Shop Savvy, Save Big: Cook Up Something Posh for Christmas

We all have big ambitions when it comes to Christmas dinner, but sometimes it’s not possible to cook everything completely from scratch. So thank goodness for the ever-expanding supermarket Christmas ranges that seem to get better and better in choice and quality each year.

For this year’s Christmas dinner price comparison, we’ve gone for something a little bit more upmarket. This is the time of year when you really don’t want to skimp on quality, but at the same time you might be a bit pushed when it comes to budget. Thankfully, the better quality ranges from our major supermarkets (such as Taste the Difference from Sainsburys and Finest from Tesco) offer a happy medium. We’ve compared the cost of some Christmas dinner essentials from Sainsburys, Ocado, Tesco and Waitrose, keeping the quantities and quality of the produce as close as possible, and with the help of My Favourite Voucher Codes, you can make the most of every penny.

A few notes: although Ocado and Waitrose stock many of the same products, online availability isn’t identical, hence the difference in some of the items listed here. Many of these products from all the supermarkets featured are only available to order in a specific time window – for example, most of these turkeys can only be ordered from 20th December onwards, so please check each site for further details. And for the best comparison, the price of the turkey is based on a weight of 4 kg.

Tesco

• Tesco Finest British Free Range Bronze Whole Turkey (3.6kg-5kg) - £5.81 per kg
• Tesco Finest Vegetable Side Selection Box 2.4kg - £12
• Tesco King Edwards Potatoes 1.75kg - £1.50
• Tesco Finest Pork Chipolatas in Bacon 222g - £2.50
• Tesco Finest Pork Chestnut and Onion Stuffing Block 400g - £2.50
• Tesco Finest Christmas Pudding 12 Month Matured 907g - £8 (available on a 3 for the price of 2 offer)
• Tesco Brandy Butter 200g - £1.90 (available on a 2 for £3 offer)
• Tesco Brandy Sauce 500ml - £1.90 (available on a 2 for £3 offer)
• Tesco Finest Awarding Winning Cheese Selection 720g - £10
• Tesco Finest West Country Biscuits for Cheese 300g - £2.99
• Tesco Finest Red Onion Chutney 230g - £1.49

Sub Total (based on a 4kg turkey order): £68.02

Total Once Multi-Buy Offers Deducted: £67.22

Although there aren’t any current Tesco voucher codes available that can get you an additional discount on just these items, if you place a larger order, you can use our Tesco voucher codes to save £30 when spending £200 or more. And at Christmas, we can all agree it’s VERY easy to spend £200 or more.

Ocado

• Gressingham Free Range Bronze Turkey (min. weight 3kg) - £9.50 per kg
• Waitrose Red and Green Sprouts with Herb Butter 400g - £2.99 (available on 2 for £5 deal)
• Waitrose Chantenay Carrots with Caraway 500g - £2.99
• Waitrose Honey and Mustard Parsnips 500g - £2.99
• Ocado King Edwards 2.5kg – were £2.14, now £1.60
• Waitrose Honey and Rosemary Pork Chipolatas 324g - £3.29 (available on 2 for £5 deal)
• Waitrose Premium Sausage Meat with Black Pepper and Nutmeg 450g - £3.29 (available on a 2 for £5 deal)
• Waitrose Remy Martin 12 Month Matured Christmas Pudding 907g - £12
• Waitrose Brandy Butter 200g - £1.99
• Waitrose Brandy Sauce 500g - £2.19
• Waitrose Continental Cheese Board Classics 510g - £7.50
• Waitrose Duchy Organic Onion Marmalade 340g - £3.39
• Waitrose Biscuits for Cheese Selection 300g - £3

Sub Total: £85.22

Total Once Multi-Buy Offers Deducted: £83.64

Now, Ocado really come in their own if you’re ordering with them for the first time because you can access a £20 discount on this initial shop, bringing this Christmas dinner total down to a very attractive £63.64.

Sainsburys

• Sainsburys Taste the Difference Free Range Bronze Whole Turkey (3.6-5kg) - £5.81 per kg
• Sainsburys Taste the Difference Rainbow Chantenay Carrots 450g – were £3.50, now £3
• Sainsburys Taste the Difference Buttered Parsnips 450g – were £3.50, now £3
• Sainsburys Taste the Differnece Sprouts with Smoked Bacon and Butter 400g – were £3.50, now £3
• Sainsburys Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5kg - £2
• Sainsburys Taste the Difference Sage and Onion Stuffing Slab 480g - £3
• Sainsburys Taste the Difference British Pigs in Blankets x 12 250g - £3
• Sainsburys Taste the Difference Cognac-Laced 18 Month Matured Christmas Pudding 900g - £8
• Sainsburys Brandy Butter with Courvoisier 200g - £1.90
• Sainsburys Taste the Difference Brandy Sauce 500g - £3
• Sainsburys Taste the Difference Cheese Selection 590g - £8
• Sainsburys Taste the Difference Christmas Spiced Fruit Chutney 300g – was £1.80, now £1.50
• Sainsburys Biscuits for Cheese Selection 500g - £3

Sub Total: £65.64

Total Once Multi-Buy Offers Deducted: £65.64

Rather than deducting additional discounts on this total, Sainsburys can save you money when it comes to the delivery of your Christmas order with convenient 1 hour delivery slots from just a £1, or free delivery if your total spend exceeds £100.

Waitrose

• Waitrose Bronze Feathered Free Range Medium Turkey (4-6 kg) - £9.99 per kg
• Waitrose Chantenay Carrots with Caraway 500g - £2.99 (available on 2 for £5 deal)
• Waitrose Duchy Organic Parsnips 500g - £1.75
• Waitrose Trimmed Brussels Sprouts 365g - £1.99
• Waitrose King Edward Potatoes 2kg - £1.71
• Waitrose 8 British Honey and Rosemary Pork Chipolatas 324g – £3.29
• Waitrose Free Range Pork Sausagemeat with Sage and Onion 400g - £3.99
• Waitrose Remy Martin 12 Month Matured Christmas Pudding 907g - £12
• Waitrose Brandy Butter 200g - £1.99
• Waitrose Brandy Sauce 500g - £2.19
• Waitrose The Perfect Cheeseboard 490g - £6
• Waitrose Duchy Organic Onion Marmalade 340g - £3.39
• Waitrose Biscuits for Cheese Selection 300g - £3

Sub Total: £84.25

Total Once Multi-Buy Offers Deducted: £84.25

With Waitrose promotional codes, there is a bit more flexibility than the other supermarkets for many different types of customers. For example, no matter how many times you’ve ordered with them before, you can claim £5 off and get free delivery when you spend £100 before 19th December, and for small orders, there’s £3 off £35 or more before 9th January.

However, if you’re a new, or fairly new Waitrose customer, this increases to £20 off a £100 order for your first 5 online shops. As it stands, the £3 discount would bring this total down to £81.25, but as part of a larger order you could significantly increase this saving.

So at £63.64 when using the online saving for first time customers, Ocado is the clear winner for a posh budget Christmas dinner! But when spending more on your Christmas provisions as a whole, Waitrose and Tesco are also in contention with their generous offers. And a special mention goes to Sainsburys for just missing out on the crown, but also its extensive range of good quality Christmas products available in the Taste the Difference range this year as well as it’s simple pricing.

By Anna Scott, 16th December 2016