It won't be long until you're wrapping presents and storing them under the tree come Christmas morning. Until then, you can prepare for the occasion by writing your shopping list and stocking up on the best Christmas food for families.
Whether it's buying nibbles to store in the back of your cupboard or a frozen turkey for your freezer, you can start your Christmas food shop today.
When is the best time to start preparing for Christmas?
There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to preparing for the most magical day of the year. According to The Bank Of England, the typical household spends over £700 more in December.
Instead of splashing out all the cash on toys, matching family Christmas pyjamas or food, you can spread the cost over several months to make your money go further. That's why most families will save up across the year and start buying essentials as early as September.
For more budgeting ideas, check out our guide to 16 genius tips to help you save money this Christmas.
Can I pre-order Christmas dinner essentials?
If your freezer is already full to the brink with Ella's Kitchen meals and lunchtime prep, then you'll probably struggle to fit all your Christmas food in it, right? But, with many supermarkets allowing you to choose what's on the menu ahead of time, this shouldn't be a problem. Simply pre-order your food now, and you can pick it up in-store closer to 25 December 2021.
Here are some of the supermarkets where you can pre-order your Christmas dinner essentials:
Tesco festive food to order is coming soon - 6am on 16 November 2021
Can't wait until the week leading up to Christmas? Start shopping from our pick of the best Christmas food for families. P.S We've broken it down by your favourite shop to help make picking the goods easier...
The best Marks and Spencer Christmas food
Just so you know, while we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections.
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How adorable is this M&S Percy Pig on Ice Musical Tin? Once you and the kids have finished the Percy Pig sweets inside, you can fill the tin up with home-baked gingerbread, sausage rolls or mince pies to tuck into on Christmas Day.
Review: "It has really made us smile. What a lovely idea. The music box works by twisting the lid round. There's a large bag of Percy Pigs in the tin. The tune on the music box is really lovely. Yes, perhaps a little tiny, but still charming."
Veggies are the most understated food on the dinner table. If you want to encourage your little one's to eat more of their five a day during the holidays, this delicious Classic Vegetable Selection is a good starting point. For particularly fussy eaters, we'd recommend getting creative with their food – maybe building a fort on their plate will get them to finally eat those Brussel sprouts.
christmasfood.marksandspencer.com
Instead of cooking a traditional turkey, why not opt for this mouth-watering Collection Venison Rib Joint with a Red Wine and Thyme Jus from M&S. Yes, it may only serve four people, but your guests will be delighted with the butter and red wine and thyme seasoning. Best save this one for the adults…
Any veggies at the table will be delighted to tuck into the triple-cooked roast potatoes, red cabbage, cauliflower and leek bake and a garnish selection featuring vegan pigs in blankets and apple and cranberry stuffing balls. Yum!
No celebration is complete without a Colin The Caterpillar cake. Big and little kids alike will love cutting into the chocolatey sponge roll with chocolate buttercream. Major chocolate overload...
The best Aldi Christmas food
groceries.aldi.co.uk
Aldi always delivers the goods when it comes to quality products and low prices. If you're thinking about buying a turkey and storing it in the back of your freezer, then this is the one to choose. Just remember, do not re-freeze once defrosted.
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Anyone with little ones running around and who doesn't have time to peel veggies will love these budget-friendly goose fat potatoes. That said, these potatoes contain wheat, meaning they would not be suitable for anyone who is gluten intolerant.
groceries.aldi.co.uk
Is it really Christmas unless you open a box of assorted biscuits? You and the little ones will love to tuck into ten different Mcvities classics, including Hobnobs and chocolate digestives, while watching your favourite festive films.
groceries.aldi.co.uk
Of course, the best Christmas food for families has to feature the classic Brussels sprouts. Aldi has done their best to update this vegetable, so it's good enough for everyone come the 25 December. If that still doesn't work, chop them up and sneak them alongside the kid's mash potatoes.
groceries.aldi.co.uk
Instead of a turkey this year, why not make your own Xmas dinner tradition with this Dry Aged Aberdeen Angus Beef Roasting Joint from Aldi?
The best Morrisons Christmas food
groceries.morrisons.com
Spend an afternoon in the run-up to the big day creating mini mince pies with your little ones. Not only will they love being your helper in the kitchen, but they'll also love getting hands-on with this mincemeat.
groceries.morrisons.com
One for the grown ups when the kids go to bed...
groceries.morrisons.com
Are you throwing a big celebration? This turkey will feed nine to 11 guests over the holidays. For any new parents holding Christmas, we'd recommend asking all your visitors to bring a statement dish like roast parsnips or Christmas cake to ease up the cooking duties.
groceries.morrisons.com
Don't forget the condiments to go with your turkey dinner. At the top of your list should be the Ocean Spray Whole Cranberry Sauce.
groceries.morrisons.com
Let Aunt Bessie take care of the parsnips this year while you host, breastfeed your youngest or just enjoy spending some quality time together this Christmas. The best thing about them? They taste so good that nobody will tell the difference.
The best Tesco Christmas food
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Stock up on these 20 pigs in blankets from Tesco ahead of December. These mini appetisers and Christmas dinner staple are often a big hit with the kids.
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This sweet treat for adults has a boozy kick you need after a long day of parenting. It's made with COURVOISIER® VS Cognac, infused with cider, Amontillado Sherry, and Ruby Port.
www.tesco.com
You'll spend the whole day telling your children not to eat too many sweets so they don't ruin dinner, but you'll still be left with the Bounty anyway.
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A little tipple for nan and grandad to take them back to the 80s, and no we're not talking about the band, honest!
www.tesco.com
You'll never have to serve up undercooked or overcooked Yorkshires ever again, thanks to these pre-made puddings from Aunt Bessie. Plus, the kids can easily have seconds!
The best Sainsbury’s Christmas food
food-to-order.sainsburys.co.uk
Pop this turkey straight in the oven and get back to your game of Monopoly with the kids. Simply cook for 40 mins per kg + 30 mins before serving to your loved ones. Thinking about storing this in the freezer? Once frozen, consume within one month.
For a vegan alternative, serve up this delicious No Beef Wellington this Christmas. Families will love tucking into the succulent mushroom and pea protein loaf, which serves up to three people.
Pigs in Blanket Christmas Tree
Every family across the UK will be fighting over this Pigs in Blanket Christmas Tree at the table. The best thing about it? Other than the taste, it's a showstopper dish that your guests will be talking about for weeks.
food-to-order.sainsburys.co.uk
Children will love digging into this chocolate smash cake after dinner. It has three layers of soft chocolate sponge filled and covered with rich milk chocolate ganache frosting topped with a milk chocolate dome.
Perfect for Christmas tea or as part of a Boxing Day buffet, these Mini Southern Fried Chicken Waffles are a great light bite for little ones.