Published October 29, 2026

Christmas dinner grocery list for 8 to 12

A prime rib dinner, the full shopping list, and a countdown from ordering the roast to carving it.

This list covers one Christmas dinner for 8 to 12 people: shrimp cocktail, a standing rib roast with jus and horseradish cream, Yorkshire puddings, three sides and a trifle. The dessert and sauces are made the day before, so on the day you're mostly watching a thermometer. It's sized for 12, with smaller amounts noted for 8.

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Check you have these at home

Most kitchens already have these. The amounts are what this dinner uses, so check before you shop.

Kosher salt (plenty: the roast is salted ahead) and black pepper
All-purpose flour (about 2 cups, for the Yorkshire puddings)
Ketchup (1 cup, for the cocktail sauce)
Olive oil
Ground nutmeg (a pinch, for the spinach)
Instant-read meat thermometer
Roasting pan with a rack
Two 12-cup muffin tins
A large glass bowl or trifle dish

The menu

Starter: Shrimp cocktail

Cooked shrimp with a quick cocktail sauce; nothing to cook

Main: Standing rib roast (prime rib) with jus

Salted two days ahead, then slow-roasted. The jus is made in the roasting pan

Side: Horseradish cream

Sour cream, horseradish and chives, made the day before

Side: Yorkshire puddings

Baked in the beef drippings while the roast rests

Side: Creamed spinach

Made on the stove from frozen spinach

Side: Honey-roasted carrots

They share the oven with the roast for the last hour

Side: Winter salad with pear and pomegranate

Something fresh next to the rich dishes; dress it at the table

Dessert: Raspberry trifle

Pound cake, vanilla pudding, raspberries and cream, made the day before

Your countdown

Times on the day are counted back from when you want to eat.

2 to 3 weeks beforeOrder the roast from your store's meat counter or a butcher: bone-in, one rib for every two guests. Ask for the first cut, with the bones cut off and tied back on. Buy everything that keeps: broth, pudding, jam, horseradish, frozen spinach, pound cake and raspberries.
Dec 22 or 23Pick up the roast and shop for the produce, dairy and shrimp. Many stores close early on Christmas Eve and most are closed on Christmas Day.
2 days beforePat the roast dry and salt it all over. Set it on a rack over a tray and refrigerate it uncovered.
Christmas EveMake the trifle so it sets overnight. Stir together the horseradish cream and the cocktail sauce. Move the shrimp to the fridge to thaw if it's frozen. Peel the carrots.
4 hours beforeTake the roast out of the fridge for an hour. Heat the oven to 350°F.
3 hours beforeRoast the beef, fat side up. An 8 to 10 lb roast takes about 2½ to 3 hours for medium-rare; a bigger one takes longer, so go by the thermometer.
1 hour beforeToss the carrots with oil, honey and salt and roast them next to the beef. Mix the Yorkshire pudding batter. Set out the shrimp cocktail.
At 135°FMove the roast to a board and cover it loosely with foil for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the oven up to 425°F, spoon drippings into the muffin tins and bake the Yorkshire puddings. Make the jus in the roasting pan with shallots, wine and broth. Make the creamed spinach.
ServeCut the strings, lift off the bones and slice. Dress the salad at the table. The trifle is waiting in the fridge.

Tips for Christmas dinner

Order the roast early

Rib roasts are in high demand in December, so call the meat counter ahead and order the size you want. Plan on one rib for every two people.¹ For 8 guests that's a 4-rib roast; for 12, ask for 6 ribs.

Ask for the first cut, and the bones tied back on

The first cut comes from the end nearest the loin and has a bigger, more tender center. With the bones cut off and tied back on, they act as the roast's own rack, and carving is just cutting the strings.

Choice is fine; Prime is a splurge

Prime has the most marbling and costs the most. Choice is what most stores carry and makes an excellent roast with the right temperature.

Salt it a day or two ahead

Salting early seasons the meat all the way through, and leaving it uncovered in the fridge dries the outside so it browns well.

Take it out early: it keeps cooking

For medium-rare, take the roast out at 135°F; it reaches about 145°F after resting 15 to 20 minutes. For medium, take it out at 145°F. Put the thermometer in the thickest part, not touching bone or fat.¹ USDA's safe minimum for beef roasts is 145°F with a 3-minute rest.²

Use the drippings twice

The fat in the pan bakes the Yorkshire puddings, and the browned bits make the jus. Don't wash the pan until both are done.

Ask about shellfish allergies

Shrimp is a common allergy. If a guest can't have it, set out a cheese board or a bowl of olives and nuts instead, and keep it away from the shrimp.

Keep the shrimp cold

Thaw frozen shrimp overnight in the fridge. Serve it on a platter set over ice, and put it back in the fridge within 2 hours.³

Make the most of the leftovers

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days.³ Leftover prime rib makes great sandwiches cold. To serve it warm, heat it gently in the leftover jus so it doesn't overcook.

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Sources

Cattlemen's Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association (Beef. It's What's For Dinner.), Beef Roasting Information, 2019: one rib for every 2 people, order ahead, bone-in rib roast times at 350°F, and when to take it out.
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, beef roasts 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Leftovers and Food Safety, refrigerate within 2 hours, use within 3 to 4 days.