat-and-serve French toast bake ($20.99, serves four to six) or loaded hash brown casserole ($21.99, serves four to six). However, if you’re looking for the “Holiday Heat N’ Serve Feast” — sugar-cured ham, dressing, gravy, cranberry relish, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, apple streusel pie and pecan pie that serves eight to 10 people for $179.99 — or the “Holiday Heat N’ Serve Family Dinner” — sugar-cured ham, dressing, gravy, cranberry relish, macaroni and cheese, green beans and yeast rolls that serve four to six people for $119.99 — you’ll want to take a trip to the Branson location, 3765 W. Highway 76. According to the website, not all locations offer a full catering menu.
  • Curley Que Barbecue , 1450 E. Sunshine St., is offering a variety of holiday meals folks can pick up between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dec. 23. One meal option at $129, which serves 10 to 12 people, offers a choice of smoked ham, whole smoked turkey or smoked turkey breast and includes twice-baked potato casserole, homemade creamed corn and homemade rolls. Another option is a whole smoked brisket with twice-baked potato casserole, homemade creamed corn and homemade rolls for $219. To place an order, visit their Facebook page.
  • While Hy-Vee is closed on Christmas Day, you can order a holiday meal and pick it up at 2150 E. Sunshine St. or 1720 W. Battlefield Road prior to Christmas. Place orders online or call 417-444-6860 for the Sunshine Street location or 417-881-1950 for the Battlefield Road location.
  • HoneyBaked Ham , 1416 E. Battlefield Road, offers a variety of holiday meals with both ham and turkey available for pick up. The location is closed on Christmas Day, so you will need to pick up your meal ahead of time. Order online at www.honeybaked.com/storepickup/family-meals . Store phone number is 417-886-4778.
  • King Food Saver has a choice of holiday dinners , including one that serves four to six people for $79.99 and one that serves 10 to 12 people for $115.99. Both dinners include a choice of ham or turkey, choice of sides and choice of dessert. Order 48 hours in advance.
  • Price Cutter is offering a choice of holiday dinners , including one that feeds four to six people for $89.99 and one that feeds 10 to 12 people for $129.99. Both dinners include a choice of ham or turkey, choice of sides and choice of dessert. Order must be placed at least 24 hours in advance.

Story continues

TRENDING NOW

LATEST LOCAL NEWS