How to make a full Christmas dinner for less than £15

You can create a comforting three-course Christmas dinner for as little as £3.52 a head with our expert advice and recipes…

In 2021, the average cost of Christmas dinner for four was £27.48. But it's expected that this year the cost will be nearly 22% more expensive, according to new research for the BBC.

Due to inflation, energy costs and avian flu impacting the price and availability of turkeys, the cost of a traditional Christmas dinner is becoming unaffordable for many.

However, it’s still possible to have your Christmas favourites, including a three-course dinner, without spending a fortune. Cook and home economist, Justine Pattison has been round all the shops and calculated how to create Christmas feast on a tight budget. In addition to her top tips, below you'll find her £15 for four Christmas meal plan.

Planning your Christmas meal

Christmas feels like a time when money should be no object, but the reality is that spending can quickly get out of hand. “It’s easy to overspend when you want people to have a lovely time,” says Pattison. But it's worth planning to ensure that you only spend what you need to. “Calculate how many people you are feeding and how much you want to spend this year. Decide your budget and stick to it,” says Pattison.

Don’t feel restricted by tradition

“When creating a meal plan – get other members of the family involved, so you know the food you prepare is going to be enjoyed – and eaten.

“Don’t be afraid to cut out elements you’re not keen on. If bread sauce always goes uneaten, don’t make it.

“Traditionally, the Christmas shop has been a large one, to take the family through from Christmas Eve for several days after. Now that shops don’t shut for the whole Christmas period, there’s no need to splurge. By not buying in excess, you’ll also not face the problem of how to store everything.”

Say 'yes' to offers of help

If you’re hosting and people ask if they can bring something, say “yes”.

“Ask family or friends to bring different components of the meal. Be specific so that you receive food that works with the rest of the meal. If it’s vegetables, ask them to cook them in advance, then you can reheat in the microwave. Ask them to bring the food in microwavable dishes so you don’t have to do any decanting.”

Bigger isn’t always better

“If you are a family that eats turkey but don’t want the leftovers, then you can buy a much smaller bird. If no one likes leg meat, buy a crown or breast joint instead.”

“Because of avian flu, there will be fewer fresh birds available this Christmas, so buy frozen instead. If you don’t have much room in your freezer, buy 2-3 turkey breast joints instead of a large bird as they will be easier to store.”

Pattison has devised a Christmas turkey dinner for £5 a head, using a generously-sized turkey breast joint that gives you lots of leftovers. But you can cut this cost further by buying a smaller frozen breast joint, and save your money for a different treat on Boxing Day. (See the recipe and tips for details.)

Make the most of side dishes

Minimising how much you spend on the turkey versus cheaper side dishes can be a smart way to save. “If you are worried about having enough to feed everyone, stock up on sausages and stuffing – or even Yorkshire puddings. They are filling, popular and no-one will notice if the bird is smaller this year.”

Think about previous years when you’re around the Christmas table. Does everyone always fight over the last Yorkshire pud? Do guests always request seconds of roast potatoes? Make more of these budget-friendly ingredients, and if there are less-popular dishes which end up being more expensive, don’t feel obligated to make them.

The £15 Christmas dinner

If your budget is very tight, you can still have a perfectly lovely Christmas dinner for the family by switching up some of the elements and taking some energy-saving shortcuts. Pattison has created a flexible three-course menu for four (and a vegetarian menu) for less than £15.

The starter

Not everyone will have a starter – for many, the main course with all the trimmings and a pudding is plenty. But if you are keen to have an opener to bring everyone to the table, go for something light. A simple soup or salad is a classic way to kick off a special meal. Using ingredients you've purchased for the rest of the meal (potatoes, parsnips, carrots, eggs, or bacon) can make a cheaper bulk buy stretch further.

Justine Pattison’s starter recipe suggestion:

Fresh, crisp, with crunchy croûtons, salty bacon and a creamy dressing, this American-style wedge salad will feel special but is cheap to make.

