Budget Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas: 19+ Affordable Christmas Recipes (2024)

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These budget Christmas dinner menu ideas are perfect for saving money while enjoying a delicious family meal! I've included everything from the main course to desserts and everything in between! Whatever recipe you use, your family will love this special meal!

Affordable Christmas Dinner Recipes

Planning a budget-friendly Christmas dinner does not mean sacrificing the flavor or quality of your dishes. It also doesn't mean you have to miss out on any of your favorite recipes!

This collection of Christmas dinner recipes features dishes that are inexpensive- some use only ingredients that you already have! Your meal will still be delicious and satisfying, and you won't have to break the bank!

Budget Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas: 19+ Affordable Christmas Recipes (1)

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Affordable Christmas Dinner Recipes
1. Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
2. Glazed Honey Ham
3. Easy Stuffing
4. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
5. Bisquick Biscuits
6. Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole
7. Jiffy Corn Casserole
8. Yorkshire Pudding
9. Sauteed Green Beans
10. Candied Yams with Marshmallows
11. Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts
12. Butter Herb Rhodes Rolls
13. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
14. Honey Glazed Carrots
15. Oven Roasted Potatoes
16. Fondant Potatoes
17. Christmas Fudge
18. Christmas Nougat
19. Christmas Crack
20. Vintage Betty Crocker Sugar Cookies
21. Hot Chocolate Bar
💭 Tips For Choosing Budget Christmas Menu Recipes
📖 Recipe Card
IngredientsUS CustomaryMetric
Instructions
Notes
💬 Reviews

Whether you're a pro at hosting Christmas dinner and holiday parties or giving it a try for the first time this year, you're sure to find my ultimate guide to planning Christmas a help! Don't forget to safely thaw your holiday prime rib early, too!

1. Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Whole turkeys can quickly increase the cost of your Christmas dinner. However, you can reduce that price by enjoying perfectly cooked turkey breast instead!

Not only is it cheaper, but it is also quicker and easier to cook!

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Oven-roasted turkey breast is so tasty that it could certainly be the star of your holiday feast! The turkey breast meat is juicy and flavorful and the smaller breast-only roast is ideal for enjoying turkey dinners year-round! Slice and serve with my easy turkey gravy for rave reviews!

Check out this recipe

2. Glazed Honey Ham

Ham is a classic main dish for Christmas, and this recipe keeps it wonderfully simple! Grab a ham that is the ideal weight for your family, as well as some honey, brown sugar, and butter!

With these common household ingredients, you may already have most of them!

Glazed Honey Ham

My glazed honey ham recipe is the perfect Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving main course for a fabulous family meal that everyone will love! This delicious ham is glazed with rich butter, sweet brown sugar, sticky honey, and studded with cloves to create an amazing main dish!

Check out this recipe

3. Easy Stuffing

This is the easiest stuffing recipe you'll find, but also the most delicious! This one is classic (and inexpensive) as-is, but feel free to mix up your stuffing by trying this cornbread stuffing, too!

No matter your choice, it will surely be a hit!

Easy Stuffing

Easy stuffing is a cornerstone recipe to Thanksgiving dinner, holiday meals, and amazingly tasty family dinners all year long! Classic ingredients including celery, onion, and ready-to-use stuffing cubes combine with tasty herbs to complement so many dishes!

Check out this recipe

4. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Creamy mashed potatoes are always a fantastic, budget-friendly side dish. This recipe uses roasted garlic and cream cheese, but you can try many different mashed potato recipes!

These cream cheese mashed potatoes and yellow mashed potatoes are some other tasty options!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roasted garlic mashed potatoes are smooth and fluffy with a rich garlic flavor from incorporating oven-roasted garlic! These mashed potatoes are so creamy and rich that you won't even need gravy. They're sure to become your new go-to favorite mashed potato recipe!

Check out this recipe

5. Bisquick Biscuits

These 2-ingredient biscuits use a Bisquick baking mix to make them simple, delicious, and inexpensive. You won't have to bother with yeast, kneading, or waiting for your dough to rise!

