I have already cooked Christmas dinner and put it in the freezer
MEET the clever mum who has already whipped up several dishes for Christmas – and spent just £30 cooking up a festive storm.
Tahnee Beck, 34, loves being prepared for the holidays and has started Boxing Day last year, where we went to the shops to buy bargain gifts and decorations.
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And the mum-of-two, who is hosting six people at home on December 25, is way ahead of the curve as she refuses to ‘busy’ in the kitchen on Christmas Day.
She has already cooked her fried potatoes and red cabbage apple and parsnips and have them put in her freezer, ready to go into the oven on Christmas Day.
Tahnee also prepared seven meals for Christmas Eve, as well as waffles for the morning of the big day.
In fact, the cooking she did this week only took her a total of two hours.
Outside of the kitchen, Tahnee also benefits from sales throughout the year. She estimates she gets everything she needs for Christmas for around half the cost of a last-minute purchase, saving her a total of £5,000 over the past seven years.
Tahnee, a housewife from north Norfolk, says: “Christmas should be a relaxing time for everyone, including the host.
“Last year I prepared everything and the dinner was a great success.
“That’s not true take that long because I just make double portions of baked potatoes or extra waffles in the run-up to Christmas.
“I love Christmas, and with a little preparation I can enjoy it even more.
“In the past, I’ve been busy preparing lunch and the day has gone by.
“I’m now looking forward to a relaxed morning opening presents and not having to stress about peeling potatoes anymore.”
Tahnee, mother of a nine-year-old son and a twelve-year-old daughter, has already prepared gammon and red cabbage in her freezer for Christmas Eve.
She serves it with a blood orange salad, which she can quickly throw together that day.
And she has several cookies that she plans to bake frozen and a yule log put away for Christmas Day.
Tahnee also has pre-made frozen red cabbage and apple as a side dish, which cost her £1.50.
She estimates that by then this would cost £8.55 for the same quantity at supermarket prices – 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 on Christmas Eve, which had to be prepared in advance and frozen.
Tahnee said it has 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 ate a lot of these dishes at Christmas growing up so it was nostalgic for him, but the pineapple ice cream we had last year wasn’t the best so I’m sticking with the Christmas log for the kids and fruit pavlova for the adults this year .
“For Boxing Day we have a bubble and squeak breakfast of leftover potatoes and vegetables with eggs.
“Followed by turkey bake and cheese sauce for lunch.
“Not only is it a stress-free Christmas, but it is also affordable and there is no waste.”
Tahnee, who is married to an engineer, adds: “I just like to take all the work off our hands so we can really enjoy Christmas.
“For anyone wanting to do the same this year, sit down and decide your menu and when you are going to cook each dish in 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 to save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the number of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not host a Secret Santa among your inner circles so you don’t have to buy multiple presents?
Plan ahead – if you have the stamina and the budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for next year during the January sales.
Make sure you shop for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you don’t spend more than you need to.
Buy on sale on Boxing Day – some retailers are starting their main Christmas sales early so you can actually score a bargain before December 25th.
Delivery may cost you a little more, but it could be worth it if the savings are significant.
Shop through outlet stores – you can save a lot of money by shopping through outlet stores such as Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually the wear and tear is minor.
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