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3 Steps to an Impressive Christmas Dinner Even on a Cheapskates Budget
When you're planning Christmas dinner, the main course could very likely add up to more than the cost of food for the entire Christmas holiday. The star of the meal is important, to be sure, but how can you present a gorgeous main course when you're on a tight budget? There are some things to consider, so let's explore a few options.
And remember: Christmas dinner is just one meal on one day of the year.
Yes, we want to enjoy it, and have our favourite foods and drinks, but if you're feeding six, don't cater for 12. You'll not only be overspending, but you'll have leftovers for days.
1. Let the Sales Guide You
When it comes to expensive items like poultry, hams and seafood, it helps to be mindful of special Christmas sales. Keep an eye on the sales flyers for your local supermarkets and butchers because they'll be having great sales on these traditional Christmas foods from now until Christmas. That Christmas turkey can be bought now and kept in the freezer. So can seafood - and if you buy it now and freeze it you'll be avoiding those long, long queues on Christmas Eve. Hams have a nice, long best before date so buying early and keeping it in the fridge can save you up to 30%!
You may have been thinking about buying the main ingredients ahead and then forgotten in the busyness that is this time of year, but when it comes to your budget, a 30% saving sure sounds delicious!
Smart grocers offer big savings on traditional meats and other main course proteins because they want to get you in the store for the other ingredients. Watch the sale brochures early so you don't get stuck in a panic and spend full price when time runs short. And don't forget your local butcher or independent store. Smaller shops stock up for holiday meals and don't want to get stuck with anything after the holiday is past. Keep in mind 'supply and demand' – grocers lay in a large supply while the demand is high and can ask any price, but they want to move their stock before the demand ends, so watch closely for this price break to happen fast, and be ready.
2. Know the Proper Serving Size
Christmas meals usually call for a more impressive serving size, but don't go overboard! You don't want anyone leaving hungry, but at the same time there is no need to over-cater.
As a general rule, for Christmas Day (and other special celebrations), I plan the menu according to the number of people who will be eating, plus two. For example, we usually have 20 for Christmas Dinner, so I cater for 22. Most of the time it all goes, because there will always be those who go back for seconds, or those who take larger portions. And the leftovers are manageable.
Here are the guidelines for portions:
Meat, fish, poultry:
65-100gm cooked meat/chicken
80-120g cooked fish fillet
Vegetables and legumes (choose a variety):
Starchy vegetables: 1 medium potato, ½ medium sweet potato, 1 medium parsnip
Dark green leafy vegetables: ½ cup cabbage, spinach, silverbeet, broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts
Legumes and other vegetables: 1 cup lettuce or salad vegetables; ½ cup broad beans, lentils, peas, green beans, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, capsicum, cucumber, sweet corn, turnips, sprouts, celery, eggplant etc.
Fruit:
1 piece medium sized fruit (e.g. apple, orange, mango, banana, pear, etc)
2 pieces of smaller fruit e.g. apricots, kiwi, plum, figs, etc., about 8 strawberries, about 20 grapes or cherries, ½ cup (125ml) fruit juice, ¼ medium melon (e.g. rockmelon)
Dried fruit e.g. 4 dried apricots or 1½ tablespoon sultanas
1 cup diced pieces/canned fruit
Figure the serving size for meat, poultry and seafood to be somewhere between 125g and 400g per person in total. Remember, you will be having all your favourite side dishes, as well. It's so easy to over-estimate when it comes down to picking out your main course. Keep in mind when you choose your protein that if you are buying a bone-in meat, you need to take that 'waste weight' into account and buy closer to the 400g per person serving size.
Choosing a big turkey, duck, goose or chicken will take some estimating when it comes to serving size. You can actually make an assumption to help you calculate the servings per bird. Deduct about twenty percent from the total weight and that should give you a good weight in actual meat. Of course, you'll want a good amount of both white meat and dark meat. If you're serving a large group, sometimes it's better to cook two smaller birds instead of one big bird. Start by calculating the amount of meat you'll need, then shop for the best price per kilo whether you are buying meat, poultry, fish, or other seafood.
