Tips for creating the ultimate Christmas dinner for your family and budget

With Christmas Eve 10 days away, many households are finalizing the details of their Christmas meals, and a professional home economist has some tips to make the vision for your holiday celebration come to life.

Getty Stewart says there are two main objectives when planning a large Christmas get together: low cost and low stress.

“I really want to encourage people to think about their overall objective. What is truly important for your holiday gathering?” she said.

“Spoiler alert it might not be the food, it’s probably the overall vibe and feeling that you’re leaving with your guests.”

Regardless of your vision, she suggests getting started on food shopping now.

“The sales will change over the weeks so if you know what you’re making ahead of time you can take advantage of those sales. It also gives your guests who you’re asking to bring items to prepare in advance as well.”

And she does recommend asking your guests to bring a dish.

“Everyone is so thankful that you’re doing the hosting they’d be more than welcome to add to the dinner table for sure.”

She encourages personalizing the request by saying, "You make the best salad," or "You pick the best sauces."

“It helps bring that vibe and already you’re starting to engage them and have them be part of the overall experience.”

If you’re stressed about keeping up with holiday traditions, Stewart suggests asking yourself if they’re still serving your family and working well.

“Do you really need a sit down formal dinner or would a buffet style be better for you this year? Or if you know that now suddenly you have a bunch of little kids coming to your gathering, maybe an afternoon affair, maybe going out for toboggan rides and coming back in for hot cocoa and finger foods would be a much more enjoyed celebration.”

And if you’re trying to save a few extra dollars, let’s talk turkey.

“It may be too big for your gathering or maybe it’s just not the preferred food for the people coming to your gathering, so think about other alternatives so if you have a smaller gathering. Choose cuts from the bird so a thigh, a breast with the back on still may serve you really well.”

She also has some tips for making your dishes look beautiful, without spending a lot of money.

“You don’t have to reach for the most expensive food dishes. Really think about how can you dress up your favourites, so think about seasonal favourites like pomegranates, coat them with a little bit of sugar coating, and add that to your charcuterie board. Or add them or fresh green herbs to your mashed potatoes just to really make them sparkle and shine on the dinner table.”

And consider making less than you usually make.

“We think that if we’re making beans and carrots and potatoes and our meat dish that we have to have full bowls of everything and that’s not necessarily true.”

“Think about half a cup of vegetables per person, now if you have three different varieties what does that mean for the overall amount that you need to prepare? So you won’t need half a cup of peas and half a cup of carrots and half a cup of Brüssel sprouts so you’ll need less of each of those dishes.”

Getty Stewart created this chart to teach you how much to make for Christmas dinner. (Credit: Getty Stewart)

If you’re going to be a guest at a holiday dinner this year, Stewart says think about what you can add to help with the burden and cost of hosting.

“Maybe it’s your opportunity to bring a dish or to bring a bottle of wine or some other favourite dish or beverage that you can offer to the party.” 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson.