Ho ho how to save on Christmas dinner

Whether it’s turkey or something different, there are plenty of ways to save on Christmas dinner this year

If we’re celebrating Christmas, we’ll want to get the food right. But that doesn’t mean we can’t save on Christmas dinner.

There are lots of ways to avoid spending a fortune.

Here’s a Quids in! guide outlining how to save on Christmas dinner – and where to shop for it.

Why not kick off Christmas dinner with a delicious, easy starter?

Marks & Spencer’s Outdoor Bred Garnish Selection offers a lovely mix of fresh for 8 people at just £14.
Or, for something a bit different, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference King Prawns in Duvets are a real treat—succulent prawns wrapped in golden, crispy pastry for a luxurious start to the meal. Serves 8 for £5.25.

Meat –

If we’re going for turkey, consider buying frozen (if we have a freezer). We can buy one right now for peace of mind. A whole frozen turkey costs from £13.49 for a small bird to £17.79 for a large one (Aldi). Or if our family prefers the white meat, Iceland’s Luxury Easy Carve turkey crown serves six to eight and is £26.
Iceland have pulled together an entire frozen Christmas dinner to serve four for £25.
Or try a turkey thigh joint. An 850g stuffed joint from Aldi costs £11.99 and serves four. It’s fresh, so will be in stores from 19 December.
It doesn’t have to be turkey! Lots of other dishes have become quite trendy in recent years. A slow cooked shin of brisket of beef with red wine gravy to serve three people costs £10 from Co-op (available 11 December).

Pescatarian, Vegetarian and Vegan-

Go fish! Tesco will be offering their Scottish Salmon Plait for six at £18 and Lidl have a frozen three-fish roast for £6.99.
Or try a veggie dinner – it’s come a long way from nut roasts. From vegan mushroom Wellington, £6 from Asda (serves four), to a mushroom and chestnut festive wreath, £5 from Tesco (serves six), it can be a great way to trim costs.

The Taste the Difference Golden Forest is available from Sainsbury’s for £15 (650g, serves 9), featuring a golden Belgian blonde chocolate mousse with white chocolate-coated biscuit balls and a ginger-spiced caramel centre. Available from 20 December.

And what’s Christmas without some mince pies? Lidl is selling 6 Salted Caramel Crumble Mince Pies for £3.29, or better yet, buy two for £5. Serve warm with some cream and keep everyone smiling…including our banks accounts!

Buy reduced items early and freeze them for Christmas. Stock up on discounts now to save later.
Cook from scratch where possible. It’s cheaper and lets us use up leftovers.
Use vouchers, points, and coupons. Check loyalty cards for any deals we’ve built up.
Stick to our usual supermarket. Fancy packaging doesn’t mean better food.
Ditch the Christmas crackers. Simple decorations like candles or greenery can look just as festive.

Image: Tim Douglas / Pexels

_{Updated December 2024.}