The survey by TopCashback also revealed that 45% of people who celebrate Christmas are planning to cut their budget this year.
We asked budgeting experts and Which? members to share their tips on how to buy and make Christmas food for less, so you can focus on enjoying the celebrations.
1. Save throughout the year
With the cost of Christmas dinner set to rise by 11% this year compared to 2022 according to Interactive Investor, spreading the cost throughout the year is a savvy move.
Which? member Donya Veevers says she and her family each put £10 a month in a pot until December and use that to fund festive get-togethers.
You can also use savings schemes offered by supermarkets such as Asda, Co-op, Iceland, Sainsbury’s and Tesco throughout the year to give you a bonus to spend during the festive season.
While it's a bit late to put this tip into practice for Christmas 2023, why not make it a New Year's resolution for next year?
Find out more:2. Make the most of leftovers
As 90 million plates of leftovers are thrown away on average every Christmas, according to Asda, it’s clear many of us are buying more food than needed.
Pre-planning meals and writing a list of exactly what food you need (and how much) can help you avoid this.
But if you do end up with leftovers, Joanna Linley from waste charity Wrap says: ‘Leftover turkey can be stored in the fridge for up to two days, or you can freeze the excess turkey and defrost either in the fridge or using the microwave on the defrost setting directly before reheating. The golden rule? Only reheat once.'
Here are some more ideas for using up leftovers:
Which? memberHannah Bartlett, co-founder of Christmas blog Jolly FestiveJean Paul, volunteer project leader at FoodCycle in NewcastleFind out more:3. Freeze what you can
Love Food Hate Waste told Which?: ‘The freezer is your friend in the fight against wasting food, especially at Christmas.'
Try freezing your leftovers and stocking up on cut-price frozen or freezable produce, as it’s less likely to be wasted given you just use what you need.
Love Food Hate Waste says it’s best to use food stored in your freezer within three to six months.
Several Which? readers pointed out that frozen turkeys can be cheaper than fresh ones too, but you’ll need plenty of freezer space to store one and will need to allow plenty of time for defrosting.
Find out more:4. Go for a cheaper supermarket
Find out more:5. Share the cost
If you need to cut down on your Christmas food spend, why not ask everyone to contribute a dish?
One Which? reader said a potluck-style meal could save money, add ‘diversity to your menu, and create a fun and festive atmosphere’.
This could work particularly well if you have loved ones who are especially good at making certain dishes - and could save time, too.
Find out more:6. Use loyalty schemes
If you're a member of your supermarket's loyalty scheme, make sure you take advantage of any loyalty cardholder-exclusive offers they have.
Which? member John Weathers said: 'I save all my reward points throughout the year, and use the points to reduce the cost of Christmas shopping.
'I also get the points from a variety of [retailers] with Nectar so that [last year] my Christmas food shopping was under £5.'
Find out more:7. Get cashback on your shopping
Some debit card providers offer cashback too. Chase, for instance, pays 1% cashback on everyday debit card spending for the first year after opening your account.
Find out more:8. Try non-traditional foods
A few Which? members told us they swap turkey for a takeaway or make an alternative dish instead of the traditional Christmas dinner.
If you want to keep things as traditional as possible while spending less on ingredients, chicken can be much cheaper (and some might argue tastier) than turkey, and still goes perfectly with roast potatoes, sprouts and stuffing. A shoulder of pork can also be a more affordable option.
Or, if you're looking to cut back on meat, you could go for a vegetarian centrepiece instead.
Find out more:source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/tips-to-save-on-christmas-food-a8iBX4w7pXxm