Bisquick Biscuits

Bisquick is a baker's best friend, and once you try your hand at these incredibly easy Bisquick biscuits you will understand why! With only 2 ingredients you can have fluffy, golden biscuits in just 15 minutes!

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6. Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole

Canned green beans and canned cream of mushroom soup are the secret to this ultra-affordable casserole. It's also effortless, as everything is mixed together and then popped into the oven.

I have an entire post dedicated to making green bean casserole if you want some bonus tips and tricks!

Classic Campbell's Green Bean Casserole

Campbell's green bean casserole is a classic recipe that takes minimal prep work, is ready in a snap, and tastes delicious. This casserole is packed with green beans and a creamy sauce, perfect for the holidays, and then topped with crispy French fried onions. Plus, it only uses a handful of ingredients.

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7. Jiffy Corn Casserole

Corn casserole is a Southern staple, but I'm sure everyone in the North would love it, too! It only uses five ingredients: Jiffy cornbread mix, canned corn, creamed corn, butter, and sour cream.

Although it may sound simple, this casserole is always the first to disappear! Go ahead and pick up an extra box of Jiffy mix, and you can make some Jiffy jalapeno cornbread, too!

8. Yorkshire Pudding

If you've never heard of them, Yorkshire puddings aren't pudding at all! They are delicious egg-based popovers, similar to an incredibly tasty dinner roll!

With only household ingredients, you could save some money by skipping the grocery store altogether!

Traditional Yorkshire Puddings

Yorkshire puddings are such a treat, they are more than just a dinner roll as they are truly a show-stopping basket of goodies to indulge in! Even though I serve these up traditionally at holiday meals, I always think to myself that they would be oh-so-wonderful as a part of breakfast. This is my best and easiest no-fail Yorkshire puddings recipe that'll have you hooked for life!

Check out this recipe

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9. Sauteed Green Beans

Adding some fresh veggies to your Christmas menu has never been so easy! These are simple sauteed green beans with some added seasonings.

Add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan, and they make the perfect side dish!

Sauteed Green Beans

These sauteed green beans are simple, easy, and delicious and make a flavorful, healthy side dish in a snap! This simple recipe requires fresh green beans, but no blanching is required, and you will have perfectly tender-crisp green beans every time! They are perfect for any occasion!

Check out this recipe

10. Candied Yams with Marshmallows

Sweet yams are a must-have when it comes to your Christmas dinner! This recipe uses canned yams, butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows!

I can't decide if these are a dessert or a side dish, but they are delicious either way! If marshmallows aren't your thing, try my maple candied yams instead!

Candied Yams With Marshmallows

These easy candied yams with marshmallows combine canned or fresh yams that are baked with butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows. They're exactly how my family and I have been making this classic holiday favorite for decades! This easy vegetable side dish is sure to be a winning holiday side dish your family loves too!

Check out this recipe

11. Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts make a fantastic budget-friendly side dish! They complement ham, turkey, or any other protein you may serve!

In addition to some fresh brussel sprouts, you only need some seasonings and balsamic vinegar!

Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

These balsamic roasted brussel sprouts are an easy, quick, and healthy vegetable side dish that goes with practically any main dish! The sprouts are tossed with olive oil, tangy balsamic vinegar, and sweet honey for a flavor that is out of this world! Plus, they're on the table in just 30 minutes!

Check out this recipe

12. Butter Herb Rhodes Rolls

Sometimes, store-bought rolls are the way to go! These butter herb Rhodes rolls use butter, seasonings, and pre-made rolls straight from the store!

No one will even know you didn't make them from scratch because they are incredibly delicious!

Butter Herb Rhodes Rolls

These butter herb Rhodes rolls are soft, fluffy, and delicious dinner rolls that make a wonderful addition to any weeknight dinner! Rhodes rolls are first thawed and set out to rise, then baked with a tasty herb-infused butter. With a prep time of only 5 minutes and a short baking time, you can have pull-apart rolls ready for dinner or any holiday gathering in a jiffy!

Check out this recipe

13. Mashed Sweet Potatoes

If you're a sweet potato fan, these mashed sweet potatoes are perfect! They are just as easy to prepare as your standard mashed potato recipe but with the delightful twist of being sweet!

Plus, you can choose to enhance the sweetness or enjoy them as a savory side dish!

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

These mashed sweet potatoes are the perfect sweet side dish to accompany all of your favorite holiday meals! They are creamy, rich, and have just the right amount of added sweetness to make them completely irresistible! This is going to become your new favorite sweet potato side dish!

Check out this recipe

14. Honey Glazed Carrots

Carrots make a fantastic, easy, delicious, and budget-friendly side dish for your holiday meal. A small amount of honey and brown sugar enhances the sweetness so that even picky eaters will love these!

Brown sugar-glazed carrots and honey and herb-roasted carrots are some other budget-friendly carrot sides!

Honey Glazed Carrots

These oven roasted honey glazed carrots are the perfect easy vegetable side dish for any time of the year! They are sweet and fragrant and pair wonderfully with ham or turkey around the holidays. The winning combination of honey, brown sugar, and fresh herbs is what takes these tender honey glazed roasted carrots over the top!

Check out this recipe

15. Oven Roasted Potatoes

Dice some potatoes and pair them with your favorite seasonings for this easy and inexpensive recipe! These potatoes are versatile and will pair perfectly with everything else on the table!

Oven Roasted Potatoes

These oven-roasted potatoes are delightfully crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth fluffy and tender inside! Not to mention, they're super versatile! From adding your favorite seasoning and herbs to pairing them with different proteins to round out an amazing family meal!

Check out this recipe

16. Fondant Potatoes

These classic potatoes may look like a million bucks, but they're a terrific budget side dish for holiday meals!

Fondant Potatoes

Fondant potatoes look fancy, but they're actually easy and tasty to make! This French way of cooking turns potatoes into something really special - soft, creamy, and full of flavor. Even your family will be amazed by how good these potatoes taste. Get ready to make a side dish everyone will love!

Check out this recipe

17. Christmas Fudge

This Christmas fudge is the perfect way to finish off your Christmas dinner! It is rich, indulgent, and only uses four ingredients!

This is microwave fudge, so you won't have to deal with boiling anything!

Christmas Fudge

This Christmas fudge is ridiculously easy to prepare, tastes absolutely delicious, and is topped with some festive sprinkles! With such a rich and decadent flavor, no one will believe how easy it was to make! In fact, this tasty treat requires just 4 simple ingredients and only takes 5 minutes of prep work!

Check out this recipe

18. Christmas Nougat

This festive nougat can be snacked on after dinner or sent home with your guests for later! They only use four ingredients: butter, marshmallows, gumdrops, and white chocolate chips!

Christmas Nougat

This Christmas nougat is a festive and vibrant, easy-to-make, no-bake candy treat that is perfect for the holidays! The brightly colored red and green gumdrops are dotted throughout the classic nougat recipe. Plus, they make a beautiful addition to Christmas gift baskets!

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19. Christmas Crack

With only six ingredients that can all be found in the baking aisle, this sweet treat is about as easy as it gets! You only need salted and unsalted peanuts, milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and white almond bark!

With how simple this recipe is, you'll be shocked at how tasty this candy is!

Crock Pot Christmas Crack

This easy-to-make crock pot Christmas crack, aka Christmas candy, is a delightfully tasty holiday treat that anyone can make with very little fuss! The tasty combination of chocolate and peanut butter make these festive peanut clusters a popular favorite for kids of all ages!

Check out this recipe

20. Vintage Betty Crocker Sugar Cookies

These classic cut-out sugar cookies are perfect for serving as an after-Christmas treat or decorating with the kids! They are made up entirely of baking staples, so you may have all the ingredients on hand without needing a trip to the store!

Pair them with some glossy sugar cookie icing for a fun experience!

Vintage Betty Crocker Rolled Sugar Cookies

Rolled, chilled, and cut out sugar cookies from my personal favorite, tried and true, Vintage Betty Crocker Traditional Rolled Sugar Cookies!

