Where to buy the cheapest Christmas veg

Carrots: not just for Christmas

You can tell it’s Christmas, as it’s time for my annual post on where to buy the cheapest Christmas veg. 

Yes, yet again, the supermarkets have slashed the price of festive vegetables. Lure customers in with cheap parsnips, then hope hope they’ll spend a bundle on everything else. 

POST WITH 2020 PRICES HERE

Previous posts here and here.

I’ll be talking supermarket saving tips on BBC Radio Berkshire at around 10.30am this morning, but here are the highlights.

Lidl and Aldi have gone all out this year, dropping the price on parsnips, Brussel sprouts and carrots to the lowest ever, so you’re looking at prices starting from:

• 15p a bag at Aldi and LIDL
• 19p at Tesco
• 20p at ASDA
• 35p at Sainsbury’s 
• 40p at Morrisons, but 3 for £1 if you’re shopping in store, which works out at 33p each

Christmas veg offers at Morrisons

Comparing the cheapest Christmas veg offers

Supermarket price wars mean it’s possible to pile plates high with four veg (parsnips, Brussel sprouts, carrots and potatoes) for under a quid if you head to Aldi, Lidl or Tesco. 

But prices aren’t quite so low on all veg. If you want to include other seasonal veg, such as red cabbage and swede, the total ticks up. 

I’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to, comparing prices of 11 different veg across 8 supermarkets.

I’m still trying to track down some missing Aldi info, and will update when I get it.

However, if you’re willing to swap a 2.5kg bag of big spuds for Lidl’s 19p mini roasts, then Lidl comes in at just £5.13. At the other end of the table, the total comes to £10.43 at Waitrose – that’s more than double the cost at Lidl, even when buying the Waitrose Essentials range. 

Love ’em or hate ’em?

Tips on cutting the cost of Christmas veg

I’m not even cooking Christmas dinner this year, but I’ve still stocked up on the cheapest Christmas veg when they cost next to nothing. 

Here are my tips on making the most of the low prices:

• Plan how much you actually need for Christmas dinner, depending on how many people and what else you’re cooking. 
• Make a list, to avoid dashing out for extra top up shops.
• Compare prices for the veg you actually want. Supermarkets might offer a few at super low prices, but charge more elsewhere. 
• Check out the cost of the most expensive items, which are likely to have the biggest savings. Think turkey, gammon, sausages and booze. Mysupermarket.co.uk is great for comparing prices. 
• Stock up on veg for meals after Christmas, if you have the space. The festive veg on offer make great soups, stews, casseroles, roasts and other side dishes. Potatoes are a brilliant base for loads of meals, if you need to save money in January.
• Store veg carefully, so you don’t throw bargains in the bin:
  • Remove plastic packaging to stop veg going mouldy
  • Line salad drawers in the fridge with kitchen towel, to absorb water and keep veg fresher for longer
  • I keep onions and potatoes outside the fridge, in cloth bags with thick lining. 
• If you want to freeze root veg, cabbage or Brussel sprouts – blanch it first. This involves peeling and chopping the veg, then plunging into boiling water for 1 to 3 minutes. Then drain and stick in iced water to stop the cooking process, before freezing for later. 
• Weigh up the savings. No point saving pennies on veg if it costs pounds in petrol to drive to a cheaper supermarket!
• Remember, most shops only shut for a single day. Don’t be panicked into buying more than you need!

Now – over to you. Which are your favourite Christmas veg? How have you saved on Christmas food shopping? Do share in the comments, I’d love to hear!

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