Woman who lives on just £5 a week shares £2.20 per person Christmas dinner with all the trimmings
A savvy student who lives on just £5 a week has revealed how she’s able to whip up Christmas dinner for just £2.20 per person.
Poppy Barr, 23, says it’s no secret that Christmas can be pretty expensive, but she’s able to keep the costs down and still enjoy the special day.
Speaking to deals website Nhsdiscountoffers, she said: “As a keen foodie and budgeting enthusiast, I set myself the challenge of creating a Christmas dinner for under £5 a head.
“After looking online for the best deals, I settled with a shop full of bits from Asda and found I could make a meal with all my favourite Christmas dinner elements for just under £2.20 a person.”
Poppy is vegan and has been able to easily reduce the cost of her food by cutting out expensive meats – replacing them with plant based alternatives.
She said: “I also base my costs on weight, and while everyone’s portions will vary, it gives a good idea of just how much you can save if you choose the cheaper options.”
She continued: “While the classic Christmas dinner is great, I also wanted to see what additional extras I could fit into my budget.
“For an additional 75p per person, I managed to spice up the meal with components I personally can’t go without – fresh rosemary and garlic for the best roast potatoes, milk and flour for homemade Yorkshire puddings, swede and carrot mash (my personal favourite side) and both bread sauce and cranberry sauce so the whole family is happy.
“With the spend still at just £2.95, this of course leaves room for dessert.”
Mince pies cost her just £1 while a Christmas pudding was £2, she even picked up custard for 88p, bringing the total spend for dinner and dessert to just under £4.
“[It’s] the perfect finish to a delicious yet inexpensive meal, “she said.
“When you consider what you would be spending if you chose a restaurant for dinner this year, the potential savings are crazy!”
Poppy said her top tip is to avoid pre-prepared foods, as that’s what drives the cost up.
She explained: “Although it’s tempting to save time by buying everything pre-prepared, this adds pounds to your shopping total and let’s be honest, nothing beats homemade roast potatoes.
“Shop around for the best deals and plan in advance – avoid the last minute panic and throwing all-sorts into the trolley on Christmas Eve.”
Poppy's shopping list:
For four people:
- Potatoes (1kg) – £0.40
- Stuffing (120g) – £0.23
- Brussel sprouts (320g) – £0.51
- Carrots (320g) – £0.19
- Parsnips (320g) – £0.31
- Meat-free chicken style joint (500g) – £5
- Vegetarian cocktail sausages (200g) – £2
- Onion gravy (40g) – £0.14
She also warned not to buy too much.
“While we don’t want anyone to go without, will you really need a kilogram of stuffing or 48 pigs in blankets for a family of four?
“Food waste is huge at Christmas so plan out how much you will need and make sure you have some great leftovers recipes to whip out on Boxing Day.”
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