New data reveals how much a Christmas feast will set you back this year – and the cheapest store to buy from
With Christmas just around the corner, many of us have already pulled out the budgeting spreadsheet—especially while planning that perfect festive feast. But the price of a traditional Christmas dinner can vary quite a bit depending on where you’re shopping.
“With a third of Brits saving up specifically to have enough to fund Christmas dinner in 2022, budgeting for your turkey and spuds has, for many, become a core element of the holidays,” says Jason Higgs, the Senior Deals Strategist at Proxy Coupons, a website specialising in discount codes, promo deals, and coupons.
So, how much should you expect to spend on your festive spread this year, and where can you find the best deals? Using data from nine major UK supermarket brands, Jason and his team reveal the average cost of a full Christmas dinner this year and which supermarkets are the cheapest (and priciest) to shop at.
Table 1: The Average Cost of Christmas Dinner in the UK
| Item | Sainsbury’s | Asda | Tesco | Morrisons | Ocado |
| Turkey (a 2-3kg) | £28.00 | £22.50 | £30.31 | £22.50 | £30.00 |
| Potatoes (1kg) | £1.20 | £1.20 | £0.90 | £1.35 | £1.60 |
| Gravy (190g) | £2.80 | £2.00 | £2.80 | £2.50 | £2.00 |
| Stuffing (170g) | £2.40 | £2.00 | £2.40 | £2.00 | £2.00 |
| Pigs in Blankets (240g) | £3.00 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.75 | £4.00 |
| Brussels sprouts (200g) | £1.60 | £1.00 | £1.50 | £1.50 | £1.10 |
| Carrots (1 kg) | £0.69 | £0.65 | £0.69 | £0.69 | £0.69 |
| Cranberry sauce (220g) | £1.80 | £1.25 | £1.75 | £1.80 | £1.75 |
| Parsnips (500g) | £3.35 | £2.50 | £3.25 | £3.00 | £3.10 |
| Yorkshire Puddings (220g) | £1.40 | £2.00 | £1.40 | £1.40 | £2.00 |
| Bread Sauce (40g) | £0.60 | £0.90 | £0.95 | £0.95 | £1.00 |
| Christmas Pudding (100g) | £1.00 | £0.75 | £0.95 | £0.81 | £1.00 |
| Mince Pies (6pk) | £3.00 | £1.25 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.75 |
| Total cost for a meal | £50.84 | £40.50 | £51.90 | £43.75 | £52.99 |
| Item | Aldi | Waitrose | Co-op | Iceland | Average |
| Turkey (a 2-3kg) | £37.98 | £30.00 | £30.00 | £26.00 | £28.59 |
| Potatoes (1kg) | £1.09 | £0.72 | £1.03 | £0.95 | £1.12 |
| Gravy (190g) | £1.50 | £3.00 | £2.00 | £2.79 | £2.38 |
| Stuffing (170g) | £1.00 | £2.50 | £2.00 | £2.50 | £2.09 |
| Pigs in Blankets (240g) | £1.99 | £6.00 | £3.25 | £3.50 | £3.28 |
| Brussels sprouts (200g) | £0.95 | £1.65 | £1.60 | £1.30 | £1.36 |
| Carrots (1 kg) | £0.69 | £0.75 | £0.90 | £0.85 | £0.73 |
| Cranberry sauce (220g) | £1.49 | £1.60 | £1.15 | £1.75 | £1.59 |
| Parsnips (500g) | £1.89 | £3.50 | £3.25 | £2.85 | £2.97 |
| Yorkshire Puddings (220g) | £0.99 | £1.40 | £1.40 | £1.00 | £1.44 |
| Bread Sauce (40g) | £0.90 | £1.00 | £1.00 | £1.00 | £0.92 |
| Christmas Pudding (100g) | £0.89 | £1.75 | £2.00 | £1.25 | £1.16 |
| Mince Pies (6pk) | £1.25 | £1.95 | £2.95 | £3.00 | £2.35 |
| Total cost for a meal | £52.61 | £55.82 | £52.53 | £48.74 | £49.96 |
How Much To Buy A Full Festive Spread?
