Christmas is just around the corner, but this year’s festivities look set to be unlike any in recent memory.
The cost-of-living crisis has already made an impact on the north and north-east. Surging energy prices and rising inflation is making life difficult for thousands of families.
Charities and other bodies are racing to offer as much help as possible. Aberdeen City Council next month will distribute more than 14,000 gift cards to low-income households.
The £125 gift cards can be spent on items at nearly 300 Aberdeen shops, including food and clothing retailers.
Meanwhile, an Aberdeen charity is opening a new toy store in Bridge of Don packed with children’s toys, books and furniture in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
An urge to save money on Christmas dinner
As families across the region contemplate the month ahead – and the money they may feel obliged to spend – there is an understandable urge to keep Christmas spending to a minimum.
Outside of buying presents for family, one of the biggest expenditures over the festive season is Christmas dinner.
This can cause concern for people facing a winter of hardship. A report out this week revealed that two-thirds of adults in the UK are worried about being able to afford Christmas dinner.
According to the survey from the Salvation Army, many people are planning to use food banks to help supply their festive meal.
Food banks are growing in number ahead of Christmas, with some set up to help keep food on the table for hard-up families this December.
However, they are often a last resort. There are other ways that spending on Christmas dinner can be kept low.
To help anyone facing financial hardships, or even to offer a few ideas on how to cut down on unnecessary spending, we have put together a few simple ideas that could contribute to a merrier Christmas this year.
All of our suggestions on how to save money on Christmas dinner come from our readers. They were eager to give their advice when asked to contribute last week on social media.
We hope you can find something useful in the following hints and tips.
Cook food people will actually eat
The modern Christmas dinner is often an oven-cooked turkey with all the trimmings. Delicious for some, but not for everyone.
Every Christmas dinner table has at least one Brussels sprout hold-out, and cranberry sauce can divide the room.
So why not take the advice of reader Kay Dickson, who says her family tradition is to ask the children what they want?
“We have had cheese on toast, spaghetti bolognese, burgers, mince and tatties, chicken curry,” says Kay. “This year its lentil soup and spaghetti bolognese – with pigs in blankets and skirlie.”
Kay adds: “It’s about being together, not about a big expensive meal where a lot is wasted.”
Think outside the oven
Outside of washing machines and tumble dryers, ovens are the most energy-intensive kitchen appliances. These days, many people are using other methods to cook their food more efficiently.
“Try to cook as much as you can in things like slow cookers and air fryers as they use less electricity,” suggests reader Paula Bain.
The problem with this, of course, is not everyone has a slow cooker or air fryer. Buying one just to save electricity is not always cost efficient.
Keep it simple to save money on Christmas dinner
Jean Moir says: “We are not Delia Smith or James Martin. Basic food. No a la carte stuff.”
Jean is spot on. Some Christmas recipes call for all manner of ingredients when basic ones are all you need.
Meanwhile, Rachel Thompson suggests buying a turkey crown instead of a whole turkey to cut down on cooking time and waste.
Chicken instead of turkey
Who says it has to be turkey?
One reader suggests substituting chicken for turkey, which he says at Christmas is “a zillionth of the price”.
But if it has to be turkey, then Diane Main has a suggestion. Though we can’t recommend you follow it.
“Last year, my other half bought our turkey on Christmas Eve just before the shops closed – cost him £2.37. It tasted better because it was cheap!”
Make your own stuffing
Christopher Duguid has some money-saving advice.
“Make your own stuffing, like skirlie,” he says. “Just buy oats and some Trex at the supermarket.”
Go batch
Batch cooking is on-trend at the moment as the movement gains momentum during the cost-of-living crisis.
Cooking food in bulk is a great way to save money, and some batch dishes can taste fantastic.
What’s more, cooking ahead of time will save you from any Christmas Day kitchen nightmares.
Reader Keely Harper suggests checking out food influencer Batch Lady for some Christmas cooking tips.
“She will show you how to budget and how to start to prep for Christmas dinner right now, so it’s not all a fuss at the time,” adds Keely.
Got any other tips? Leave a comment in the box below.
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