How to Save Money on Your Christmas Dinner

If you spent all your money on Christmas presents, and you don't have much left for Christmas dinner, don't worry! There are plenty of ways for you to save money on your Christmas dinner. Remember, holidays are about spending time with family and friends, not about how much you spend to throw the party!

How to save money on Christmas dinner #1

Rethink Your Meal

First of all, rethink your meal. Most people tend to cook much more food than they actually need for Christmas dinner, so if money is tight, consider making less food this year. You might want to have three different main courses because that's the way you've always done it, but consider that it's better to have one main dish prepared very well than several that you have to skimp one. Stick to one dish and do it well, and make enough food to feed everyone without having them feel stuffed. Try to plan your meal so that you don't have any leftovers, so everyone knows lots of those leftovers get wasted anyway.

How to save money on Christmas dinner #2

Think Vegetarian

Not willing to serve less food? Think vegetarian instead. Meat is expensive, let's face it, so a really easy way to cut your budget is to cut the meat. Okay, so you might not want to go for a totally vegetarian Christmas dinner this year, but how about instead of serving turkey, sausage stuffing, and ham, you choose one meat. In order to cut the meat and still have the meal feel extravagant, add extra vegetable and rice side dishes. Naturally, you don't want to buy vegetables that are just as expensive as the meat you skipped out on, so look for seasonal vegetables or start early and can or otherwise preserve the leftover bounty from your home garden

How to save money on Christmas dinner #3

Make It A Potluck

If you don't want to cut the meat and you don't want to cut the amount of food that you serve, consider turning your Christmas dinner into a potluck this year. Have every adult family member bring a dish to contribute to the spread, and you'll have plenty of food to go around with minimal expense for everyone involved. Worried about having too many mashed potatoes and not enough dessert? Request that each person you invite bring something from a specific category. If your sister makes great baked goods, ask her to bring dessert. If your cousin works in a bakery, ask her to bring bread or dinner roles. Ask guests to confirm their dish with you in advance so you can prevent any possible duplicates.