KEY POINTS:
If forking out for pressies isn't enough to send shivers down your spine this credit-crunch Christmas, the cost of feeding the rellies just might.
In a threat to the seasonal tradition of overindulgence, the price of traditional festive fare has gone through the roof since last year.
Statistics NZ figures show that since last November, pork is up 13.9 per cent, poultry 13.4 per cent, cheese 29.9, and butter a huge 50.2 per cent.
We're even paying 41.7 per cent more for the humble potato.
Budgeting services throughout New Zealand expect hundreds more families will struggle to cover the usual Christmas treats this year.
And food banks are bracing themselves for more hungry clients than they can cater for.
Sales of in-house supermarket brands continue to climb, and supermarket giant Foodstuffs says more customers are turning to its cheaper Pak'n Save brand as the holidays approach.
Although the credit-crunch grinch is threatening to steal some of the fun from Christmas tables, food and budget experts say that canny shoppers who plan ahead and shop smart can save.
Although the urge to splash out for the special occasion is ingrained, restraint in the aisles will be rewarded by a less expensive, balanced feast.
The Herald on Sunday priced a number of typical Chrissy meal components for a family of six and found a huge difference between low and high-cost options.
One of New Zealand's top chefs say you don't have to buy the most extravagant brands and that simple treats - such as strawberries dipped in chocolate - are always winners.
Michael Meredith, of Auckland restaurant Meredith's, says it is a good idea to plump-up snacking stocks with in-season fruit such as berries and making your own is almost always cheaper than buying packaged goods.
"Nowadays people are not used to getting home-made stuff, it's more like a nana thing," Meredith says.
"But I think it should come back."
Although preparing the right amount of food for your intended number of guests is part of the planning says Meredith, leftovers were not a bad thing and "utilising leftovers is a great way of saving money over the next couple of days".
Mangere Budgeting and Family Support Services chief executive Darryl Evans says that lay-by Christmas-hamper deals are usually more expensive than buying individual items.
He says supermarket discount clubs are a much better deal.
Evans also says that well-organised pot-luck meals can enable several families share the cost of Christmas.
WHITE CHRISTMAS DEFIES THE DOWNTURN
Not everyone is worried by the cost of Christmas dinner.
With the credit crunch endangering the traditional post-holiday bulge for most Kiwis, no expense will be spared for the country's wealthiest.
Personal chefs said they were fully booked to cater for fancy festive dinner parties, with Rich Listers moving away from ham in favour of lobster, caviar and meals of up to eight courses.
Irene Palmer, of Auckland's Truffles Cuisine, described one Christmas feast booked for the week before the 25th, "so they can go away on their boat".
The eight-course banquet (including sorbets) was setting the wealthy family back $350 a head for 10 people.
Buying the ingredients for a single course - served in a dish slightly bigger than a shot glass and featuring three types of caviar - would cost Palmer $1000.
The fancy do had a "white" theme, with the first course an iced lemon cocktail served in a martini glass. Next up was the tuna parfait with the three types of caviar.
The main included a stuffed whole lobster as centrepiece, and each guest would be served turkey breasts, accompanied by the finest cranberry sauce.
"Sculpted" potatoes and stuffed eggplant would be among the vegetables, followed by a dessert of white chocolate mousse with spiced berries.
FESTIVE FOOD TIPS
Calculate how much food you need to avoid waste.
Allow enough time for shopping. Stressed shoppers easily overspend on overpriced Christmas convenience food.
Look for a budget-friendly supermarket - it might be worth driving a little further.
Make the most of specials and discount club shopping.
If your children will be up at the break of dawn consider a breakfast feast for your main meal. Breakfast foods are cheaper and items such as muffins can be prepared in advance.
Consider an informal dinner. Making a turkey or ham the main feature of a sandwich buffet with hot rolls is easier and cheaper than a full sit-down meal.