• Crispy bacon and egg wedge salad. Average cost: £1.92 for four servings
• Egg wedge salad (v). Average cost: £1.94 for four servings

The main course

While turkey remains at a premium, consider switching to a beautiful roast chicken. It's far cheaper and just as versatile, when served with all the trimmings – including pigs in blankets, you'll be serving up an impressive feast for a much smaller spend.

Justine Pattison's suggestion:

• Roast chicken, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, roast carrots, sage and onion stuffing balls, sprouts, peas and gravy. Average cost: £8.44 for four servings

The vegetarian main course

Before automatically opting for the traditional nut roast, think about the cost per serving. “Nuts tend to be expensive,” says Pattison. She suggests that instead you “make a veggie roast with seasonal vegetables supplemented with just a handful or nuts or a strongly flavoured cheese – where a little goes a long way.”

“Alternatively, ready-made puff pastry is fairly cheap, so mushroom wellington or a filled puff-pastry tart makes a good value main.”

Justine Pattison's suggestion:

• Mushroom, onion and leek tart, cranberry sauce, roast potatoes, roast carrots, sprouts, peas and cream sauce. Average cost: £6.97 for four servings.

The pudding

If you like a traditional Christmas pudding but are on a budget, says Pattison, buy ready-made. “It can be an expensive dish to make as dried fruit and all the extras push the price up. Go for a value pudding rather than one from a luxury range as on the day, no-one will notice. And, because it will come with microwave instructions, you can save space and energy on the hob steaming it.”

However, if your family aren't ever that fussed by the traditional fruit pudding, try re-inventing it with this chocolate orange microwave pudding that takes only 6 minutes to make and will please the whole family.

Justine Pattison’s suggestion:

• Chocolate orange microwave pudding. Average cost: £3.71 for four servings.

More ways to save

Sauces

If you’re buying pre-made sauces, these can end up being costly. “Work out whether it’s worth buying chilled pots of bread sauce, cranberry sauce and gravy. The cost can really mount up if you are feeding a large family.”

If making from scratch is also expensive, there is a third way: “Dried packet mixes of bread sauce are pretty good, and you can always add a slosh of cream or extra knob of butter to liven them up. Jars of cranberry sauce are cheaper than fresh, or even making your own (if you don’t already have the ingredients).

“Turkey gravy granules are a budget-friendly way of making a decent turkey gravy too. They are a similar price to fresh gravy but, again, make sense if you have lots of people to feed as one tub will make several jugs of gravy.”

Homemade gravy might be easier than you think, and you may already have the ingredients. Then you can customise it as you like: "I’d always add a glug of wine if I had some but it’s not essential," says Pattison.

Other meat alternatives

“A shoulder of pork makes a cost-effective alternative to turkey and can be served with all the traditional trimmings, such as pigs in blankets and cranberry sauce.

“Alternatively go for gammon, which is cheap, and you can cook it in a slow cooker or pressure cooker and free-up the hob and oven.

“If beef is your Christmas favourite, look for cheaper cuts and think about using your slow cooker rather than roasting in the oven.” However, beef and lamb tend to be the most expensive meats at the moment.

Dessert alternatives

“If your family doesn’t eat a traditional pudding, there are a lot of options,” says Pattison. “A trifle usually goes down well. Make with frozen or canned fruit instead of fresh. And custard made with custard powder and milk will be much more cost effective than buying a pot of fresh custard.”

About our costs

The cost of the ingredients here have been calculated using supermarket value lines and the recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard. Prices are correct as of November 2022.

Meat-eaters Christmas dinner for four:

Starter: £1.92

Main: £8.44

Pudding: £3.71

Total: £14.07 (£3.52 per person)

Vegetarian Christmas dinner for four:

Starter: £1.94

Main: £6.97

Pudding: £3.71

Total: £12.62 (£3.16 per person)

More help

If you’re struggling to afford food, Citizens Advice says, “You may be able to get support from a food bank. You’ll usually need a referral to do this. Your nearest Citizens Advice is a good place to start, or another organisation who are already helping or supporting you, such as a school, charity or children’s centre. Citizens Advice also runs a food bank hotline which can issue food bank vouchers.”

Click here for advice on accessing benefits and services.

Originally published November 2022.