How to save money on your holiday grocery bills
Good food and good cheer go hand in hand, but good doesn’t have to mean expensive.
- Plan ahead. Create a menu and stick to it. You’ll be much less likely to be seduced by all the fun seasonal goodies on offer at the grocer if you know exactly what you need. Want to remove all temptation? Many shops offer delivery for a nominal fee which will also give you back some precious time.
- Use what you already have. Instead of building a menu from scratch, take stock of your pantry, fridge and freezer and see what can be incorporated into your holiday feast. Don’t forget to check the spice rack!
- Switch meat to being a side rather than the main dish. Meat is easily the most expensive part of a holiday meal. One way to manage that is to treat it as one of the options as opposed to the star of the meal. With more and more people reducing their meat consumption, a 15-pound turkey might be too much. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to explore more exciting vegetarian recipes beyond green bean casseroles and mashed potatoes.
- Make it a potluck. Sharing a meal with friends and family shouldn’t be a burden. Spread the cost, and the labour, among the guests. Use a shared google doc to plan who’s bringing what and to keep track of any dietary restrictions and special requests.
- Buy generic. Marketing strategies for brand name products may be persuasive, but in truth, there’s often little difference between the quality of many no-name and brand name products. Splurge on small luxuries like infused olive oil or smoked salt, and keep the bulk ingredients cheap.
- Skip the prepared platters. You’ll pay dearly for the luxury of not slicing cheese for a charcuterie board and making pinks in ablanket. Unless it’s macarons or Gateau St. Honoré, skip the ready-made stuff and spend the extra bit of time on prep to save big.
Sources:
Ratehub - 8 money-saving tips for hosting a holiday dinner
Showbizz Cheat Sheet – How to Save Money on Groceries During the Holidays
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