With the festive season in full swing, a thrifty mother has shared her savviest cooking secrets to feed your family of six for Christmas under $50.
Jody Allen, from Queensland’s Gympie, said families on an extraordinarily tight budget can still enjoy a fancy lunch at an affordable price – with all the trimmings.
Here, the founder of Stay at Home Mum reveals her tips to help you prepare a delicious entree, main and dessert on the morning of December 25 – and still have room for quality time with the family.
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Mother Jody Allen shares her secrets on feeding your family of six for Christmas under $50
‘Christmas is a time for splurging – but that splurge doesn’t have to mean you go bankrupt for lunch,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
The doting mother-of-two said one of the common mistakes people tend to make is ‘over-catering’.
‘I’m really guilty of it,’ she admitted, laughing.
‘Every time you go shopping, you just want to buy so much food. People tend to go way over the top. One thing that bugs me every year is when people buy a $100 ham because they think it’s a cheaper option.
‘You will end up freezing the $100 ham – and you’ll get sick of eating it overtime. Buy a smaller ham – you might pay a bit more per gram but you’re saving in the long run.’
Revealing her tips on how families can control costs of a Christmas lunch, Ms Allen said always follow a meal plan.
‘Definitely plan out exactly what you make on Christmas Day,’ she said.
‘Keep things really simple, make sure all the meals are easy so you’re not in the kitchen all day – you want to be able to enjoy Christmas with the family.
‘If you meal plan, prices won’t go out of control.’
She explained it was important to know what the whole family enjoys eating before she plans her meals for the day (pictured with her sons Nathaniel and Flynn)
The thrifty mother said families on an extraordinarily tight budget can still enjoy a fancy lunch at an affordable price – with all the trimmings
She said another tip to keen in mind was knowing your portion sizes.
‘You don’t have to eat until you’re stuffed,’ she said.
‘You still want to eat a nice feast but don’t stuff yourself silly. Always know how much food you really need. So I decide what to make first.
‘I have six people coming this year so I know what everyone likes to eat. I work out 200 grams of meat per person – and I work my way from there.
‘The best way to work out how much you’re spending to the cent is using Woolworths’ online shopping website.
‘It helps me work out all the things I need and how much money they cost before I even leave my home.
‘We don’t get the delivery option where we live but if you do, it’s great because you can’t put all those little things in your trolley when you’re doing your grocery.’
She said the top five food every household should have this festive season is ‘definitely a leg ham, coleslaw, fresh bread rolls, stone fruits and a cold chook’
She said the top five food every household should have this festive season is ‘definitely a leg ham, coleslaw, fresh bread rolls, stone fruits and a cold chook’.
‘These are the things I always have. They are the go-to foods you can get from your fridge any time of the year – and it still feels like Christmas,’ she said.
‘Stone fruits are great all year round too because it’s something you can nibble on all the time – that’s what makes it Christmas. Mangoes are my favourite.’
Ms Allen said her favourite meal to prepare for Christmas is her ‘honey soy barbecue chicken pieces’ because it’s cheap, delicious and time-saving.
‘Because you can make them on the barbie,’ she said.
‘It’s so simple. The sauce takes five minutes to throw all together and you cook the chicken for 20 minutes tops.
Ms Allen added that while the entree, main and dessert are cooking away in the kitchen, there’s still enough time to spend Christmas with your family
‘They’re delicious, and you can serve them with anything – veggies or salad.’
Another meal she loves to make is her famous ‘slow cooker pavlova’ [recipe below] – and Ms Allen insists, it tastes ‘exactly the same’ as an oven baked pavlova.
‘And that’s what I love about using a slow cooker,’ she said.
‘You can’t use the oven because you’ve got the pork roasting in there so you can use your slow cooker for a pavlova – it’s the best.
Ms Allen added that while the entree, main and dessert are cooking away in the kitchen, there’s still enough time to spend Christmas with your family.
Jody Allen’s book, The $50 Weekly Shop Weekday Dinners, published by Penguin Random House, is available now, for $24.99.