Cut the cost of your Christmas dinner with these lesser-known cooking hacks

Feast on some of her lesser-known ideas below as we approach the big day.

Spatchcock your chicken or turkey

There are a few ways to cook your bird that are faster and more energy-efficient than the usual – such as butterflying or spatchcocking it.

Caz explained: ‘When we think of cooking meat at Christmas, we tend to think about the lengthy ordeal of standing by the stove and frequently checking the meat in the oven to ensure it doesn’t dry out.

‘This drains energy and ramps up energy bills, but spatchcocking, or butterflying your chicken or turkey can really help to reduce cooking time.

‘Simply cut and remove the backbone and apply pressure so that the bird lays flat on the tray. Not only does this quicken the cooking time, but it allows for more to fit in the oven at the same time. This further helps to save time and energy, letting you get back to your family, friends and festivities.’

Make your meat go further

If you decide to go for different meat than poultry, Caz points out that you can ask for cheaper, thinner cuts of meat.

‘For example,’ Caz said, ‘a chuck steak is more cost-effective than a T-bone steak and just as delicious. A local butcher will be able to advise you on more affordable cuts of meat, and you can even ask them to slice thinner cuts, which means they cook quicker and save energy.’

Caz also suggests adding chicken wings to the main meal.

She added: ‘Not only is this a genius way to bulk up the main Christmas meal, but wings and thighs don’t dry out as easily as chicken breast meat and are perfect for young children to tuck into.

‘To save time, marinate your wings the night before, so the seasoning can soak into the meat. Of course, be generous with the seasoning.

‘Alternatively, if you have people who don’t like the bone, cook until soft and the meat should fall right off.’

Buy mixed seasoning

Instead of buying different jars of herbs and spices, you can opt for mixed seasoning to minimise the cost.

‘You can easily buy mixed herbs with parsley, basil, thyme, marjoram and oregano, which are perfect for seasoning meat, potatoes and vegetables,’ said Caz.

‘Not only are they generally cheaper, but buying mixed seasoning saves the stress of looking for individual seasoning during the Christmas season when they are in high demand and fly off the shelf.

‘Just be mindful when using mixed seasoning, as they may have added salt in them.’

Buy dried herbs instead of fresh

Choosing dried herbs can also help save money because they’ll last a lot longer.

‘Plus,’ added Caz, ‘you don’t need to use as much in order to achieve an ideal flavour profile.

‘Stocking up on cheaper dried herbs will not only reduce the amount of waste produced, but thanks to their long shelf life, they will save you money well into January.’

Buy from a wholesaler

If you’ve got a lot of mouths to feed, you can buy straight from a wholesaler instead of the supermarket.

‘For instance,’ said Caz, ‘an overnight market allows you to buy more produce at a cheaper price. However, be sure to head down early to ensure you get all the items you need.’

Optimise your kitchen tools

You don’t have to rely solely on your oven to cook Christmas dinner.

In fact, Caz suggests using a rice cooker on Christmas Day.

She said: ‘A kitchen staple for most households, a rice cooker is an efficient tool which will free up space on the hob while you make other dishes, in turn, saving you time and helping you reduce your bills by using less energy.

‘A rice cooker can also be used to cook vegetables, desserts and even some thinner, softer meats.’

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