what foods can i scrimp on?

[qazxc]

Is the lidl/aldi stuff just as good as m&s? Is there any taste difference between frozen turkey and poncey bronze turkey from butchers? Please come here and impart all your money saving tips esp for food,drinks and nibbles.

No advice sorry but I am definitely watching :)

Definitely go to lidl or aldi!

I do splash out on m&s sage and onion stuffing and their croquettes but so much nice stuff in aldi and lidl

I bought a box of lidl fudge last week, as I had seen it recommended here and it was gorgeous - didn't last a day in our house and that's quite rare. It was the irish cream version and was only £1.20 a box! Loved it so much I'm going to stock up tomorrow and buy lots of people a box for Christmas

Lidl mini stollen bites are gorgeous, as is their panettone. Nicer than waitrose, imo.
I maybe slightly addicted to lidl

Oh Smile - I have to resist the urge to buy the Stollen for a few weeks yet, or it will all go and I think the fudge has been bad enough, but I too love all things lidl

The Aldi frozen turkey crown is lovely and only £9.99.

That's good to hear Bassetfeet. It's on my list but have never had it before.

They are delish aren't they? The only trouble with lidl I found last year is that all the festive stuff had disappeared the week before Christmas which is why I'm stockpiling it all now

For mince pies its much cheaper to buy a jar of decent quality mincemeat, and make your own pastry and make them rather than buy them.

If you get a frozen turkey but cook it properly - cover with bacon and buttered greaseproof paper and baste throughout cooking - then it will be fine.

i've just bought my christmas cards and a roll of wrapping paper from lidl, they look nice.
I am also baking a ham for tonight + sambos this week.
I also got a bottle of bucks fizz (beverage of choice when doing cards/wrapping presents/pre christmas dinner drink), as i recall it was as good as any other.
Will stock up on chocolates next week.

The cheese, cold meats, panetone, stollen biscuits and chocolate are great from Aldi and Lidl. Last year we bought most of the Christmas stuff from Lidl with a few extras at Waitrose like some weird chutneys, oils, vinegars and pate. We normally get the veg and roasting meat from Morrisons or Tescos.

I'll buy everything from Aldi tbh but we're not massively fussy about meat so if you are, I'd splash out on a decent turkey and scrimp on the extras esp sweet things as Aldi/ Lidl's are better IMHO.

As a general rule aldi is amazing for anything fresh. More processed/pre made I'd not scrimp on.

Waitrose Cranberry mincemeat is worth it for making your own mince pies.

I bought a salmon en crout from Aldi for 3:99ish very nice it was too.

Can anyone recommend someone on fb who makes really nice personalised bunting?

I want for dd1s new bedroom

Wrong thread!

TBH I am sure a top range turkey from top butcher will be lots better!

But I am going to try the Lidl goose this year if I can get it of course I hate the way their stock works.

I am scrimping on main meat anyway...will probably get some stuffing from m and s, and maybe a show stopping pudding from them....and gravey the rest the usual...

We had some of the lidl party food as part of dd birthday buffet my bf & dcousin were both stood by the table munching away saying how lovely everything thing was and I must have gone to m&s! (They are both snobs!) Dh said their faces were a picture when told it was lidl! I will definitely be stocking up for Xmas!

I also tried the stuffing I think it was apple sage and onion it was lovely !
Last year I did half and half lidl & m&s this year will be solely lidl I don't see the point on spending loads more especially as it's soooooo tasty!

Aldi smoked salmon is better than Sainsburys/tesco - more big pieces and less scrappy bits. Their champagne won taste tests and is about £12 a bottle too.

They do a good own brand version of Toblerone and their value dark chocolate is excellent for baking with.

I've not got anything of interest to add but I'm very interested to find out if aldi/lidl cook from frozem christmas joints are any good. I'm being banned from cooking turkey so want something different to beef or chicken.

We've had the Aldi frozen turkey crown for the last 2 Christmas dinners, and it was delicious.

Binglet I have tried the Christmas joints but the duck is always lovely from lidl if you fancy that

Oooh thank you both!! I might just bite the bullet and pick something next time I'm there!

I've tried one of those birds in bird thingies in the past and it wasn't great.
Had some Aldi buck's fizz and it wasn't great either. The florentines though are gorgeous and highly addictive, lovely for a nibbly thing to go with after dinner coffee.

Taste test
Last year I bought the frozen turkey crown £9.99 from Aldi - the staff there said it was excellent - much better than the fresh (more moist)
I then bottled it and bough a Waitrose turkey crown (half price Xmas Eve - not free range, just their normal one). I cooked both. the general consensus was that there wasn't much difference. Knowing which one was which, I thought the Waitrose one tasted more meaty.
I will be buying from Aldi this year!! With fatty streaky bacon and butter smeared on top it'll be great! I am Cordon Bleu trained as well!!