We already know that Christmas dinner is synonymous with expenses for you! Although it is a time of great happiness, in which being with family and special people is a priority, these parties can weigh on the budget.

It is possible to have a Christmas dinner with a plentiful table paying little and, above all, without wasting food. But first of all, organize yourself well beforehand and plan every detail. No stress, okay? Now follow our tips.

Make a guest list

This part is fundamental to having the right number of people who will be part of the Christmas dinner . Also, avoid inviting more guests at the last minute, because you will definitely end up spending more than expected. Remember: each person represents a cost.

Establish an amount to be spent considering the number of guests

The ideal is to have an exact amount of how much you can spend and what dishes you want to prepare for Christmas dinner . Then do the math on how much each person will consume on average.

To calculate the amount of consumption per person, we have some tips to give you:

• 1 kg of rice serves up to 20 people;
• 200g of meat is ideal per person;
• 1 kg of dough serves, on average, 6 people;
• 150g is ideal for each guest.

After this information, it is easier to know exactly which dishes you want to prepare for Christmas dinner and the amount of ingredients you should buy. So make the market list. A very valuable tip at this stage is not to run away from your shopping list. Put only what you need in the cart!

Don’t leave shopping for Christmas dinner ingredients to the last minute.

At some point in your life you must have gone to the supermarket on Christmas Eve. Who never forgot a Christmas dinner item , huh? However, there is nothing better than getting ahead and following a plan. So nothing goes wrong! Including your recipes.

In addition to experiencing less stress, buying all the ingredients before Christmas dinner saves you money. Prices at this time of year vary greatly according to demand. Therefore, you may have also noticed that the closer to the 25th, the higher the food prices are.

Research ingredient prices in different supermarkets and keep track of offers

After the shopping list is ready, start planning to go to the market. Search for prices in different places and follow the wholesalers’ social networks to stay on top of the news.

If you have an item that you must buy in bulk, choose a wholesaler. You will make a super saving! Drinks, decorative objects, disposables, ingredients for desserts and even Christmas mixtures are more affordable in these places.

Swap more expensive foods for cheaper options

But be careful: don’t overlook the quality of the dishes you’re going to offer at Christmas dinner . We were able to save money without modifying the taste and delights of this very special date.

It is normal that at this time of year Christmas foods are more expensive. That’s why we’ve brought you two valuable tips to save on Christmas dinner :

• Choose brands that are cheaper, but this is an alternative only for those you are used to using in recipes;
• Opt for fruits and vegetables typical of the season, as they are easy to find in markets and are cheaper, especially at fairs;
• Look individually at each dish you are going to prepare and analyze the possibility of changing more expensive ingredients for cheaper ones, without changing the flavor!