London Christmas Dinner Costs Skyrocket to £350 – Wales and North East Serve Biggest Portions for Less

Christmas Dinner Costs Revealed: London Tops Spending, Wales Gets Best Value

Families across the UK are splashing out an average of £191 on their Christmas dinners this year, with London leading the pack at a whopping £350. But it’s Wales and the North East that are getting the biggest bang for their buck, serving up huge portions without breaking the bank, according to a SPAR UK survey of 2,000 adults.

How Much Are Brits Spending on Christmas Dinner?

1. London – £350
2. East of England – £270
3. East Midlands – £190
4. Northern Ireland – £184
5. South West – £176
6. North West – £175
7. Yorkshire – £174
8. North East – £157
9. Scotland – £156
10. Wales – £154
11. West Midlands – £144
12. South East – £121

Best Value for Your Christmas Bucks

When measuring portion size against cost, Wales tops the list for savvy spending. Here’s where you get the most feast for your funds:

1. Wales
2. North East
3. West Midlands
4. Yorkshire
5. Scotland
6. London
7. South East
8. South West
9. North West
10. East of England
11. East Midlands
12. Northern Ireland

Confidence High, But Pressure Mounts In Kitchens

The survey found 63% of Brits are proud of their Christmas cooking, with 53% saying their dinner couldn’t be any better. Northern Ireland cooks are the most confident, with 76% claiming their family loves their festive feast. Meanwhile, only 51% of the West Midlands felt the same.

Yet, it’s not all rosy. Half of cooks admit there’s too much pressure to deliver the perfect meal, and over a quarter confess to burning at least one ingredient. Stress takes its toll as 37% say they barely eat after cooking this all-important dinner.

The Traditional Christmas Plate – What Brits Actually Eat

• 3 slices of turkey
• 4 pigs in blankets
• 4 roast potatoes
• 2 Yorkshire puddings
• 5 Brussels sprouts
• 100ml of gravy

A third swap roast potatoes for mash, and a quarter mix in beef alongside or instead of turkey. The North East are turkey kings, with 15% munching up to 6 slices. Northern Ireland leads on Yorkshire puddings, with 8% enjoying 5 to 6 on their plate.

Vegetarian options? Only 1 in 10 serve nut roast, though Brighton bucks the trend with 20% choosing the meat-free alternative, followed closely by Bristol at 18%.

Overcooked and Overeaten?

More than half (54%) say they overbuy food every Christmas. Northern Ireland is the worst offender, with 65% cooking too much. Edinburgh tops the overcooking league at 67%, while Leeds is more restrained at 45%.

When Do Brits Feast?

Most families tuck in between 1pm and 4pm, with 3:10pm the UK’s Christmas dinner sweet spot—just after this year’s King Charles’ first speech, rather than the usual Queen’s Speech slot.

Older Brits eat earlier at 2:40pm, and the North East starts around 2pm, nearly two hours ahead of London’s 3:45pm feast.

Jamie Seymour, Head of SPAR Brand at SPAR UK, said: “Christmas dinner is always an exciting but stressful part of the festive season, especially when you’re trying to get your timings right or if you’ve forgotten the pigs in blankets! Our research shows that we all love sitting down for dinner with our nearest and dearest, so if you do forget anything for the big day our stores can take some of the pressure off.”