Talk to me about online Xmas food shopping please!

[CourtAppointedHairdresser]

Where is good? Will the food I order actually show up or will half of it be out of stock on the day? How far in advance of Christmas do you get it delivered? Do you order everything from one place or do you split the shop?
I've been eyeing up Ocado, but any other suggestions appreciated, especially anywhere good for vegan snacks and non-vegan mains! We're in the south east of England so I think we're covered by most places although our local Tesco is very tiny.

You’ve missed the boat for the good slots
you’ll be lucky if you get one on 21st

I've always found Christmas deliveries very reliable with no missing items- they seem to take extra care. Haven't you missed most of the slots though?

Already? Oh no! I didn't know what date to pick so hadn't checked!

23rd so can go out 24th early if needed

My Ocado has the whole of December greyed out, I thought delivery slots hadn't been made available yet!

Ocado won’t even open to you without buying a smart pass

then when the holders have picked all the Christmas slot then they open up

not been opened up yet to non smart pass

waitrose - mine on 24th but I think now only 21st available

Ocado or Waitrose. Delivery on the 23rd so have the 24th to sort any missing bits.

Looks like Tesco slots haven't been released yet if that is of interest.

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/zone/christmas-delivery

@Razzle5 oh they've been pushing that smart pass as a way to save on delivery for Christmas, I didn't know it gave people first refusal on slots.

I shop with Morrisons because I have a delivery pass. I time my delivery so I’ve still got a day before Christmas Eve to go out and fill in any gaps if anything’s out of stock, so usually 22 December. Then, if there are a few bits missing, I only have to dash out to pick them up, rather than the bulk. I also order non-perishables over the course of October, November and December, especially to take advantage of special offers and avoid things selling out early.

Thank you I'll take a look.

I booked Waitrose for 23rd December, but all the slots for delivery were already gone (this was in October) so i've done click and collect. If any thing is missing i will go to aldi on 24th.
last year i got morrisons delivered and a lot was missing. I couldn't even get stuffing mix.

I book Tesco around 22nd of December. I get everything I need for a week but I don't get my veg and meat until 24th. I get that from marks and Spencer each year or our local butcher. Basically anything that means I don't have to go to the supermarket on 23rd or 24th. I then do the same over new year.

@hauntedvagina thanks, do you find that most of your shopping arrives that you've ordered?

Tesco slots haven't been released yet. Your order would probably come from a larger store further away (we have a small/medium tesco 3 miles away but our shopping comes from one 15 miles away).
Your more likely to have some substitutions over Christmas.
Always request a substitute.
With my Christmas shop I always go on the day before and anything out of stock I can swap.
Online delivery or not if I needed something none negotiable for Christmas and it wasn't fresh I'd buy it in the lead up to Christmas.
I've used tesco for years (and tried out some of the competitors) in my area tesco are the most reliable I'd ask if anyone locally knows which delivery companies are best a thread on here not long back showed lots of regional differences.
I'd also try it out before Christmas (online grocery shopping is not for everyone).

@TwoRockSalmonAndAHaporthOfChips oh that's a good idea! We don't have a huge amount of storage in the house but could probably add to the freezer in advance and maybe find somewhere to stow snacks to take the pressure off that last week.
@SpotlessMind88 They're already gone? Jeez. I had no idea they had to be booked so early!
@highvizjacket we usually got yellow sticker stuff on 23rd or 24th in our local Lidl or Aldi when we lived in Ireland, but it was a small town and no one really left it so last-minute, whereas now we've moved to such a busy part of England, I don't want to be driving or shopping so close to Christmas either if I can avoid it as it sounds like chaos!

Yup, cannot rate Ocado especially highly enough.

@Redambergreenforgo That would be ideal if they can bring it from a Tesco in the next town across, they have two massive ones! Good point about the non-negotiables, I think that's what's made me hesitate with doing an online shop, I'm a bit scared in case something like potatoes don't turn up! I had no idea there were regional differences but that makes sense, I'll maybe ask the neighbours. I know Ocado is hugely popular in our cul de sac as the van is always coming and going.

I usually book a Tesco delivery for 23rd December and a M&S collection for the morning of 24th. That way, anything that didn't come in the delivery can be picked up when collecting the M&S order.

M&S have collection slots open and Tesco are yet to release theirs, but I do have a delivery pass which allows first access

Keep checking for slots!

I managed to get a random Waitrose one for 8-9am Christmas Eve long after their slots had all booked! I also noticed a few Sainsbury's Christmas Eve ones were free the other day.

I have booked the 22nd so I can pop put on the 23rd and buy anything missing. I cook a lot on the 23/24 as we take all the food to my Dad's house and celebrate there, so the less I have to do on the day, the easier it is.

I've had a delivery pass for years - if you don't save money by having it, Sainsbury's refund you the difference at the end of the year.

You may get a late Waitrose cancellation, I did last year. I booked my slot for the 23rd this year about a month ago. I do have Tesco midweek deliver saver so will probably just get my regular Tuesday slot for that as most of the Christmas treats will come from Waitrose. Tesco prioritises delivery saver customers a week early so maybe not many slots left for non delivery savers

Yup, Ocado are great, but I'm a smart pass holder and was sent the code to book my Christmas delivery with them back in September!

I buy a few extra things that will keep for Xmas each time I shop. I book a slot for 22nd at Morrisons. Then if anything missing DH does a dash early on morning of 23rd.

I can suffer a bit with anxiety/overthinking things so this is probably a bit OTT but this is what I do:

Between now and Christmas I pick up non perishable things or start filling the freezer each time I shop. Just one or two things each week so could be Christmas pudding and some crackers for cheese, or stuffing balls and pigs in blankets that can be stashed in the freezer.

I then buy essentially a whole frozen Christmas dinner (but a nice one....not Aunt Bessies.) COOK are great for this as such good quality and all British/high welfare meat etc and put in the freezer. Turkey, potatoes, stuffing, veg, gravy, mince pies.... everything from there is great and comes frozen.

That way I know that if all else fails with things not arriving/can't get to the shops I have Christmas dinner sorted in the freezer. Usually everything is absolutely fine and I can get what I need delivered or click and collect fresh nearer to the 25th so we end up having the "back up" Christmas dinner as a big roast on New Year's Day.

Typing that out it sounds nuts but I do remember one year having to dash round Morrisons on Christmas Eve as the veg in my food delivery was definitely past its best and I vowed never again as it was so, so busy. So back up option in the freezer that then gets eaten another time is the way forward for me!