A Simple Guide to Christmas on a Budget

Written by Nessa Robins

Christmas, for many, is the most wonderful time of year, but it can also be the most expensive too. Presents, trees, decorations, and Christmas parties can all take their toll on the purse strings. With food taking centre stage at every get-together over the festive season, it can come with a price. However there are some ways to lessen that expense, by making dishes that can feed many mouths, without costing an arm and a leg!

Nibbles:

A few easy-to make nibbles are always a winning choice to accompany evening drinks. Most guests will arrive with their dinner behind them, so a few light bites are all that are needed. We have you covered with plenty of options. Our Emmental & Ham Puff Pastry Trees look beautifully festive, and if hosting after the big day, they can easily be made with thin slices of your leftover Christmas ham. Our Crostini with Brie and Roasted Grapes is easy to throw together at a moment’s notice of guests arriving and you’ll most likely already have the ingredients in your fridge or press. Baked Camembert looks so impressive, especially with a stack of crusty bread served alongside it, but it is both easy-to-prepare and inexpensive as a party snack.

Homemade Edible Gifts:

There is something wonderful about receiving a homemade gift; knowing a loved one has spent time, which is so precious these days, creating something lovely for you is truly special indeed. We have some delicious recipes you may like to try – our Cranberry & White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies would be perfectly placed in any house getting ready to welcome Santa; for the mincemeat-lover, our Mince Pie Bars would make for a lovely gift, and for someone who loves their cheeseboards, Maryanne Dalton’s Apple and Tomato Chutney would make for a perfect addition.

Christmas Mains:

It can be difficult to gauge how much meat we will need to see us through the few days of Christmas, but to avoid a mountain of leftover turkey and ham it can be useful to tell your butcher how many you will be feeding and they’re always more than happy to work out what size turkey and ham you will need. If you are catering for a smaller crowd, a turkey breast or crown would make for a good option. Check out our Roast Turkey Crown on a bed of Cranberry & Walnut Sourdough Stuffing. The crown allows for little waste, and this recipe is packed full of flavour.

Cooking the Christmas ham in the slow cooker is a great way to save a little space on the hob on Christmas Day. After poaching for hours in a flavoursome liquid, it’s covered in a sweet marinade and will only take about 30 minutes to crisp up nicely in the oven. The alcohol from the cider will have evaporated during the cooking process, but if you’d prefer to cook the ham without any alcohol simply add some extra apple juice in its place.

Sweet Glazed Slow Cooker Ham

Crowd Pleasing Desserts:

When feeding a crowd, desserts can often work out rather expensive to buy, so making something like a large trifle can be a good money-saving option. Our show-stopping trifle looks stunning, while only costing a fraction of the shop-bought variety. Likewise, a meringue wreath makes for an impressive dessert centrepiece, and will also go a long way in feeding many around the table. Not only that if you buy ready made meringue nests it is simple an assembly dessert

To enjoy a delicious Christmas, the food need not be extravagant, but with the help of our easy-to-make, budget-friendly recipes, you’ll have lots of lovely dishes to enjoy without breaking the bank. Happy Christmas!