An affordable Christmas dinner without sacrificing flavor or ambiance. Is that possible? Absolutely! With these clever tricks, you can create dishes that will delight you, your guests, and your wallet.
Don’t reinvent the wheel
A half-hour search online will reveal a wealth of budget-friendly recipes. For example, check out the Christmas recipes from BudgetBytes, the two-euro Christmas dinner from The Happy Pear, or get inspired by Flying Foodie. Another good idea: browsing the cookbook section at the library.
Replace expensive ingredients with alternatives
Many classic Christmas recipes use ingredients that come with a hefty price tag. No need! Adjust your shopping list to save money. Here are some clever food swaps:
- Replace wild mushrooms with button mushrooms.
- Replace balsamic vinegar with red wine vinegar and a little brown sugar.
- Replace red wine with grape or cranberry juice.
- Replace pine nuts with sunflower seeds.
- Replace cavolo nero with kale.
Do it completely different this year het dit jaar helemaal anders
Leave the gourmet stove in the attic and opt for a:
Potluck dinner. Ask your guests to bring a dish. That way, no one will spend hours in the kitchen.
Leftover dinner. You can easily transform leftovers into a delicious meal. Overripe vegetables can be made into soup, leftover potatoes into rosti, and old sandwiches into bread pudding.
Vegetarian dinner. Meat is expensive. The solution is simple: cook vegetarian. Or challenge yourself by cooking without animal ingredients.
Christmas brunch. Brunch is usually cheaper than dinner. And what’s more: you have a whole evening to yourself afterward.
Dinner without alcohol. Another great way to save on groceries. Still in the mood for bubbles? Make a non-alcoholic cocktail with apple juice, sparkling water, and a few sprigs of mint.
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This article is a contribution from Schrijf Schrijf.