Saved By Michelle; Christmas lunch done cheap and easy

Last minute shopping is hard to avoid if you want the best produce for Christmas lunch, but these tips can help.

There are crazy scenes at every grocery and fresh produce store in the days leading up to Christmas.

As much as we don’t want to brave the crowds of frantic families filling multiple trolleys, there’s no denying that many of us will join the queues if it means a cheap and delicious Christmas lunch.

Stingy thing Aussie shoppers are doing this Christmas

Christmas: Are toy sales cheaper?

How to avoid Christmas debt

But to stop yourself from blowing the food budget this Christmas and saving yourself from unnecessary stress, it’s best to start preparations sooner rather than later.

We all know the lump-in-your-throat feeling when you duck to the shops on Christmas Eve to find there’s no condensed milk left anywhere to make grandma’s favourite rum balls.

But writing a shopping list and collecting necessary non-perishable items in the weeks before can save a tonne of stress.

A Better Choice Retailer Barry Haskins from Top Spot Fruit Mart says there is no better way to save some cash than by organising your menu around products that are in season.

“Seasonal fruit is definitely a way to save some money, and it’s what people want this time of year,” he said.

“I have cherries in a half-kilo tub which is cheaper for people to buy, or they can buy kilo tubs for cheaper.”

Barry says mangoes, stone fruit and cherries are the most popular items at Christmas time, but the price is also coming down on Queensland grapes.

Your Local Fruit Shop retailer Barry Haskins with Lorrilee Blanning at Top Spot Fruit Mart. Picture by Richard Gosling

Your local fruit shop have a range of stores across the southeast with high quality produce and variety of choice.

For those who opt to ditch the roast for fresh prawns on Christmas Day, Seafood Industry Australia chief executive Veronica Papacosta says an Aussie seafood platter can be done on a budget.

“At Christmas everybody wants the biggest prawns they can get, but size shouldn’t count,” she says.

“People can save some money and go for a smaller prawn like a medium tiger prawn, a Crystal Bay prawn, or a small king prawn. You’ll see prices for these sitting around the high $30s.

“Another way to get around the prices is to buy green prawns and cook them yourself.

Green prawns are usually about $10 cheaper a kilogram and are great to throw on the barbecue, or in a pan with some butter and garlic.”

She says while the variety of Australian seafood on offer is endless, prawns are traditionally the biggest seller.

“Australian prawn prices will remain stable, and there will be a number of prawns across a variety of sizes and prices for consumers to choose from.”

Buying pre-made desserts will be just as appreciated on the day and can often be cheaper and less time consuming than buying and making the food from scratch.

For less than $11 Aldi have classic Christmas fruit cakes, puddings, fudge and cake.

Aldi’s shopping expert Nicole Higgins says there’s also value to be found in their Christmas hams.

“Convenience and quality are always top of mind for our customers during the festive season, and this year’s range has been designed to suit any sized meal or budget,” she says.

Ranging from $5 to $16 per kilo, the Christmas ham does not have to blow the budget.

Instead of having to slave over a hot oven all day, Coles have brought back the Air Fryer Oven into their Best Buys range to make for a quick and easy lunch.

Coles General Manager for Health & Home Jonathan Torr says there are many items that can make Christmas lunch look great on a budget, including their 12-piece dinner set with gold trim, 6 pack stemless glassware, bamboo serving board and a lazy Susan 360 rotating glass platter all for less than $30 each.

“This has been a challenging year for many Australians and we know our customers are really looking forward to celebrating Christmas with their friends and family.”

“We’ve tailored the range to help make entertaining this season easy and affordable with products that provide something a bit special at exceptional value,” he said.

“Our 25 litre Air Fryer Oven was incredibly popular when we first launched Best Buys back in June so we’re delighted to bring it back just in time for Christmas entertaining or even to go under the tree.