A resourceful mum has shared her secret to hosting a festive Christmas dinner for just £2 per person, proving that a delicious holiday feast doesn’t have to break the bank.
Jo Rourke, 42, from Manchester, UK, took to TikTok to reveal how she managed to create a full Christmas dinner for six people, all for a total of £10.88.
By making smart swaps and sticking to budget-friendly ingredients, Jo demonstrated that it’s possible to enjoy a hearty meal without the hefty price tag typically associated with the holiday season.
For the main event, Jo swapped the usual pricey turkey for chicken, saying, “Turkey is just expensive chicken!”
She also made her own pigs in blankets using sausage and bacon, instead of buying the ready-made versions.
Her biggest spend was on the meat, which cost £6.50 in total – far cheaper than buying a traditional Christmas turkey.
Despite being on a tight budget, she was able to create a Christmas dinner complete with all the trimmings, proving that a festive meal doesn’t need to be expensive to be delicious.
Jo, a digital creator, regularly shares money-saving tips and easy recipes on her TikTok page, where her Christmas dinner video has been met with enthusiastic responses from followers.
One viewer commented, “Who would have thought you could enjoy all of the trimmings for six people for less than £12? This certainly doesn’t feel like Christmas on a budget!”
Her aim for the meal was not only to reduce the cost but also to simplify the cooking process. Jo said, “The aim of this series was to reduce the amount of work a Christmas dinner is – the number of dishes that have to be made and managed – and to be able to achieve it on a budget.”
Jo’s dinner shopping list:
6 Chicken Leg Portions – £3
300g Bacon – £1.50
385g Chipolata Sausages – £2
1 Packet Stuffing – 45p
2kg Potatoes – 29p
500g Carrots – 29p
500g Parsnips – 29p
500g Sprouts – 29p
2 large leeks – £1.29
Gravy – 73p
Honey – 75p