With the cost of living rising, it’s no surprise that Aussies are searching for ways to enjoy a Christmas feast without breaking the bank, with Google searches for ‘budget Christmas’ up 161% in the past month. Budget meal kit delivery service, EveryPlate, prides itself in helping families across Australia enjoy quality, tasty meals at a low cost and this Christmas is no exception. Matching Australia’s Christmas favourites with top money-saving tips, Hannah Gilbert, Director of Culinary Innovation & Operations at EveryPlate has offered easy ways to cook up a feast without compromising on flavour this season.
Money-Saving Tips For Your Christmas Feast
- Plan your Christmas dinner menu
Think ahead and plan out your menu before you even start shopping. This way you can ensure you stick to a plan, budget well and are still guaranteed to create delicious dishes. Starting your food shopping with purpose allows you to take full inventory of what you already have and organises your spending.
- Make your Christmas food budget and stick to it
Consider where you want to splash a bit more of the cash and where you’re happy to save. Having a simple entree can help you leave space for the star of the Christmas feast, glazed ham. Giving yourself this incentive will make it easier to stick to your budget and stay to plan.
- Opt for budget ingredients
Make cheaper swaps when it comes to your ingredients so that you can stick to your favourite recipes at a fraction of the cost. Swap your olive garnish for jarred olives, buy only seasonal fruit, and refine your list of cheeses that you’re going to include, to avoid spending money on those fancier styles that no one ever eats!
- Use up your leftovers
Design a menu around food items you may already have. A Prawn cocktail is a great budget-friendly starter that can enhance every style of Australian Christmas meal. One that can be made using ingredients that you most likely have leftover in your pantry already: iceberg lettuce, tomato sauce, cream, lemon juice and Tabasco. Meaning you only need to spend money on the prawns. After the big day, you’ll often find yourself with leftovers so start thinking about ways you can enhance your meals beyond Christmas.
- Celebrate with the Seasons
With Christmas happening in the middle of summer, there are some great seasonal offers you can make the most of. Pair grilled protein with a summer salad – cheap to create and delicious to eat, this will be a family favourite that will require only a snippet of your food shopping budget. EveryPlate’s Summer Fave recipes allow you to cook a classic Summer meal using seasonal produce for an affordable price.
“Like most good things, it starts with a plan. By making a menu with a clear idea of the festive dishes you’d like on Christmas, you will prevent yourself from buying too much food, limiting the possibility of food waste.” Gilbert commented “A meal kit delivery service like EveryPlate can help you stick to your budget with their set price per plate of $4.44. EveryPlate, is the smarter option in the festive season for busy Aussie families wanting to save time and money on their weekly shop, while serving up tasty, fresh meals from scratch.”