The holiday season gets into full swing this week, with many workplaces closing down for the festive season and celebrations beginning in earnest.

When you think of Christmas Day itself though, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For some, it might be presents, or time with family, but the centrepiece of the day for many of us will be a delicious Christmas dinner.

If you’re cooking for several guests and do Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, costs can quickly tally up – but there are a few canny things you can do to keep your Christmas meal affordable and delicious too.

Plan ahead and make a list of what you need

Before going down to the shops, take some time to plan exactly what you want to serve up on Christmas Day, with a comprehensive list of all the ingredients you’ll need. This will help you avoid overspending and impulse buying of other treats and things you can do without.

Consider trying ‘wonky’ vegetables

Most shops and supermarkets now sell ranges of vegetables they label as ‘wonky’. It means that it might be bigger, smaller, or a different shape or size to the vegetables you’d usually buy, but they’re just as fresh and delicious. These ‘wonky’ varieties are often considerably cheaper! You can pick up most of the trimmings like potatoes, parsnips, carrots and more in the range.

Buy the right amounts

Whether you’re catering for just yourself or a table full of guests, it can be tricky to get the amount of food you’ll need right.

If you’re buying a turkey, allow around 500g per person. If you’re buying a smaller bird, you could add bulk with stuffing and extra servings of vegetables. Buying vegetables loose can be cheaper than buying big bags, while buying cuts of cheese or meats from the deli could also save money. You’re more likely to buy exactly what you need this way, saving on waste.

Christmas meal guide (per person)

Turkey crown - 2-2.5kg (feeds 6)

Roast potatoes - 250 grams

Stuffing - 100 grams (2 or 3 balls)

Brussel sprouts - 80 grams

Carrots - 80 grams

Pigs in blankets - 2 or 3 (optional)

Gravy - 125 ml

Make the most of what you buy.

If you’ve been careful with your shopping list, you hopefully will have roughly what you need, but you may find you have leftovers anyway. Turkey and stuffing sandwiches are a classic Boxing Day staple, but there are lots of recipes online, offering up creative ways to use what remains of your Christmas dinner. The further you can stretch these leftovers, the more money you’ll be saving.

Go to www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/christmas-leftovers-recipes for some great recipes to use up those vegetables and cold meats if you have any leftover.

Think about how you cook your turkey

If you have a slow cooker, they have much lower wattage than ovens and gas hobs, so even if you use them for longer, it’s still more energy efficient. Plus, it saves time! Air Fryers are very popular now and for good reason! Think turkey with crispy skin but still moist inside. You can cook the turkey with the vegetables underneath at the same time, or cook separately, which takes a similar time to cooking them on the hob. Don’t forget your microwave either! The cooking time is similar to that of boiling vegetables, but you have saved boiling the kettle, saving both time and energy.

Think about shopping somewhere different this Christmas

First, take a moment to consider whether you could support a local business. Local produce from our greengrocers, butchers, shops and markets is usually very competitively priced and they value your support and offer a personalised service. However, if you are planning to do your Christmas shop in the supermarkets, Which? has provided useful information on which is the most affordable supermarket for a Christmas dinner shop. They found that Aldi was the most affordable option for purchasing a whole Christmas dinner. Lidl came in a close second, with ASDA finishing in third place, followed by Tesco, Sainsbury’s then Morrisons. Waitrose proved to be the most expensive. Read the article at: https://bit.ly/3Wt2MOU

The shopping list for the ‘Christmas dinner shop’ included turkey, a stockpot, potatoes, parsnips, red cabbage, carrots and sprouts.

Cllr Tony Leech, lead member for cost of living, said: ‘Christmas is a time for families but it can also be extremely stressful when money is tight. Being responsible for not only the pressure of buying gifts but the increasingly expensive cost of food and energy, makes cooking Christmas dinner another unneeded worry for many people.

‘Having a few ways to reduce costs is always helpful and sometimes changing our habits is the way to save some money. If you can shop local, obviously that is the preferred method, as the local economy needs our support. Our local businesses offer good value for money and quality produce.

‘My Christmas is enjoyed quietly spent with my wife. We have a roast beef from a local butcher and a gammon bought from Lidl. Vegetables are sourced from a local producer, and any leftovers are used up throughout the week.

‘Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Let’s hope next year is a more prosperous one.’’

If you need help and support quickly and easily, the borough council has provided a directory of support services and charities operating in West Devon.

These include a list of warm spaces, support with mental health, addiction, abuse, neglect and violence and a host of other subjects, please go to www.westdevon.gov.uk/support-directory for more information

For support from Citizens Advice, visit their website here: https://ruraldevoncab.org.uk/our-services

All of these tips and tricks should help make Christmas dinner a bit more affordable this year. However you decide to spend your day, have a wonderful time. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!