Bougie on a Budget: 17 Hacks to Slash Your Christmas Food Bill with Chelsea Goodwin (Plus Her Menu For Under $100 You Can Steal)

Dec 9, 2025

Chelsea Goodwin, a budget-cooking expert and author, shares her secrets for an impressive holiday feast without breaking the bank. She reveals 17 clever hacks to cut costs, from choosing affordable yet fancy meats to elevating simple sides that impress. Chelsea also provides a full Christmas menu for under $100, featuring a roast chicken centerpiece and stunning desserts. Plus, she discusses thrifty gift-giving and the importance of planning to avoid waste, ensuring your festive celebrations stay both delicious and budget-friendly.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ADVICE

Pimp The Roast Chicken

Do pimp a humble roast chicken with stuffing, herbs and crispy skin to create an expensive-looking centrepiece.
Use shared ingredients across dishes to stretch cost and flavour without extra spend.

ADVICE

Buy Ingredients That Pull Double Duty

Do reuse ingredients across multiple dishes (e.g., nuts, cream, cranberries) to avoid buying large single-use packs.
Plan dishes so small purchases serve two or more recipes to cut total spend.

ADVICE

Plan And Prep Well Before Christmas

Do plan your menu early and cost everything out once you know guest numbers to avoid last-minute overspend.
Start planning in early December and prep ahead to avoid Christmas Eve chaos.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

If you want to wow your family with a fancy-looking Christmas feast while secretly spending way less, you need this episode. We called in our favourite bougie-on-a-budget queen, Chelsea Goodwin, to show us how to pull off a Christmas table that looks rich, festive and fabulous, while your actual grocery bill stays unbothered. Chelsea is dropping 17 genuinely clever hacks that will shrink your Christmas food spend. We’re talking the ingredient tricks that do double duty, the meats that seem fancy but aren’t, the sides that look like you catered, and the planning secrets that stop the Christmas Eve trolley panic. And yes, she brought her full under-$100 Christmas menu. It’s generous, it’s gorgeous, it’s chaos-proof and you’re absolutely allowed to steal it.

In this ep:
🎄A Chelsea's best hacks to help you save at the checkout this Christmas
🎄Which meat options create the most “expensive” looking centrepiece for the least money.
🎄Where to buy seafood for dramatically less than supermarket prices.
🎄Side upgrades that make cheap ingredients look professionally catered.
🎄Prep shortcuts that save money, oven space, and your stress levels.

DOWNLOAD: Chelsea's Full Christmas Menu For $100

CHELSEA'S LINKS: Website, Books, Instagram, Facebook Group

Join our Facebook Group AKA the ultimate support network for money advice and inspiration. Ask questions, share tips, and celebrate your wins with a like-minded crew of 300,000+.

And follow us on Instagram for Q&As, bite-sized tips, daily money inspo... and relatable money memes that just get you.

Acknowledgement of Country By Nartarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements.

The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs. Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708, AFSL - 451289.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.