3. Choosing Quality or Quantity
If you just can't bring yourself to put a smaller piece of meat on your Christmas table, then by all means buy a larger cut. This means, however, that you will need to shop around for less expensive cuts to make sure your main course still fits your budget. For example, if your budget is limited but you want to serve a big roast beef dinner, you will need to walk away from the prime rib. Choose instead several nice blade roasts and cook them low and slow so they are cut-it-with-a-fork tender. No one will care that your beef isn't expensive as long as it's juicy and delicious; and you can do that with less expensive cuts of meat if you cook it right (bring out the slow cooker and you'll keep the kitchen cool too).
The same goes for poultry or seafood. Compare the price per kilo of several poultry options. If you can't afford to buy a turkey, choose chicken. A large turkey that has been roasted beautifully will impress your guests as much as, if not more than, a smaller (and much more expensive) duck. But, you can also do both, serve quality AND quantity, if you shop and plan wisely. If you really want that beautiful duck on your table, go ahead and choose a small one, then roast another bird so you have enough meat to serve. Think of the expensive protein as a side dish and buy a smaller size. In other words, you don't have to serve your guests a half kilo of expensive protein. Plan your main course with a less expensive protein and serve your luxury protein in smaller bites.
Check with your local butcher for prices and compare a few, before making a decision. I tend to check Tasman Butchers and Australian Butcher Store, as well as Aldi, Coles and Woolworths for specials on hams, turkey, whole chickens and seafood. You may find the fishmonger at your local shopping centre has the nicest seafood at great prices. If you live in a capital city, a trip to the market (Queen Vic here in Melbourne) close to Christmas can reap amazing bargains for your Christmas dinner. If you're prepared to shop around, you'll get good bargains for your Christmas dinner.
You want Christmas table to feature a wonderful main course, but meat, poultry and seafood can be expensive. There are ways to still present a beautiful main dish without breaking the bank. Be sure to watch the sales in your area and introduce yourself to the butcher or fishmonger. Also, be mindful of the portion sizes and the number of people you are serving. Don't over-estimate and spend more than you have to.
And remember, quality isn't always about spending more money. It really all comes down to serving the tastiest dish you possibly can, and you can do that on any budget.
And remember: Christmas dinner is just one meal on one day of the year.
Yes, we want to enjoy it, and have our favourite foods and drinks, but if you're feeding six, don't cater for 12. You'll not only be overspending, but you'll have leftovers for days.
1. Let the Sales Guide You
When it comes to expensive items like poultry, hams and seafood, it helps to be mindful of special Christmas sales. Keep an eye on the sales flyers for your local supermarkets and butchers because they'll be having great sales on these traditional Christmas foods from now until Christmas. That Christmas turkey can be bought now and kept in the freezer. So can seafood - and if you buy it now and freeze it you'll be avoiding those long, long queues on Christmas Eve. Hams have a nice, long best before date so buying early and keeping it in the fridge can save you up to 30%!
You may have been thinking about buying the main ingredients ahead and then forgotten in the busyness that is this time of year, but when it comes to your budget, a 30% saving sure sounds delicious!
Smart grocers offer big savings on traditional meats and other main course proteins because they want to get you in the store for the other ingredients. Watch the sale brochures early so you don't get stuck in a panic and spend full price when time runs short. And don't forget your local butcher or independent store. Smaller shops stock up for holiday meals and don't want to get stuck with anything after the holiday is past. Keep in mind 'supply and demand' – grocers lay in a large supply while the demand is high and can ask any price, but they want to move their stock before the demand ends, so watch closely for this price break to happen fast, and be ready.
2. Know the Proper Serving Size
Christmas meals usually call for a more impressive serving size, but don't go overboard! You don't want anyone leaving hungry, but at the same time there is no need to over-cater.
As a general rule, for Christmas Day (and other special celebrations), I plan the menu according to the number of people who will be eating, plus two. For example, we usually have 20 for Christmas Dinner, so I cater for 22. Most of the time it all goes, because there will always be those who go back for seconds, or those who take larger portions. And the leftovers are manageable.
