Christmas Food for a week on a Budget?

crazychatter

Hi,
I am on a mission to convince my sister that she does not need to spend £200+ on the food for the Christmas week. She doesnt want to host the family Christmas Lunch this year as she says it is too expensive, but I'm hoping that if we do some research we can cut this in half. She usually buys most things from M&S and does not want to compromise on quality, surely there are alternatives to alots of things though?

I'll need to cater for 5 adults for Christmas and Boxing Day lunch inc desert(usually the same food both days) a buffet evening meal for three adults for two days and all meals for three adults for two days.

As I have never done anything like this before what would more experienced mse-ers do?

lilac_lady

Last Christmas our family shared the expense of the Christmas dinner. One lot made a wonderful fruit platter starter and the other made a beautiful trifle for pudding. I provided the main course and everyone contibuted wine. We've decided to stick to that format. The person who hosts the dinner does the main course and the guests bring the other ones.

crazychatter

That's a good idea, but not quite right for us: there will be two households attending and the one not hosting usually gives money towards it, I'm not sure how much, maybe half but that still leaves £100 for my sister to find, i want to cut that to £50 ideally.

SugarSpun

I would buy:

Turkey (I'd probably buy that from M&S if people were fussy)
Ham (ditto)
Potatoes
Carrots
Broccoli
Sprouts ... all veg from the supermarket
3x packs of marscapone
2x Toblerone, both from supermarket
A lot of lovely bread (Morrisons have good bread)
Bacon, sliced, also supermarket
Orange juice
Milk
Eggs

I assume you already have:
Rice
Spices
Flour
Butter
Tea/coffee fixings

Then, Christmas Day:
breakfast:
bacon butties, orange juice and coffee

lunch: traditional, with all trimmings
dessert: mix melted toblerone and marscapone, don't let anyone eat too much or their arteries will collapse.

dinner:
leftover meat between bread; chocolate from whatever gifts are given

Boxing Day:
breakfast:
Bosh (leftover potatoes/veg/bacon/ham fried in a pan with beaten eggs)

lunch:
Turkey curry

dinner:
remains of the ham with chips and egg

Sorted, probably significantly under a hundred pounds. Wine is a different matter but you could get the other family to bring drinks instead (wine/soft drinks for kids), and if you can find wine offers that also would be cheaper.

Glpark01

Does it still have to come from m&s? Maybe check out the supermarkets and iceland have they're christmas catalogue online atm with roasts, buffet food etc.

nanokitten

Get all the cheese from aldi as they do a good range and all the posh ones I've tried (brie, blue shropshire etc) have been yummy. Let them warm up properly, lay them out on a nice board and you'll never know its not a posh cheese board from M&S.
Aldi also do a good range of crackers, sweets and nibbles (often is posh tesco finest style packaging which is comforting if your used to the posh brands). Get all the wine on asdas 3 for a tenner offer, some really good wines, or by really cheap plonk in aldi and mull it (as plonk makes the best mulled wine anyway).

Get the veg on your local market
check out some of the brilliant offers around (like 3 for 1 on pringles in morrisons).

I'd also consider either doing an internet shop, writing a list and being really strict about sticking with it or at the very least eat a big dinner before you go shopping (so your not feeling hungry as this always gets you to by more than you need).

crazychatter

Thank you! you have all been so helpful! I have written out my menu, now I will focus on trying to find each thing at the best value.

Menu for both Christmas and Boxing Day
Breakfast
Chocolate probably!!

Lunch
Turkey
Linda McCartney Pies
Potatoes
York puddings
Vegetables
Sausages in bacon
Stuffing
Gravy

Desert
Christmas pudding
Mince pies
Cream
Custard
Ice Cream

Dinner for Brother only (rest will be at other relatives)
Sausage Rolls
Quiche
Pork Pies
Crisps

The rest of the week doesn't need to be special so that can be normal food, I'm not goign to let her get carried away and buy too much this year!

Have I forgotten anything obvious?