Thrifty Christmas Menu Ideas

Christmas is a time for enjoying each others company as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Please don't stress about the Christmas menu or go into debt to feed the crowds.  Share the load and ask your visitors to bring a plate.

Providing two meats, a couple of salads or roast vegies and two or three desserts is all that is needed to satisfy the hungry souls at your table. The more you have to choose from, the more confusing it is for the eaters. How to fit it all on the plate ? There is only so much you can eat at one meal and many people travel from table to table ( famliy home to family home ) in one day.

Also, the more you provide, the more likely you are to be left with leftovers for a week. To avoid gastro most foods should be consumed within two days of cooking. You are also less likely to forget what is left in the fridge if it is consumed within a small timeframe.

I've cooked traditional and casual Christmas lunches in the past. Here's what I've provided for my guests

TRADITIONAL

Roast lamb served in gravy
Roast chicken
Roast potatoes, pumpkin and carrots
Cauliflower and broccoli with white sauce and cheese on top
Mint sauce
Sticky date puddings in muffin size with caramel sauce, cream and icecream

CASUAL ( BBQ )

Rissoles
Bbq steaks ( cut in half )
Sausages
Mushrooms and onions
Bread stick
Green tossed salad
Potato salad
Pasta salad
Plum pudding ( no name ) with homemade custard, cream and icecream
Mini pavlovas ( homemade ) with cream and berries

REALLY THRIFTY

Corned silverside ( cooked in the slow cooker )  or
Crumbed chicken drumsticks
Roast veggies  and / or
Salad
Bread stick
Apple rose pastries with custard or cream.


Both the traditional and casual meals have been hugely sucessful and everyone is full and satisfied. The casual meal had a lot more leftovers. We just ate salads and sausages for the next two days. The best thing about these meals is that I have most of those ingredients on hand already so there are no grocery blowouts. The only extra expense is the meat and a few vegies / salad things. The leg of lamb is bought in Spring when it's just over $7 a kilo and usually costs me under $20. Snacks are bought on sale in November and bon bons are bought at half price on Boxing Day the year before.

Roast lunch

Dressing the roast lamb for extra flavou

Apple rose pastries

Megan's custard tarts

Setting the table with all the finery

 
How are you going with your menu plan ?
Do you have any tricks to keeping your costs to a minimum ?

Planning For Christmas

At the Gower Abundant Cottage,  we love Christmas.  We love the tree,  the decorations,  the present wrapping and giving,  the food,  the carol singing but most of all,  taking time to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus.

None of these things happen by chance.  I'm not a last minute,  wrap the presents and plan the menu on Christmas Eve type of person.  Christmas Eve is when I sit back,  relax,  watch the Carols by Candlelight or maybe even walk to the Carols celebration nearby.  Infact,  most of December I sit back  relax and watch people go crazy trying to get everything organised.

As you know,  I'm a list writer and planner.  I shop all year round to make the most of the sales and to help keep my gift giving budget under control.

If you haven't started any Christmas planning,  now is the time to get moving.  Here's how to plan your Christmas celebrations

Presents -

*  Make a list of everyone you are buying for.
*  Set a dollar amount per person.
*  Review your list and cut back
*  Write down gift ideas for each person
*  Put the list in your purse / wallet
*  Start shopping now and look for ways to save a few dollars.
*  Make any presents you can
*  Make biscuit / cookie dough now and freeze into log sizes for future baking to give as presents.
*  Sew,  knit,  crochet or make presents when you get a few spare moments.
*  Check your wrapping paper,  gift tag and sticky tape supplies and buy what's needed
*  Wrap as you buy and put straight under the tree ( or hide them if needed )
*  Keep all receipts in a marked envelope in case of future returns.

Christmas Cards -

*  Write a list of people you'd like to give a card to.
*  Write a list of cards to be sent
*  Make or buy your cards
*  Buy the postage stamps to send the cards.
*  Write a few each night as you are watching tv.
*  Send any overseas cards by early December.

Christmas Menu -

*  Write a list of how many people might be coming.
*  Write out a menu for lunch and dinner that caters for the numbers coming.
*  Cut back a little on the food.  There's always too many leftovers
*  Ask family and friends to help out with the catering by bringing a plate.
*  Write a list for Christmas Eve treats and Boxing Day grazing
*  Start buying the meat ahead of time to freeze
*  Watch the supermarket catalogues for sale items especially snacks
*  Clean out your fridge

Christmas Decorating -

*  Dig out the Christmas tree and check for damage / wear.  Buy a new one NOW if needed.
*  Check your decorations.  Do you need to update or buy new ones ?
*  Decide on a color scheme.
*  Decide how you'll decorate your tables.  Have a look at what you already have on hand and use that first.
*  Wash the table cloths ready for use.  Do your table runners need a wash ?
*  Buy candles,  serviettes, cutlery,  paper plates and bon bons.
*  Check your extra tables / trestle tables for damage.  Do you need to buy a new one.  Give them a wipe over.
*  Declutter your home.

Color schemes for the tree

Table decorations using what I already had

Leftover decorations make great table displays

Decorating the house

Christmas Eve platter

Making my own gift tags.

Here are the links to other Christmas articles I've written

http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/planning-christmas-menu-on-budget.html?showComment=1449714817844

http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/christmas-presents-on-budget.html

http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/christmas-table-decoration.html

http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/christmas-stockings-for-whole-family.html

http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/a-handmade-christmas.html

Are your Christmas plans under control ?

Planning A Christmas Menu On A budget

With Christmas just around the corner,I thought it would be good to repost this article I wrote last year. I'm sure you have all been very busy decorating your home and Christmas tree with special ornaments. Table runners, candles and Christmas lights can also bring the festive feeling to your home.   A couple of months ago I  started planning my Christmas Day menu too. Although I want this special day to be perfect, it is so easy to go overboard with the food.

Providing two meats, a couple of salads or roast veggies and two or three desserts is all that is needed to satisfy the hungry souls at your table. The more you have to choose from, the harder it is for the eaters to choose. How to fit it all on the plate ? There is only so much you can eat at one meal and many people travel from table to table ( family home to family home ) in one day.

Also, the more you provide, the more likely you are to be left with leftovers for a week. To avoid gastro,  food should be refridgerated between courses and consumed within 2 - 3 days of cooking. You are less likely to forget what is left in the fridge if it is consumed within a small time frame.

I've cooked traditional and casual Christmas lunches in the past. Here's what I've provided for my guests

TRADITIONAL

roast lamb served in gravy
roast chicken
roast potatoes, pumpkin and carrots
cauliflower and broccoli with white sauce and cheese on top
mint sauce
sticky date puddings in muffin size with caramel sauce, cream and icecream

CASUAL ( BBQ )

rissoles
bbq steaks ( cut into smaller pieces )
sausages
mushrooms and onions
bread stick
green tossed salad
potato salad
pasta salad
plum pudding ( no name ) with home made custard, cream and icecream
mini pavlovas ( home made ) with cream and berries


Both have been hugely successful and everyone is full and satisfied. The casual meal had a lot more leftovers. We just ate salads and sausages for the next two days. The best thing about these meals is that I have most of the ingredients on hand already so there are no grocery blowouts. The only extra expense is the meat and a few veggies / salad things. 

Planning A Christmas Menu On A Budget

With Christmas just around the corner, I'm sure you have all been very busy decorating your home and Christmas tree with special ornaments. Table runners, candles and Christmas lights can also bring the festive feeling to your home.   A couple of months ago I  started planning my Christmas Day menu too. Although I want this special day to be perfect, it is so easy to go overboard with the food.

Providing two meats, a couple of salads or roast veggies and two or three desserts is all that is needed to satisfy the hungry souls at your table. The more you have to choose from, the harder it is for the eaters to choose. How to fit it all on the plate ? There is only so much you can eat at one meal and many people travel from table to table ( family home to family home ) in one day.

Also, the more you provide, the more likely you are to be left with leftovers for a week. To avoid gastro,  food should be refridgerated between courses and consumed within 2 - 3 days of cooking. You are less likely to forget what is left in the fridge if it is consumed within a small time frame.

I've cooked traditional and casual Christmas lunches in the past. Here's what I've provided for my guests

TRADITIONAL

roast lamb served in gravy
roast chicken
roast potatoes, pumpkin and carrots
cauliflower and broccoli with white sauce and cheese on top
mint sauce
sticky date puddings in muffin size with caramel sauce, cream and icecream

CASUAL ( BBQ )

rissoles
bbq steaks ( cut into smaller pieces )
sausages
mushrooms and onions
bread stick
green tossed salad
potato salad
pasta salad
plum pudding ( no name ) with home made custard, cream and icecream
mini pavlovas ( home made ) with cream and berries


Both have been hugely successful and everyone is full and satisfied. The casual meal had a lot more leftovers. We just ate salads and sausages for the next two days. The best thing about these meals is that I have most of the ingredients on hand already so there are no grocery blowouts. The only extra expense is the meat and a few veggies / salad things.

Here are some handy hints for cutting costs

*  Grow your own lettuce and salad things.  Lettuce grows all year round in pots or the ground.

*  Buy your leg of lamb in Spring when it's about $6.99 a kilo.

*  Keep a look out for bbq meats on sale at the butcher.  Freeze ahead of time in smaller portions.  It's so easy to pull out the exact amount of meat needed from the freezer.  Less waste and quite often dinner guest numbers are not known until a couple of days before.

*  Spread the workload around and ask guests to bring a plate / dish.  Most people are happy to help.

*  Not everyone likes plum pudding.  Single serve puddings might be your answer to reducing costs and left overs.  I've found no name/ generic brands to be mild in flavour and well received by guests. Making your own could be another option.

*  Buy your bon bons on  Boxing Day at half price.  I always buy enough for a couple of years.  A cheaper option is to make your own from wrapping paper tubes,  wrapping paper,  ribbon,  your own printed jokes and a trinket / lolly.  Making your own costs next to nothing.

*  Snacks like nuts,  dried fruit,  chocolates,  chips,  soft drinks and lollies should be bought ahead of time.  Most of these items are on sale from week to week.  Just check out my grocery specials post every Wednesday.

With some forward planning you can have a fabulous Christmas Day full of delicious food without blowing your budget.

Have you started planning your Christmas Day menu ?