How to cut the cost of making Christmas dinner

Christmas dinner is a time-honoured tradition, but it can also be a huge financial burden, especially with food inflation in the UK recently hitting an all-time high.

If you’re looking to save money on your holiday feast, here are a few tips to help you cut the cost of making Christmas dinner.

From finding cheaper cuts of meat to making use of deals and promotions, these tips will help you save money without compromising on quality. So read on and start planning your more affordable Christmas dinner today.

Make a list of all the dishes you want to make

With Christmas fast approaching, it’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy. When you consider decorations, buying gifts, social events, and time spent cooking, there’s just so much to do.

But taking time to pause for thought can really pay off. If you’re Head Chef of your Christmas celebrations, then tip number one is to take time to make a list of all the dishes you’re planning to cook for this festive feast.

Dishes don’t just appear from thin air – be sure to plan out all the ingredients you’ll need and create a budget while you’re at it.

With a bit of organisation, and some help from family in the kitchen, you could save both time and money. So before you get cooking, get planning.

Find recipes with similar ingredients to make food go further

Imaginative recipes and bulk buying are perfect partners in the kitchen. Saving money on ingredients by finding similar dishes that you can use the same – or similar – material for is a savvy way to cut down a lengthy shopping list.

Recipes provide an easy way to identify what ingredients you can buy in bulk, doing double-duty over several dishes so you don’t need to spend extra money.

Look at your favourite recipes, find the common threads between them, and save those pennies.

Cut down on the number of courses you’re making

At this time of year, when everybody seems to be enjoying the finer things in life, it’s easy to think you have to go all-out on your Christmas dinner, including multiple dishes – or even multiple versions of the same dish.

While it might seem like a good idea at first, it often ends in a lot of wasted food – not to mention wasted money. Yes, some people may have their preferences, but do you really need to make three different types of potatoes?

Don’t overdo it and make too much food. The key to successful cooking is knowing when to keep things simple. Cut down on the number of courses you’re making by selecting the ones that have a comparative edge so that your guests will be sure to remember them well into next year.

Compare prices for Christmas dinner ingredients

‘Tis the season for price comparison. The mad rush at Christmas often means our time is at a premium, but if you can carve out an extra half an hour here or there to do some research, you may be able to slash the cost of your Christmas dinner.

In our digital age, there are countless comparison websites to help you organise the best deal for your Christmas dinner ingredients, even as prices continue to inflate and shelves start to deplete.

Some supermarkets and suppliers charge more than others, often for the exact same products. So don’t get caught out paying over the odds for turkeys and toffee puddings – do your research and use price comparison websites to help ensure you get the best deals.

Try cheaper cuts of meat

A traditional Christmas dinner tends to be a festival of different meats: Turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, glazed ham, roast beef – the list could go on and on, and every household does things slightly differently.

But no matter what you’ll be carving on Christmas Day, there’s always the opportunity to make savings. When it comes to meat, there are so many different cuts available at a variety of price points.

For example, you can get a cheaper cut of beef such as chuck steak or shoulder for your roast dinner and save quite a bit of money compared to the traditional sirloin or ribeye.

Alternatively, try something more unexpected like pork shoulder or lamb neck. These cuts create the same sense of occasion as their more expensive counterparts, and the added fat content can actually make for a more flavoursome meal (with a much lower price tag).

Try ‘downshifting’

In a similar vein, there’s a new trend in town! ‘Downshifting’ seems to be the new buzzword going around, and for good reason – especially at this time of year.

In short, downshifting is the term given to the process of buying at a lower price level in the supermarket.

Often, UK supermarkets will stock at four separate price levels: Premium (Like Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range), Manufacturer (Big brand names like Heinz or HP), Own-brand (The supermarket’s version of manufacturers’ products), and Basic (i.e. Asda Smart Price).

Downshifting means moving from the rung you’re at currently to the one below, and there are benefits to be found. Avoiding opulent brands and opting for own-brand items makes a huge difference to your pocket without any noticeable differences in quality.

Downshifting is all about living simple, buying smarter and enjoying life’s basic pleasures. Try it for yourself and you may reap the rewards.

Use coupons and promotions to save money on ingredients

The holidays are a great time to use coupons and promotional codes to save money on your weekly shop.

Lots of supermarkets have special discounts and deals during the holiday season, so look out for them and take advantage.

Take some time to research different supermarkets and local shops in your area and compare prices. You can also check websites such as Groupon or RetailMeNot for coupons and promo codes.

Using coupons and promotions can help you save money on essential Christmas ingredients, so it’s definitely worth looking into.