Food is a massive part of Christmas; from roast turkey dinner, to sweets and treats, to the classic Christmas pud, but it doesn't have to be wasteful or expensive. With tips, hints, recipes and portion planners, this page will guide you through to the big day itself and beyond into the New Year.
Christmas Portion Control
- Portion control is the hardest part of any meal but especially at Christmas. How many potatoes will each family member eat, what size turkey should you buy? Below you will find our helpful Festive Portion Planner. A printable version can also be found in the downloads section of this page.
Turkey A turkey crown (2kg-2½kg) will feed 6 people
A small turkey (3kg-4½kg) will feed 6 to 8 people
A medium turkey (4kg-6kg) will feed 8 to 10 people
A large turkey (6kg-6½kg) will feed 12 to 15 peopleRoast Potatoes 250g per person Stuffing balls 2- 3 per person Pigs in blankets 2- 3 per person Brussel sprouts 80g per person Carrots 80g per person Parsnips 80g per person Gravy 120ml per person Cranberry sauce 25g per person Tip: Catering for children? For 5 - 10 year olds allow roughly two thirds of what an adult would eat.
Make a list, check your cupboards twice...
- We've compiled some of our top tips, which will stand you in good stead for the festive period. However if you make these your New Year's Resolution, then you could save hundreds of pounds in 2024. Just think of the treats that will buy!
- Lovely leftovers: Being creative with leftovers is a clever way to save money and make what's in the fridge go further. Sunday's roast leftovers can be used in many dishes from cheeky curries to cracking risottos.
- Perfect portions: It's likely we've all got the perfect item for measuring a portion. A mug of uncooked rice is the right amount for four adults and the hole in the middle of a spaghetti spoon is enough for one person. But if you're in any doubt, we recommend using the Love Food Hate Waste Portion Planner. It gives you serving sizes and storage information for any food that you don't use immediately.
- Cook from the cupboard: With canned and dried foods in the cupboard and some fridge and freezer basics (see
Store cupboard essentials [340kb]) you can pull together a quick meal to make the most of any leftovers.
- Know your dates: Checking dates saves money. Food can be eaten right up to a 'use-by' date or frozen. 'Best before' dates are for quality so there is no need to throw out food on the stated date - eggs being the exception.
- It pays to plan: A great way of saving time and money is to check what's in the cupboard, fridge and freezer and make a list before going shopping. Planning removes the hassle of thinking about what to eat every day and lets us enjoy food at its freshest.
Leftover recipe ideas
- Below are just a few of our favourite leftover recipe ideas, for more like this please go to www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
- Say bye to Turkey sandwiches and hello to...
- Make the most of your spuds
- Tasty delights for all the trimmings
- A selection of festive treats
More help, all year round
- The UK's Love Food Hate Waste website contains lots more tips and tasty recipes, to help you cut out waste in the kitchen and save a load of money. If you want to stay in touch with the latest local information and promotions follow us on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram
