Costco Christmas lunch: How to do festive food on a budget
If you've ever been in charge of Christmas lunch, you'd know it can be an expensive affair.
From Australia's favourite mouth-watering seafood and the 5kg glazed ham, to the bounty of meats and cheese on a charcuterie board, the costs can truly add up.
To help organise your low-cost Christmas lunch, 9Honey ventured to Costco to see what budget-friendly festive meal options the store has on offer.
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Costco has plenty of cost-saving options for an affordable Christmas lunch. Supplied
Incredibly, you can score wholesale Christmas food to feed the whole family for under $100.
At Costco's Auburn warehouse, there are seemingly endless aisles of bulk goods. In the same shopping trip, you can purchase a $11,499 diamond ring while also picking up a dozen fresh Sydney rock oysters.
MEATS
First cab off the rank is the delicious ham, a staple for many Australian families over Christmas.
Costco offers a $8.99/kg leg of Central Highlands Pork ham leg, while you can grab 500g of already carved Premium Leg ham for just $12.99
There's also a boneless 2.7kg double-smoked leg ham available for $43.88.
If a pork roast is more your style on Christmas Day, Costco has a Fresh Australian Pork Rolled Loin and Belly Crackle Roast for $16.99 per kilo, or just $66.74 for 3.92kg of delicious pork.
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You can score a a boneless 2.7kg double-smoked leg ham available for $43.88. Supplied
Costco also offered pre-carved 500g leg ham. Supplied
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SEAFOOD
An Aussie Christmas just isn't complete without seafood, and Costco has it in spades.
A 560g tray of prawn cocktails will set you back just $25, while you can grab a 1.2kg pack of fresh cooked whole Australian tiger prawns for $37.25.
Feeling a little more luxurious? Costco also has a two-pack of cooked lobsters, priced at $49.99 — enough to feed your fancier family members.
Oysters are, of course, on the menu at a Costco Christmas lunch. For just $16.49, you can buy a 14-pack of Sydney rock oysters.
You can grab a tray of oysters to feed the family for only $16.49 Supplied
A huge vat of prawns will only set you back just over $25. Supplied
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VEGIES + SIDES
If you love loading your plate up with roast potatoes, vegies and salad too, there's also plenty to choose from at your local store.
A 5kg bag of white potatoes will set you back just $5.99.
There's also a 3kg bag of carrots for $3.49, 1kg of broccoli for just $1.89 — and if brussels sprouts are a family staple, you can grab a 1kg pack for $13.99
And if you're having a large family gathering, a $13.99 pre-made 750g salad might also be a lifesaver for those pesky side dishes you tend to forget about.
Costco has a 1kg bag of potatoes for $5.99, perfect for your Christmas roast dinner. Supplied
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DESSERTS
Now your meats, seafood and sides are sorted, Costco also has a variety of desserts that would be perfect for a big family gathering on Christmas day.
A huge black forest cake — weighing in at 2.4kg — is priced at just $29.99. There's also a 908g Christmas Pudding on offer for under $20, too.
Celebrating with croissants on a Christmas morning may be your family's annual tradition, so you can pick up a 12-pack of butter croissants at only $11.99 per tray.
There's also a delightful decorated Christmas cake on sale for $29.99 which would be more than enough to feed the whole family.
Eating croissants in the morning is a common Christmas tradition. Supplied
A delicious Black Forest cake for just $29.99 is on offer at Costco. Supplied
SNACKS
Costco is wonderland for snack lovers. On Christmas day, it's important to have bowls of delicious snacks your guests can devour while waiting for lunch to be served.
The store has a 1kg jar of mini pretzels for $11.39 and endless giant bags of crisps to keep the youngsters fed and entertained.
If you're looking for something with a little more substance, there's also a $29.99 sandwich platter, a $39.99 mini roll platter and a $36.99 sushi platter available too.
Costco has your snacks sorted with a huge 1kg jar of pretzels. Supplied
A delicious Italian-style entertaining pack with meats and cheeses is a Christmas staple. Supplied
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DRINKS
A little Christmas tipple can also be found amongst the bulk toilet paper in Costco's aisles.
The wholesale chain store has plenty of affordable wine and spirits, with one of the best deals a three-pack of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc for $39.99.
You can grab a Whispering Angel Rose for $39.99 too — but if you're looking for something a little fancier to drink with your oysters, there's also a delicious Veuve Clicquot on sale for $65.99, a bottle that is usually around $75 in most liquor stores.
Costco offers a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for $10 cheaper than most liquor stores. Supplied
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CHRISTMAS LUNCH FOR UNDER $100
Looking to save money but still want to feed the whole family on Christmas day?
It's possible to pick out the most affordable items for a whole Christmas feast for less than $100.
- 1x boneless leg ham $43.88
- 1x bag of potatoes $4.99
- 1kg broccoli $1.89
- 3kg bag of carrots for $3.49
- Coleslaw Mix 1kg $5.29
- 14 Sydney Rock oysters $16.49
- Christmas pudding $19.99
- Total — $96.02
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