With the end of term around the corner, deadlines a few days away and the festive season in full swing, sometimes as a student it’s hard to find the wintery cheer.
With the end of term around the corner, deadlines a few days away and the festive season in full swing, sometimes as a student it’s hard to find the wintery cheer. However Christmas dinner with your flat mates is a fun way to get together and celebrate the end of term before leaving for the holidays. Decorating, secret Santa and a good old cooked meal are all great ways to ensure the Christmas spirit is with you AND you can do it all on your student budget.
Firstly go to the supermarket in the evening, as this is when all the products become reduced so you may get yourself a bargain. (I’m not telling you to buy a manky packet of vegetables just because it was 50p but have a look.)
You will need:
Chicken
Pigs in blankets
Gravy
Stuffing
Potatoes
Carrots
Peas
Yorkshire puddings
Crackers
Pudding
On the whole, chicken breasts or turkey breasts may be cheaper than a whole bird so look at prices. Look at the local veg stall in town as they will often give deals to students. You could also split items up in the flat, say if one person gets decorations, another gets the chicken and someone else gets the vegetables.
A Christmas dinner is better at home
Look in cupboards for gravy granules (mum may have shoved some in when you first moved in) and look in freezers to see who has forgotten about the packet of mixed veg they bought when they were on their diet. For a cheap pudding, you could look at cakes or chocolates.
Sorry guys but the Tesco finest sponge puddings with the best custard just aren’t going to happen until you are at home. Often it will be cheaper (and cuter) to cook a Christmas dinner at home rather than going out as you will soon be tempted by drinks deals and extra offers. Secret Santa is also a great way to ensure that everyone gets a present. Simply set a price for 5 pounds and pull names out of the hat.
Most probably your mum has cooked Sunday roast since time began and you will have no idea where to start. So, season your chicken and place in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for around 2 hours and keep checking it. The instructions for the stuffing will be on the packet, you’d have to be an idiot not to know how to boil vegetables and Yorkshire puddings are a matter of heating them up when you’re serving up.
Okay so it might not be worthy of Gordon Ramsay or even your parents, but the thought is there and as you sit back and relax, you can reminisce over the first term.
Maybe you’ve even budgeted so well that a glass of wine from a bottle that cost 3 pounds could be toasted. Perfect.
Tell us about your experiences of having a Christmas dinner on a student budget in the comments section below.
Image: accuruss / Wikimedia Commons
