Hosting Christmas Dinner in an Affordable Way
Hosting Christmas Dinner can be one of the main delights of the holiday season, but cooking food for a big group can get pricey! Avoid spending your whole holiday budget on food and save the extra cash for stocking stuffers and Christmas donations! First and foremost, let us remind you that the guests who attend, who love you and care about you, don't care that you're not serving dinner on fine-china and sporting a pricey floral display! They're just happy they didn't have to cook… Top-Tips: Shop Early and Use Coupons! In preparation for big holiday meals, lots of stores have surplus and offer some great deals on traditional dish ingredients. Buy things as you see them in advance of the holiday which relieves stress in the days just before! Skip the Fancy-Food Stores Completely. Let's be honest, you double your check out total when you shop at those gourmet food stores like Whole Foods. Support your local shops when you can but there's no shame in shopping at a supermarket for most of your supplies. Don't Make Too Much! We all love some leftovers but make sure to pay attention to serving sizes as you prepare and avoid wasting a bunch of food! Since you're going to have more courses than a typical dinner you can definitely count on smaller portions of everything. Serve Seasonal Produce. If your vegetable dishes are in season you'll likely save a bit on items that require international shipping. Order Pre-Made Dishes. If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the dishes you have to make, consider getting some premade dishes. Stores offer pans of ready-made food like mashed potatoes and gravy and pie. It can cost less to get these rather than spend the money (and energy) on gathering ingredients and cooking yourself. Enjoy The Leftovers! Once you've made an amazing meal, enjoy it over the next few nights to save on groceries. There are tons of articles online to repurpose your leftovers into something new and fun! Remember that getting together with those you love is more important than the price tag on your feast. Enjoy your holidays in a safe and happy way, and if you're stressed about your financial standing, reach out to Madison Monroe & Associates and see if we can be a partner on your path to financial freedom.