After comparing nine different UK supermarkets, the average cost of a full Christmas dinner was £49.96, just 4p short of a round £50. “The turkey was by far the most expensive item in every dinner,” says Jason. “The most expensive turkey was found at Aldi for £37.98. Morrisons and Asda were tied for the cheapest turkey at £22.50.”
Prices across other items were fairly close together. The only significant difference was Waitrose’s pigs in blankets, which were around £3 more expensive than most other supermarkets. The cheapest pigs in blankets were Aldi’s at £1.99.
“This is important knowledge, as pigs in blankets were named the UK’s most loved Christmas dish in 2022,” says Jason. “60% of Brits said they planned to have pigs in blankets for Christmas dinner in 2023. The most popular item for Christmas dinner was roast potatoes, which 73% of people planned to have on their table.”
Table 2: The Cheapest UK Supermarkets For Christmas Dinner
| Rank | Shop | Average Total Christmas Dinner Cost |
| 1 | Asda | £40.50 |
| 2 | Morrisons | £43.75 |
| 3 | Iceland | £48.74 |
| 4 | Sainsbury’s | £50.84 |
| 5 | Tesco | £51.90 |
| 6 | Co-op | £52.53 |
| 7 | Aldi | £52.61 |
| 8 | Ocado | £52.99 |
| 9 | Waitrose & Partners | £55.82 |
Which Supermarket Is Cheapest?
Asda comes out as the cheapest UK supermarket for Christmas dinner, with a full spread costing just £40.50. That’s just under £10 cheaper than the average cost across all nine chains. In contrast, Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket to shop at; a full Christmas dinner from them will set you back £55.82 on average.
“Seeing Asda and Morrisons at the top of this list and Waitrose and Ocado at the bottom isn’t very surprising, considering the former tend to be cheaper and the latter tend to be more expensive overall,” says Jason.
“The surprising entries for me are Aldi and Sainsbury’s,” he adds. “Aldi is usually known as one of the cheapest supermarkets around, so it’s a bit shocking to see them with the third most expensive Christmas dinner. Equally, Sainsbury’s has a reputation for being on the pricey side, so it’s interesting to see them as the fourth cheapest.”
Of course, all of these prices are variable depending on the quality and amount of items you choose. “Extras like canapes and different puddings, for example, will make things more expensive, while sticking to the basics and buying cheaper, own-brand options will help you save,” says Jason.
Jason Higgs, the Senior Deals Strategist at Proxy Coupons, commented:
“Christmas dinner is the meal people dream about all year, so there’s a lot of pressure to make it special – but it doesn’t have to break the bank. You can save yourself a lot by being a savvy shopper.
“First, plan your menu early. That way, you’re not rushing around at the last minute, grabbing overpriced items in a panic. Check out your local supermarkets for seasonal discounts – a lot of stores start offering Christmas deals weeks in advance, so you can stock up on essentials like cranberry sauce, stuffing, and even the turkey well before Christmas Eve, and store them in the freezer until the big day. Don’t be afraid to try store-brand products either – they often taste just as good as the big-name brands, and your wallet will thank you.
“You can also look into shopping online. A lot of supermarkets offer delivery or click-and-collect services, meaning you can easily compare prices without running around every store in town. And if you’re cooking for a crowd, try splitting the cost with family or friends. Everyone can contribute a dish!”
The Top Ways Savvy Brits Will Be Enjoying a Thrifty Christmas This Year
Sources
A third of Brits saving specifically for Christmas dinner: Statista.
Most loved Christmas dishes: Statista.
Dishes Brits were planning on having for Christmas dinner in 2023: Statista.
Methodology
Prices: Proxy Coupons searched for each product on the various supermarket websites listed in the sources and then calculated the average price based on a common unit of measurement (e.g., 1kg, 220g, 190g…, etc.). They referenced products that tend to be purchased frequently for Christmas dinner to determine the average price.
Average: They calculated the average price of each product across the stores.
Total Average Price: They summed up the average prices of all the products to determine the average cost of a standard Christmas meal in the UK. This figure is based on average, commonly available ingredients and may vary depending on the portion sizes consumed by each family.
Christmas Dinner Cost by Selected Shops: The study ranked the stores based on the total average cost of a Christmas dinner at each store after calculation, with stores offering lower costs ranked at the top.