Check out this recipe

21. Hot Chocolate Bar

Serve up a hot chocolate bar and watch everyone join in the fun! This DIY hot cocoa station can have as many add-ins as possible! Get creative and have some delicious fun!

Hot Chocolate Bar

A hot chocolate bar is a build-your-own hot cocoa station that is perfect for weddings, Christmas parties, birthdays, and more! Guests will love creating their own gourmet hot cocoa from a selection of tasty mix-ins and toppings! It's as entertaining as it is delicious and so easy to set up!

Check out this recipe

💭 Tips For Choosing Budget Christmas Menu Recipes

Here are some tips and tricks to remember when planning your budget-friendly Christmas menu.

Plan Ahead: Start planning early to take advantage of sales and discounts.
Simple Side Dishes: Choose side dishes that use simple and affordable ingredients. Classic options like roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a simple salad can be both budget-friendly and crowd-pleasing.
Homemade Desserts: Bake your desserts instead of buying pre-made ones. Classics like cookies, brownies, or a simple fruit tart can be made at a fraction of the cost.
Limit Specialty Ingredients: Be mindful of recipes that require expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. Stick to recipes with basic, cost-effective items.
Comparison Shop: Compare prices at different grocery stores or markets. Sometimes, a little extra effort in shopping can result in significant savings.

I hope these budget Christmas dinner menu ideas have helped you out! Leave a comment and let me know your favorite Christmas dishes when you're trying to save money!

Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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Budget Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas (19+ Affordable & Delicious Recipes!)

Author | Angela

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 780kcal

Prep 15 minutes minutes

Cooking 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

Oven Roasted Turkey

▢ 6 lbs turkey breast (whole bone-in turkey breast)
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
▢ ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
▢ ½ teaspoon each, garlic & onion powder
▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
▢ 1 teaspoon parsley

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions

Oven Roasted Turkey

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and ready your large roasting pan. *If the roasting pan is flat, use a roasting rack or lay 4-5 celery stalks across the bottom of the pan to allow the oven heat to evenly cook your turkey.
Rinse the thawed turkey including inside the body cavity, trim any excess skin or fat if needed, and then pat dry using paper towels. Place your turkey breast onto the roasting rack with the skin facing upward.
Coat the dried turkey breast with extra virgin olive oil and season with the combined herbs, salt, and pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes per pound at 400°F (205°C), in the case of this 6 pound turkey breast that's 90 minutes roasting time. Check the internal temperature of your turkey for doneness. Make sure to check multiple spots where the meat is thick (and not to touch the bone).
When the turkey's internal temperature is 160-165°F (71-74°C), remove it from the oven and cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil to rest for 20 minutes.
Slice and serve once the turkey has rested.

Notes

Servings are based on 8-ounce portions per person. You'll need 1 ½ pounds of bone-in turkey breast per portion.
If the roasting pan is flat, use a roasting rack or lay 4-5 celery stalks across the bottom of the pan to allow the oven heat to evenly cook your turkey.
Make sure that your turkey is completely thawed before cooking for the best results. I also recommend setting the turkey at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off.
Allow approximately 15 minutes per pound of cooking time for bone-in turkey breast when roasted at 400°F (205°C).
If you prefer to roast your turkey at 350°F (175°C) , allow 20 minutes per pound of bone-in turkey breast for the cooking time.
If you remove the turkey from your oven with an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C), the turkey will continue to cook during the resting time. This carryover cooking will add 5°F to the temperature when done.
For the absolute best juicy turkey breast, roast the turkey with the breast facing down. It won't look as pretty, but it's worth it!
To Store: Place your turkey leftovers into an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (I prefer to store it in slices).
To Freeze: Wrap cooled turkey in heavy-duty aluminum foil and transfer into freezer storage bags or airtight freezer storage containers.
Do remember to use or freeze leftovers within the first 4 days, then discard any remaining cooked turkey after this time.
Reheating: Place turkey portion(s) into a baking dish as well as chicken or turkey broth and some butter. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through.

Don't forget to check out my list of the best leftover turkey recipes for some tasty meal ideas!

Nutrition

Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!

budget christmas dinner menu ideas, oven roasted turkey breast

Course Dinner Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

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