Here are the guidelines for portions:
Meat, fish, poultry:
65-100gm cooked meat/chicken
80-120g cooked fish fillet
Vegetables and legumes (choose a variety):
Starchy vegetables: 1 medium potato, ½ medium sweet potato, 1 medium parsnip
Dark green leafy vegetables: ½ cup cabbage, spinach, silverbeet, broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts
Legumes and other vegetables: 1 cup lettuce or salad vegetables; ½ cup broad beans, lentils, peas, green beans, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, capsicum, cucumber, sweet corn, turnips, sprouts, celery, eggplant etc.
Fruit:
1 piece medium sized fruit (e.g. apple, orange, mango, banana, pear, etc)
2 pieces of smaller fruit e.g. apricots, kiwi, plum, figs, etc., about 8 strawberries, about 20 grapes or cherries, ½ cup (125ml) fruit juice, ¼ medium melon (e.g. rockmelon)
Dried fruit e.g. 4 dried apricots or 1½ tablespoon sultanas
1 cup diced pieces/canned fruit
Figure the serving size for meat, poultry and seafood to be somewhere between 125g and 400g per person in total. Remember, you will be having all your favourite side dishes, as well. It's so easy to over-estimate when it comes down to picking out your main course. Keep in mind when you choose your protein that if you are buying a bone-in meat, you need to take that 'waste weight' into account and buy closer to the 400g per person serving size.
Choosing a big turkey, duck, goose or chicken will take some estimating when it comes to serving size. You can actually make an assumption to help you calculate the servings per bird. Deduct about twenty percent from the total weight and that should give you a good weight in actual meat. Of course, you'll want a good amount of both white meat and dark meat. If you're serving a large group, sometimes it's better to cook two smaller birds instead of one big bird. Start by calculating the amount of meat you'll need, then shop for the best price per kilo whether you are buying meat, poultry, fish, or other seafood.
3. Choosing Quality or Quantity
If you just can't bring yourself to put a smaller piece of meat on your Christmas table, then by all means buy a larger cut. This means, however, that you will need to shop around for less expensive cuts to make sure your main course still fits your budget. For example, if your budget is limited but you want to serve a big roast beef dinner, you will need to walk away from the prime rib. Choose instead several nice blade roasts and cook them low and slow so they are cut-it-with-a-fork tender. No one will care that your beef isn't expensive as long as it's juicy and delicious; and you can do that with less expensive cuts of meat if you cook it right (bring out the slow cooker and you'll keep the kitchen cool too).
The same goes for poultry or seafood. Compare the price per kilo of several poultry options. If you can't afford to buy a turkey, choose chicken. A large turkey that has been roasted beautifully will impress your guests as much as, if not more than, a smaller (and much more expensive) duck. But, you can also do both, serve quality AND quantity, if you shop and plan wisely. If you really want that beautiful duck on your table, go ahead and choose a small one, then roast another bird so you have enough meat to serve. Think of the expensive protein as a side dish and buy a smaller size. In other words, you don't have to serve your guests a half kilo of expensive protein. Plan your main course with a less expensive protein and serve your luxury protein in smaller bites.
Check with your local butcher for prices and compare a few, before making a decision. I tend to check Tasman Butchers and Australian Butcher Store, as well as Aldi, Coles and Woolworths for specials on hams, turkey, whole chickens and seafood. You may find the fishmonger at your local shopping centre has the nicest seafood at great prices. If you live in a capital city, a trip to the market (Queen Vic here in Melbourne) close to Christmas can reap amazing bargains for your Christmas dinner. If you're prepared to shop around, you'll get good bargains for your Christmas dinner.
You want Christmas table to feature a wonderful main course, but meat, poultry and seafood can be expensive. There are ways to still present a beautiful main dish without breaking the bank. Be sure to watch the sales in your area and introduce yourself to the butcher or fishmonger. Also, be mindful of the portion sizes and the number of people you are serving. Don't over-estimate and spend more than you have to.
And remember, quality isn't always about spending more money. It really all comes down to serving the tastiest dish you possibly can, and you can do that on any budget.