This Christmas may look a little different, with eight in 10 of us planning to slash our festive spending. Shoppers are expected to spend £4.4billion less on non-essentials in the run-up to the big day, retail forecasters say.
But there are plenty of ways to stretch your pounds in December. Here, in the first of a three-part Cost of Living Christmas savings special, we reveal how to chop your food bill – potentially by hundreds of pounds.
As supermarket prices surge, Oli Townsend, of MoneySavingExpert, says it’s about making careful choices before you get to the checkout. He said: “You may be tempted to buy the ‘finest’ foods for Christmas, but often that’s just marketing. Try ‘downshifting’ from branded to supermarket own-brand.
“Online tools like Trolley.co.uk help you to compare prices before you leave home. Also look out for special offers and discounted yellow-sticker items to pop in the freezer.”
For inflation-busting veg and booze prices, wait until a few days before Christmas, Oli says: “The last few years, supermarkets had a vegetable price war. If you’re a Baileys fan, look for supermarkets to reduce litre bottles down to £10 in the run-up to Christmas.”
Here we take a look at the best Christmas food and drink bargains.
Turkey crown
Pricey: Waitrose gingerbread stuffed bronze turkey crown 2kg-2.7kg – £58-£79 (£29/kg)
Bargain: Aldi Oakhurst medium British turkey crown 2-2.3kg – £15.49 (£6.74 per kg)
SAVING £63.51
Smoked salmon
Pricey: Fortnum and Mason organic smoked salmon – 300g for £35
Bargain: Aldi – 200g for £4.49
SAVING £30.51
Turkey joint
Pricey: Ocado, KellyBronze organic free range turkey breast Joint 1.25kg – £55
Bargain: Aldi Oakhurst basted turkey breast joint 800g – £5.29
SAVING £49.71
Pigs in blankets
Pricey: Heston three-bird pigs in blankets – 12 for £10
Bargain: Aldi – 12 for £1.99
SAVING £8.01
Roast potatoes
Pricey: Pierre Koffmann’s goose fat roast potatoes from Farmison & Co – 700g for £7.95
Bargain: Iceland luxury perfectly crispy roast potatoes – 1kg for £2
SAVING £5.95
Sprouts
Pricey : Ocado’s M&S Brussels sprouts with pancetta & chestnuts – 350g for £3.50
Bargain: Waitrose Essential frozen Brussels sprouts – 500g for 90p
SAVING £2.60
Vegan 'no-beef' wellington
Pricey: M&S 2 vegan no beef Wellingtons – 450g for £15
Bargain: Asda cranberry Wellington – 500g for £2.75
SAVING £12.25
Gammon joint
Pricey: Ocado Daylesford organic gammon joint – 1kg for £22
Bargain: Aldi Everyday Essentials unsmoked gammon joint – 1kg for £3.50
SAVING £18.50
Fruit cake
Pricey: Ocado M&S Collection jewelled fruit & nut cake – 755g for £20
Bargain: Lidl Belbake Deluxe premium non-iced Christmas cake – 907g for £4.99
SAVING £15.01
Yule log
Pricey: Daylesford organic chocolate orange yule log – £20
Bargain : Asda Just Essentials Xmas yule log – £1.85
SAVING £18.15
Prosecco
Pricey: Bottega Stardust from The Bottle Club – £70.99
Bargain: Tesco Bella Cucina / Aldi Costellore – both £6.49
SAVING £65.50
Crackers
Pricey: Gail’s seeded crackers at Ocado – 200g for £3.30
Bargain: Aldi Savour Bakes cream crackers – 300g for 40p
SAVING £2.90
Christmas pudding
Pricey: Ocado Daylesford organic Christmas pudding – 900g for £20
Bargain: Lidl Favorina large six month-matured Christmas pudding – 800g for £3.99
SAVING £16.01
Parsnips
Pricey: Waitrose Christmas honey & mustard parsnips – 600g for £5
Bargain: Tesco seasoned British parsnips – 600g for £1.60
SAVING £3.40
Stilton
Pricey: Paxton & Whitfield stilton jar – 250g for £21.75
Bargain: Aldi specially selected handmade Long Clawson mature blue stilton cheese – 454g for £3.99
SAVING £17.76
