I’ve already cooked Christmas Dinner and bunged it in the freezer – best of all it cost £30 for SIX people
MEET the savvy mum who has already prepped multiple dishes for Christmas – and has only spent £30 cooking up a festive storm.
Tahnee Beck, 34, loves being prepared for the festive season well ahead and started on Boxing Day last year, hitting the shops to bag bargain presents and decor.
And the mum-of-two, who is hosting six people at home on December 25, is well ahead of her game because she refuses to be “preoccupied” in the kitchen on Christmas Day.
She has already cooked her roast potatoes, red cabbage with apple and parsnips and has them stashed them in her freezer, ready to pop in the oven on Christmas Day.
Tahnee has also prepared seven meals for Christmas Eve – as well as cooked waffles for the morning of the big day.
Better still, the cooking, which she did this week, took her just two hours in total.
Away from the kitchen, Tahnee also cashes in on sales throughout the year. She estimates she gets everything she needs for Christmas at around half the cost of buying last minute – saving herself £5,000 in total over the past seven years.
Tahnee, a housewife, from north Norfolk, says: “Christmas should be a relaxing time for all – including the host.
“I prepped everything last year and the dinner was a huge success.
“It doesn’t take that long because I just make double portions of roast potatoes or extra waffles during the run-up to Christmas.
“I love Christmas – and a little prep helps me enjoy it even more.
“In the past I’ve been preoccupied with getting lunch ready and the day has passed me by.
“I’m now looking forward to a relaxed morning opening presents and not stressing about peeling potatoes.”
Tahnee – who is mum to a son aged, nine, and a daughter who is 12, has gammon and red cabbage already prepared in her freezer for Christmas Eve.
She will serve it with a blood orange salad which she can quickly throw together on the day.
And she has variety of cookies that she will bake from frozen and a Yule log stashed away for Christmas Day.
Tahnee also has pre-prepared frozen red cabbage and apple as a side dish, which cost her £1.50.
She reckons this would cost £8.55 for the same quantity at supermarket prices near the time – a saving of £7.05 on one dish.
Last year, Tahnee got her recipes from a vintage 1977 pamphlet by Mary Berry, called ‘Freezing for Christmas’.
The booklet contained recipes for the week beginning Christmas Eve to be prepared and frozen in advance.
Tahnee said it’s opened her eyes to new dishes, such as mackerel pâté.
“I love all things vintage, so it was a lot of fun for me,” she explains.
“My husband grew up eating a lot of these dishes at Christmas, so it was nostalgic for him, however, the pineapple ice cream we had last year wasn’t the best, so I’ll be sticking to Yule log for the children and fruit pavlova for the adults this year.
“For Boxing Day we’ll have a bubble and squeak breakfast from leftover potatoes and vegetables with eggs.
“Followed by turkey bake and cheese sauce for lunch.
“It’s not just a stress-free Christmas but also affordable and there’s no-waste.”
Tahnee, who is married to an engineer, adds: “I just like to get all the work out the way so we can really enjoy Christmas.
“To anyone wanting to do the same this year, sit down and work out your menu and when you’ll cook each dish during the run-up to Christmas.
“And don’t forget to take it out of the freezer on Christmas Eve.”
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.