Feed your starving loved ones on the cheap this festive season

Former_MSE_Andrea

What's the deal?

Now your prezzie buying is hopefully done and dusted, you'll be thinking about food for the hungry hordes who'll be turning up at your door. There are some great deals to be had – whether you want to eat out or make some tasty treats at home – so we've collated them here for you.


Tasty treats to make at home

• Home-made chocolate slabs. Go to a specialist chocolate shop and these can cost upwards of £3 just for a small one. Yet MoneySavers have posted their top tips on how to make personalised slabs of chocolate. They're so easy to make their kids are doing them! Full Details in the Original Thread: Home-made Chocolate Slabs

• Vegan Mince Pies. If you have special dietary issues then you'll know the festive season can be an especially difficult time of year, not least in trying to find the food you can eat at the price you can afford. Yet it needn't stop you enjoying yourself. Other Vegan MoneySavers are sharing tips on where to find mince pies if you're a vegan. Full Details in the Original Thread: Vegan Mince Pies

• Festive Menus. Trying to get Christmas Dinner is tough when there's lots of other things going on, and lots of people around, plus you'll be wanting breakfast in the morning too, as many don't eat till late in the day. To help MoneySavers on the forum are sharing their festive food plans for the day. Some may inspire you to organise your day and help you relax. Full Details in the Original Thread: Festive Menus

• Cutting Calories not Christmas. Many trying to lose weight at this time of year either feel guilty for eating the "wrong thing" or feel left out when they stick to their diets. Yet it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom. Dieting MoneySavers are sharing their tips on keeping trim but happy. Full Details in the Original Thread: Christmas Calories

• Don't forget the Reindeer! And of course, finally, no Christmas menu is complete without something to be left out for Santa's faithful Reindeer. Full Details in the Original Thread: Magic Reindeer Food

Eating out

• £1 supper at Ikea. IKEA's offering meals for £1 Monday to Friday after 6pm until 23 December. You can choose from Meatballs or Tuscan bean pasta, plus remember to grab a jar of baby food if you have a littl'un; they're free with a main meal. Full Details in the Original Thread: £1 supper at IKEA

• Christmas Dinner. Pub chain Yates is offering a full Christmas dinner for £6.45 including pudding. Full Details in the Original Thread: Yates Christmas Dinner

Thanks very much to all the MoneySavers who originally spotted these.

Jammygal

Thanks Andrea....it's handy having all the info in one place

I bought a 1 kg gammon joint from Lidl yesterday that seemed reasonable at 2.99...you can buy smoked or unsmoked

Elsterap

99p stores sell 2 litres of real coke! To keep the kids happy!

tightwadman

For those who dont already know..

Two pub chains are hard to beat...

Wetherspoons have a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings for £6.99 and that INCLUDES a drink - pint of decent beer ( eg Marstons Pedigree) or short and mixer or juice PLUS you can add a Starter for £2 and a pud for £2 so for £10.99 you have a 3 course Christmas meal AND a decent drink and yes the food is fine if you havent been.

Then we have Toby Carvery who have a fantastic £5 carvery meal. You choose from Turkey, Beef or Gammon/ Ham and you get three slices of any meat eg 3 slices of turkey plus stuffing, yorkshire puds, roast and boiled potatoes, carrots, broccoli, parsnips, peas etc and as much gravy and sauces as you wish AND you can keep on helping yourself to as much veg as you want. Again the food is fine, believe me you will come out stuffed like a turkey yourself!

To find one near you just Google Toby Carvery and or Wetherspoons.

Happy Christmas!

misscomickat

Toby Carvery is more than £5 round here. They are nice though.

Not keen on Wetherspoons food, it's all deep frozen and microwaved.

corris3

I always think nibbles are expensive to buy but they always go down well with a drink when we get visitors. I now make my own and freeze them in advance thanks to a Delia Smith Christmas cookery book found for £2 in a charity shop. The caramelised onion and black olive mini scones are very morish as are the vegetarian sausage rolls and anchovie palmiers. They are very economical to make especially if ready made puff pastry and strong cheddar is on offer. All served warm and supplemented with some pringles or crisps and everyone is happy.

droopsnout

Only ever been in one Wetherspoons, in Bridlington. It was dire in all respects. Poor surroundings, bad food, disgusting and cold coffee spilt into the saucer so it dripped onto your clothes. Yes, we did complain,and no, we won't be going back.

But as I say, that was just one pub. Others could only be better!

donna

I have to agree about Bridlington Wetherspoons. The last time we went there(and we won't be returning), i reported some poo on the floor in the toilets and it was still there when we left. One staff member clearing tables was openly complaining about the mess that customers leave. When we sat at our table it was full of plates and the afore mentioned staff member brought our meals over and atempted to put them down without removing the dirty ones. When asked if he could take them he looked at me like filth. The table was still dirty throughout our meal. We ordered & were charged for large coffees but were given small. My husband then waited at the counter and was ignored for ten minutes and then the girl argued with him about the coffee for the whole place to hear. She agreed to change them at which point my hubby came and sat back down, but when they were ready she shouted across the pub for us to come and get them! What a bloody cheek.

We will never go to the Brid one again.