Cheap food suggestions for Xmas please?

[Lottie4]

I really need to cut back on the amount spent on food this xmas. Just wondering if anyone can give me any tips - we have DM and DIL on two separate days for coffee & mincepie, lunch & tea including pudds. Also, will probably have another family around for tea and then others popping in to exchange presents so would be nice to offer a drink & something to nibble on.

I thought about a large pack of sausage rolls and value biscuits (which we eat ourselves, and no one will know if they don't see the packs). Other than cooking meals from scratch, I'm not really into baking.

Go to Aldi for stollen bites! Or Lidl for cheap,Xmas treats.

Thanks for that. Aldi isn't near us, but passing tomorrow so will check out.

Stollens good because it's quite rich so you cant eat too much of it. The big ones are cheap in aldi and look nice.

I wonder if iceland do big bags of vol au vent type things you can just bung in the oven.

Actually the big bags of nuts in aldi are good too, more filling than crisps.

Luckily some people get tired of all the rich food and will happily have a custard cream with a cup of tea.

Aldi also have some essentials range mince pies (don't know what they taste like) and if you want to start getting in stuff for your Christmas dinner they also have Christmas puds £1.99 serves 4 or £3.99 serves 8. Also some frozen turkeys and British frozen turkey crowns in of different sizes. Also have a slab Christmas cake you could cut into slices on a plate and offer maybe with some cheaper biscuits to eke it out. Savouries they do peanuts and cashews in essentials range, also tortilla chips basics for about 40p big bag. Also mixed savoury bics snack pack.

If you have to cook lunches for both, you can save on the expensive meat, by doing lots of veg which will be cheaper and you can do them in advance. Do red cabbage and pureed parsnips and freeze to pad out the meat. You can make stuffing balls in advance and freeze and all the extras will mean you have to cook less meat.

Cheese straws. 1 pack of puff pastry - roll it a bit thinner than ready rolled. Scant sprinkle of cheese. Fold it in half lengthwise. Brush with egg wash. cut into strips twist and put on a baking tray Pop in oven at 180C until they are a nice golden colour.
Cost £1.50 Looks very Waitrose. To complete the ruse buy a pint of milk and cough up 5p for a carrier. Leave in strategic but not too obvious place.

Could you ask your family to bring a dessert with them? This is the norm within my family and friends.

Your family may be more generous, but my Mum is the only one who'll bring something. We're not too fussed about having tea if we've had a big meal, so we just literally put the bare minimum out for tea - bread, sausage rolls, crisps, anything else I can spare and don't do anything sweet after. I always say there won't be much for tea, so if you'd like to bring anything you like, but no one does. What I'm saying is don't feel you have to put a massive spread on.

People always reckon a chicken goes a long way. If not, have what you want Xmas Day and sausages or a pie with your veggies Boxing Day. For tea, a large pack of sausage rolls are fairly cheap. We like Tesco value tortillas which are 48p a bag, Tescos also do value cheese. You can add ordinary bread slices and something like tomatoes and cucumber (in Lidl both are regularly below 50p). Look for mince pies on offer and as said before value biscuits will add if you want to serve something sweet.

How many people each time are you talking of?
It could be done cheap with a bit of planning. Stocking up now.
Add £1- 2 with of bits to your shopping, a pack of crisps, a pack of mince pies etc.
For lunch, pork is cheap at the minute. - loin gets a good cut, 1kg will get 4-5 portions and is £4/kg at Morrisons now. Freeze it.
Chicken thigh fillets in a casserole dish with a jar of sauce - honey & mustard chicken tonight thing?
1 bag of frozen roasties, carrot & broccoli.cheap yorkies??
Serve lunch at half 2 they'll not want much for tea, sandwiches - tinned tuna or egg Mayo any shredded pork bits with apple sauce Mayo. Packs of pate are 60p with toasted crusty roll pickles & cheese. Only offer cheddar.
For dessert, mince meat slice. 1 pack of pastry (or homemade) line a tin top with 1 cooking apple mixed with half jar mince meat top with a crumble mix 4oz flour,2oz butter and a bit of sugar & bake. With custard.
Get your mum to bring a cake/dessert.
What else?

Love this thread! Thank you OP

Another thought, for your drop ins, couple of packs finger rolls, homemade pigs in blankets, with chipolatas & cheap streaky bacon. I keep these Xmas week, no one ever refuses.
Also, 3 for £10 offers at the minute in TESCO include whole chickens, freeze them till then.

DM & MIL - tea maybe you could just do a few sandwiches with cheap fillings, ie eggs, tuna from Lidl, value cheese, sausage rolls or similar and crisps. I certainly wouldn't bother with any kind of pudding to go with tea.

For others that are coming around to exchange presents, a cup of tea and a selection of value/basics biscuits will be fine - goes further than a pack of mince pies for the money and you should have some left!

For the family you've got coming over for tea, tell them you're keeping it simply just x y & z as everyone will need a break from over excessive eating, and then go onto politely say if there's anything else they'd like for their family they are welcome to bring it - hint, hint!

I've just had a look on the Aldi website! So much inspiration for Christmas food. Last year we had a really tight budget so we did a small buffet style tea which consisted of:

Mini jacket potatoes with cream cheese filling. (Just need a bag of new potato's and your filling)
Sausage rolls (just the frozen ones)
Sliced Garlic bread with melted mozzarella and a cherry tomato (value garlic bread & mozzarella)
Tesco value Yorkshire puddings with a tiny bit of roasted poultry, stuffing & cranberry sauce in each.
Tea cakes.
Fruit salad

Everyone loved it! And it was so easy to do & very frugal. I'm doing the same this year too.

Even if you're not into baking making your own mince pies is really easy and way cheaper than shop bought. Shortcrust pastry is quick and easy - I like the recipe in Nigella Christmas. Can also top some with Marzipan

99p stores and Poundland do loads of Christmas stuff: boxes of pretzels, After Eights, good branded crisps (eg Kettle Chips) tubs of nuts, olives etc.

Lidl does unbelievably cheap chocolates, biscuits, nuts, deli meats.

Use frozen pastry (or fresh - sometimes cheaper) and a jar of value mincemeat cut with grated apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon which makes three dozen delicious mince pies for about £3-4.

On Christmas Day have chicken. We usually do. It's juicier and a fraction of the price of turkey.

Collie I love your idea of mini baked potatoes. Going to use that this Christmas.

Just had another thought - keep your eyes open for offers on things you might want. For me, I know mince pies, turkey breast, pickled onions, party bites are usually on offer at some point, party bites.

I was going to suggest Poundland / Poundworld type places too. Loads of nice biccies / sweets / savoury crisp type things

Sometimes the poundshop packs are smaller than regular shops, be careful.

You could try and catch your own dinner? Rabbit or maybe a duck? Go scrumping after the farmers have been harvesting they always leave loads in the fields usually the odd shaped veg bit late but chestnuts can be widely found for free.