Christmas Cooking on a Budget

By Nicola Pitt

I love Christmas cooking – it is the smell of the cake in the oven, the pudding on the stove and the general aroma of the tree in the air. But in Australia, people are moving away from the ultra traditional cooked meal. So catering on a budget can be difficult. Especially when feeding a lot of people. So these ideas are to help alleviate the cost of a festive meal for heaps.

Ham – get a big ham and have the butcher slice it into halves for you. You can then bake the first half if you wish or slice it – keep the rest for making fried rice, cheese tomato and ham toasties etc., Look for shoulder rather than leg it is always slightly cheaper per kg.

Chickens – if you are into a full roast, buy chickens instead of a turkey – they are always cheaper especially if you get them in a bulk amount. Slice them up and put them on the plate – they always go further that way.

Seafood – get a couple of fish to cook – not only are they good for you with lots of Omega 1 fatty acids, but they will also round out the meal. Look for cheaper fish; Flake is just as nice when cooked properly.

Salads – pick up a couple of salad bags or make your own with lettuce, a few chopped radishes, grated carrot, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and croutons. Top with a homemade dressing (try some oil, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper. Shake well)

Turkish Bread lightly toasted in the oven and topped with olive oil and grated sea salt.

Cake – buy a home brand fruitcake – they are cheaper than other similar cakes out there. Place it in an airtight container in the fridge for a week with some sherry or other to moisten. Decorate with a sprig of holly and maybe a frill made of wrapping paper.

Get everyone attending to bring an item to share for the meal –

• icecream to serve with a pudding,
• dip and carrot, celery and cucumber sticks,
• A seasonal salad (make sure you check what they are bringing so you don’t double up)

Dress the table with white paper tablecloths available at your local wholesaler, bonbons, tags wound around the stem of a wineglass with some curling ribbon add some festive coloured (but plain) serviettes and you are ready for a cheap and cheerful festive dinner.

If you are a person who loves to cook, look for recipes on the internet that use less expensive ingredients - I have a recipe that uses next to no fruit for my cake, I have cook books dedicated to budget Christmas cooking (not that I use them a lot - I prefer to get the ideas from them for the craft)

Look for cheap cuts
Less premade food (pre frozen and cut veg)
Make your own bonbons
Buy some things through the last 2 - 3 months in the lead up to Christmas (things like soft drink and maison for the kids, wine for us, serviettes etc., and order my fruit and veg....remembering that any fruit not eaten becomes fruit salad for after Christmas, chickens which can go in the freezer when seen on special.)

With a little organisation it is possible to have a great budget festive meal.