I’m a nutritionist & here’s the top five inventive hacks to save money on Christmas dinner

A FOOD nutritionist has revealed his top five inventive hacks to save money on your Christmas Dinner.

The ongoing cost of living crisis has meant many Brits will be tightening their purse strings but will still want to celebrate as Christmas approaches.

Many will want a big dinner, washed down with plenty of booze, but that often means splashing out a large amount of money.

However, Lifesum’s lead nutritionist, Signe Svanfeldt, has come up with some money saving tips so you can have the traditional Christmas dinner without breaking the bank.

They are as follows:

Firstly, Signe says you should include more vegetables on the Christmas menu.

It can be all from different types of kale, like kale chips, pear and kale salad or sweet potato salad.

Reduce the amount of meat served on the table and include more budget-friendly protein options such as beans and lentils.

For example, if you’re making meatballs, make them out of a plant-based mince, or use half meat and half beans or lentils. Both the planet and your body will thank you!

Thirdly, don’t buy foods for dishes that you know nobody really enjoys.

Typically, there are a few dishes on the Christmas table that are simply there for traditions, but nobody really enjoys them.

Skip them this year and, instead, focus on fewer dishes that you know everyone will love to eat.

Also, save all leftovers! If you know that you aren’t going to be able to eat everything on the day, freeze them and you will have food prepared for an occasion when you don’t have time for cooking.

Finally, and most importantly, divide the responsibilities (as well as costs) among your loved ones.

You don’t need to buy, cook and prepare everything yourself.

Divide the dishes between the guests, and everyone can bring a dish to the Christmas table.

Meanwhile, it’s not just food that is causing family headaches as gifts can also be an expensive outlay as well.

The typical household usually spends around £2,500 over the festive season, according to figures from the Bank of England.

As a result, we have put together these cost cutting tips for gifts.

Plus, inventive Brits have come up with their own creative ways to save money this Christmas – including ‘present prenups’ and ditching turkey.