How to save money on Christmas dinner

How to save money on the Christmas feast

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the magnificent feast – picture piles of steaming hot roasties, succulent turkey with pigs in blankets (or nut roast, of course), buttery veg and lashings of gravy. But, there’s no denying that it can be one of the most expensive bits of the day. So, we asked some personal finance bloggers about the best ways to save money without scrimping on fabulous food.

1. Homemade is where the heart is

Sian, a blogger from The English Everygirl, has a few ways to save both time and money. "We make our own Yorkshire puddings and freeze them all the time! It’s cheaper than buying ready made ones too." She also suggests buying a turkey crown, instead of a full bird – in her words, it’s less wasteful (unless you’re making stock, of course). Thanks, Sian!

2. Cut costs, not flavour

Fiona Hawkes from Savvy in Somerset has some amazing tips surrounding reduced food. Here are three of our favourites:

Cheese actually freezes really well, so stock up before cheese board season is in full swing.

Party food, like mini quiches and mozzarella sticks, are perfect for when the Christmas buffet rolls around.

Pastries are fantastic for festive morning brunches, freeze well and can usually be found for really reduced prices in most supermarkets near closing time.

3. Plan ahead

Shoestring Cottage blogger, Jane, reminds us; "It’s only one day! Only buy what you know you can reasonably eat and plan how you are going to use any leftovers." With meal planning, you can think ahead about all that leftover turkey in advance (whether for a curry, sandwich or salad) and save on waste.

David from Money for Monday agrees. "It can be tempting to get in extra just in case you have visitors but this might end up being wasted if those items have a short shelf life."
Christmas cupcakes

4. It’s all in the list

Alieshia, a personal finance blogger, makes a good suggestion for avoiding overspending in Sainsbury’s. "Make a list and shop online to avoid all the extra temptations. After all, who can go into a supermarket and come out with JUST what they went in for? Not me."

5. Buy what you love best

Faith Archer, personal finance journalist and blogger at Much More With Less, says; "Ditch festive food you don't like. Don't buy stuff like nuts, dates, sprouts and even Christmas pudding if nobody actually enjoys them!"

We’re all guilty of buying food ‘just because it’s Christmas’, or even to please guests, with little thought about what happens if it goes uneaten. Spending less on what you don’t like, means spending more on what you do like – and that’s a Christmas win in our book. For more Christmas spending and saving inspiration, head over to our blog, or take a look at our other festive articles, like how to save for Christmas. We’ve also got some great tips on saving money fast, and of course, our Customer Advocates are on hand to help you with any questions you might have about Beehive Money savings accounts.

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Bloggers’ tips to save on Christmas food