THE TRIMMINGS

If you like boozy pies, buy cheap mincemeat and add your own alcohol

It’s tempting to go overboard with the sides so stick to the essentials, which will save your sanity as well as your money

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Some of the popular accompaniments, such as chestnuts, pancetta and pine nuts, really add to the cost of the pre-Christmas shop. Make a sprout gratin instead with a creamy white sauce, cheese and chopped bacon, and watch it disappear.

CARROTS AND PARSNIPS

The Italians are experts on frugal cooking, so whip up a “poor man’s parmesan” pangrattato topping by frying a crushed clove of garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil or butter. Stir in a mugful of fresh breadcrumbs and cook, stirring until golden. Add the grated zest of a lemon, some salt and pepper, and a handful of chopped fresh parsley. Scatter on top of the vegetables.

ROAST POTATOES

Forget chi-chi jars of goose fat, King Charles is right: potatoes taste best roasted in the fat from the joint. Parboil the potatoes for 10 minutes, then toss in 1 tbsp flour, 2 tsp cornflour and ½ tsp baking powder. Spoon over the hot fat from under the roast (add extra lard or dripping, which you can buy from the supermarket or butcher, if necessary) and roast in a hot oven for 40 minutes to an hour, turning once or twice.

RED CABBAGE

Braised red cabbage is the cook’s saviour as it can be made a couple of days ahead. Use leftover red wine to make it: I’ve got no qualms about saving half-drunk glasses for this – just bring it to the boil before adding to the cabbage.

PIGS IN BLANKETS

All the supermarkets do ready-wrapped pigs in blankets but you can save about 25 per cent by making your own. Cut a streaky bacon rasher in half and, scraping it with the back of the knife, stretch it to about half as long again (this helps the bacon stay on the sausage). Wrap it around a chipolata. If you are feeling fancy, a sage leaf wrapped in with the sausage is delicious.

BREAD SAUCE

Make your own – it’s thrifty without even trying, especially if you save stale bread in the freezer over the next few weeks, so you don’t have to buy bread specially.

STUFFING

Another leftover bread winner. Rather than buying stuffing, or splashing out on expensive additions, make one with crumbs or try cubes of stale bread for more texture: it’ll also make the meat go further.