The Great 'Posh Nosh For No Dosh' Hunt

chrisontheup

The best Christmas I ever had was when a group of friends got together for a "communal" Christmas lunch. We none of us had much money, but everybody brought something for the meal. (To work properly this has to be carefully managed or else you end up eating a very odd Christmas lunch). The reults was that everyone - especially the kids had a super Christmas, it cost very little was stress free and somehow seemed to encapsulate the true spirit of the festival.

chrisontheup

The best Christmas I ever had was when a group of friends got together for a "communal" Christmas lunch. We none of us had much money, but everybody brought something for the meal. (To work properly this has to be carefully managed or else you end up eating a very odd Christmas lunch). The reults was that everyone - especially the kids had a super Christmas, it cost very little was stress free and somehow seemed to encapsulate the true spirit of the festival.

slonik

A while back I started a thread asking for ideas for dinner party meals on a budget. Here it is http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=34929. There were some lovely ideas from people, including stuffed lemons!!

Bargain_Rzl

I echo Debt Free Chick's "stock up the freezer with reduced stuff on Christmas Eve", and Sarahsaver's "drink Cava instead of Champagne"...

...and will contribute the facts that Codorniu Cava is exceptionally good and can almost always be found on a half price offer at one or other of the major supermarkets (usually £9 a bottle, down to £4.50).

Also worth noting is Waitrose's very generous policy on accepting money-off coupons when you're not actually buying the product. Waitrose is normally pricey but is particularly good for quality meat. If Penny-Pincher reads this thread perhaps she can enlighten us further - I know she takes advantage of this regularly.

Bogof_Babe

If you have a melon baller (or can pick one up at a car boot!), buy two different types of melon (but not watermelon, too soggy), with different coloured flesh, make balls from both of them and serve in cocktail glasses with a sprig of mint on top, for a nice easy attractive starter. It would look even better with the rim of the glasses "sugared", if anyone knows how to do this!

Serve with a little dish of ginger and a tiny spoon to sprinkle it on with.

Sarahsaver

YOu sugar a glass by dipping the rim in egg white then sugar.
Keep in the fridge til needed.
For mixing cocktails Lidl and Aldi spirits are just as good, and you can save POUNDS this way, and fizzy mixers - tonic water, cranberry fizz and so on are often 3 for 99p in Tesco or somerfield.
Also I would say do things properly! And add small inexpensive flourishes. Serve drinks in the correct glass, have 'chocolate spoons' (dip a teaspoon in melted chocolate and leave to harden) with hot chocolate, have plenty of ice for 'grownups' drinks, and also lemon. If you do things properly then thats what people first rather then the label on the bottle or even the taste!

elona

In the supermarket I saw a pack of blinis for £1.99.
Will make up thick pancake batter and make very mini Scotch pancakes or drop scones and top them with little bits of smoked salmon or fancy cheeses.

gooismeid

Aldi is a treasure trove of cheap ingredients, especially at Christmas! Their range of German biscuits (lebkuchen) and stollen are all brilliant and in some respects even better than the ones you can buy from Selfridges... Also they have frozen geese at the moment for £11.99. Goose is sOooo much more interesting than turkey or chicken and the fat makes divine roast potatoes. Other bargains from Aldi include balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil and mozzarella, great for storecupboards and for a v impressive starter - slice mozzarella and a beef tomato into rounds, arrange them on a plate alternately cheese & tomato, with a basil leaf between each slice. Drizzle sparingly with good olive oil and a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Posh insalata caprese for pennies.

lynzpower

I popped into lidls today and there was largeish jars of quite posh looking antipasti, looked pretty good for 79p

I agree fully with Sarahsver, presentation is more important at Xmas than anything else. Good quality ingredients always speak for themselves as well when looking for "posh".

Filo pastry is cheap and can be made into dainty horsdoevres with some feta and spinach in minutes. Dont forget to cater for your vegetarians!!!

comping_cat

Also worth noting is Waitrose's very generous policy on accepting money-off coupons when you're not actually buying the product. Waitrose is normally pricey but is particularly good for quality meat. If Penny-Pincher reads this thread perhaps she can enlighten us further - I know she takes advantage of this regularly

Tescos also do this, as long as they sell the product, they will accept the voucher without you buying the item.