Savvy mum makes Christmas dinner for just £7.58 per person - including trimmings

23 November 2023 , 16:09

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A money-saving mum has revealed how she dishes up Christmas dinner with two tasty meats for around £7.58 per person for her family-of-eight (Image: Gemma Loveden/MuscleFood)

A money-smart mum has revealed how she ditched her £300 Christmas for a festive feast for eight worth £7.58 per person.

Gemma Loveden, from Merseyside, likes to go "above and beyond" during the festive period for her family-of-eight. However, she confessed she wanted to cut back this year due to the ongoing rising cost of living. Gemma said she used to spend hundreds on her Christmas food shop but has now found ways to bring the price down without restricting what's on the table.

The mum-of-six is being "extra cautious" and has worked out how she can make a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings for less than a tenner per person. The savvy St Helens resident said: "Eating together at Christmas is important to me and my family and I didn’t want to compromise on taste or not have enough to go round."

Gemma likes to go 'above and beyond' at Christmas but decided to be 'extra cautious' with money this year (Gemma Loveden/MuscleFood)

Gemma, who runs the site Foodie Family Meals, said: "I've always enjoyed cooking for my family, but as we all know, the cost of living has made it difficult to get as much food on the table compared to last year. Eating together at Christmas is important to me and my family and I didn’t want to compromise on taste or not have enough to go round.

"As we're a big family, it's hard cooking healthy and delicious meals for everyone while working but I've always made sure to set time aside to ensure we can all enjoy the festivities." To deal with the high costs, Gemma has also come up with money-saving tips to make shopping easier over the festive period.

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The food writer, who lives with her children and partner Guy, used a Luxury Turkey and Beef Hamper from online healthy retailer MuscleFood to feed her family the festive meal. The hamper provided enough food for Christmas Day and leftovers for Gemma to store in the fridge and freezer which she used to make budget-friendly meals for Boxing Day and the days following.

The mum dished up a hearty, festive meal with turkey and beef to feed the whole family with plenty of leftovers to last days after Christmas. Gemma was able to make tasty honey and lime turkey with beef fried rice out of the leftovers which cost 77p per person. She also used her leftover stuffing meat to dish up a creamy stuffed orzo with sun-dried tomato for £1 a portion.

Sharing her tips, Gemma said: "We absolutely loved using the hamper to save on our meats, as the costs in supermarkets are ridiculously high, especially around Christmas. It also meant there were plenty of leftovers from the hamper, so we kept the meats in the freezer and simply defrosted them for whenever we needed to use them.

"A trick I love to do is squeeze the sausage meat out of the skin, pop it into a pan and mash it down to make a healthy portion of mince meat. Add some sauces and veggies to the pan, then boil some pasta on the side. Then there are plenty of meals batch-cooked and ready to eat."

Gemma, who often shares her tips on TikTok, also saved cash by making the most of loyalty points in leading supermarkets to get her sides and veggies cheaper. She explained: "Even simple changes like buying wonky vegetables, shopping seasonally and planning meals can help. It’s not just Christmas Day to think about, there's Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and the following couple of days. On Christmas Eve we love to sit around in front of a movie and put out a spread full of picky bits for us all to enjoy."

Gemma advises buying Christmas food items early and finding deals (Gemma Loveden/MuscleFood)

She added: "It's one of the ways to help us save money instead of forking out for a full meal for everyone, especially as the main event is on the 25th. Getting food on the table with things we enjoy is one of the most important parts of Christmas."

Gemma said her top tips to help save money throughout Christmas include being prepared by getting last-minute deals. She said: "Get the meats in early and stick them in the freezer. Same with picky bits like crisps, get them while on offer so they're ready for some festive snacking."

The savvy mum also said it is important to make the most of leftovers. She commented: "Think about what you've got hiding in the cupboards and how it can be made into a meal. If you're running out of inspiration, have a look on social media as there are millions of delicious recipes to choose from."

Adding how to shop this Christmas, she said: "Don't be afraid of venturing out from your usual place to shop as there are plenty of deals in the run up to Christmas. Many shops have seasonal offers so make the most of them while they're available."

Lucy Marshall