$100 Christmas Dinner Menu | Farmers Wife Homestead Christmas Special
Christmas doesn’t have to be complicated — or expensive — to feel special. This year, I aimed to demonstrate how far we can stretch a humble budget. I also wanted to show that we can still put a beautiful festive feast on the table. So I created a full Farmers Wife Homestead Christmas Special. I cooked a large family dinner for around $100 NZD. I used simple supermarket ingredients, classic flavours, and some good old favourites.
This menu is built around affordable cuts of meat. It includes seasonal veggies and pantry staples. A few clever shortcuts make everything feel a little bit fancy without blowing the budget. From starters to dessert, this is a full Christmas spread. It’s delicious and comforting. You can achieve it even in the busiest season of the year. Best of all, I shared a video on my YouTube channel. In it, I show you how to organise everything the day ahead. I demonstrate the entire process. You can have more downtime on the day.
Whether you’re feeding a big family or hosting friends, I hope this menu provides you with ideas. You may simply want a stress-free Christmas meal plan. It also offers inspiration. Remember, festive magic doesn’t come from spending more. It comes from gathering around good food with the people we love.
Watch the Christmas Special on YouTube
I filmed the entire process. This included prepping the starters. It also involved cooking the mains, pulling everything together, and serving this full feast. I managed to do all this for around $100 NZD.
Farmer’s Wife Christmas Special
Watch the video first. Then, you can come back to this page. You’ll find the individual recipe links once each post is published.
Other Recipe Links
- Here is the link for my “The Sweet Season” eBook . A lovely collection of 13 simple no-bake treats, desserts and baking. Not only for serving up in the festive season. You can make these recipes any time of year, regardless of the season.
- Here is the link for my “Soups for Every Season” eBook. Five lovely soups you can enjoy year-round. So many of you are already saying how much you are enjoying these lovely, easy and budget-friendly soups.
- Are you looking for another meat addition to this menu? Then look no further than this budget-friendly, Cranberry Stuffed Chicken Roll. The same type of chicken or turkey rolls in the supermarket range upwards of $60. Here is a simple and tasty version I serve up EVERY Christmas.
The Full Christmas Menu
Below is the entire menu featured in the video, broken down into Starters, Mains, and Desserts. I’ve included a little description of each dish. You can add the individual recipe blog links once they are written. This menu will easily feed a family of 5-6 people. It is easily bulked out for more servings by buying another chicken and doubling the veggies. The desserts and starters are big servings already.
🎄 Starters
Farmhouse Cheese Log
A beautifully savoury and festive starter made with cream cheese, sundried tomato, green onion, and thin slices of salami. Shaped into a log and served alongside crackers, it looks gorgeous on a grazing table and comes together in minutes.
Farmhouse Cheese Log
Cheesy Garlic Loaf
A budget-friendly crowd favourite that feels like pure comfort. Warm, buttery garlic bread is stuffed with melty cheese. It is the perfect nibble to keep everyone happy. Enjoy it while the main meal cooks.
Cheesy Garlic Loaf
🍗 Mains
Butterflied Lemon & Thyme Chicken
Butterflying the chicken helps it cook quickly and evenly, keeping it juicy while giving us maximum flavour. With fresh lemon, thyme, garlic, and butter, this is a simple but elegant centrepiece that works beautifully for Christmas.
Butterflied Lemon & Thyme Chicken
Honey-Kissed Roasted Carrots
Affordable, colourful, and perfect for Christmas. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness, and a little seasoning is all they need to shine on the table.
Honey-Kissed Roasted Carrots
Smashed Parmesan Potatoes
Crispy, cheesy, golden edges with fluffy centres — these smashed potatoes are everyone’s favourite. Parmesan adds that salty, savoury crunch that pairs perfectly with the chicken.
Smashed Parmesan Potatoes
A Simple Roasted Veggie Green Salad
A beautiful mix of roasted vegetables tossed through fresh crisp greens. It’s vibrant, simple, and adds balance to the richer sides on the plate.
A Simple Roasted Veggie Green Salad
Green Beans with Bacon
A homely and flavourful side that always feels festive. The beans stay crisp-tender while the bacon adds depth, saltiness, and a lovely smoky note.
Green Beans with Bacon
🍰 Desserts
Chocolate Chip Cookie Log
A nostalgic, no-bake favourite that’s budget-friendly and perfect for Christmas. Chocolate biscuits softened with cream and shaped into a log — simple, delicious, and always a crowd pleaser.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Log
Cherry Pie | Buttery Crust & Juicy Cherry Filling
Sweet, festive, and incredibly comforting. Whether you use a homemade or store-bought pastry, cherry pie brings such a classic Christmas flavour to the table.
Cherry Pie | Buttery Crust & Juicy Cherry Filling
Creating a Christmas Feast for $100
One of the biggest goals with this video was to show that you can create a generous Christmas spread. It can be done on a smaller budget. You can have plenty of food, beautiful flavours, and no stress. Planning around seasonal produce, cooking from scratch, and choosing affordable protein options makes such a huge difference.
This menu feeds a larger family. It looks gorgeous on the table. It brings everyone together without leaving you feeling overwhelmed or overspent.
Final Thoughts
I hope this Christmas Special inspires you. Create your own beautiful feast this year. Make it big on flavour, small on cost, and full of homestead heart. Once each individual recipe is uploaded, I’ll link them above so you can easily cook along with the video.
From my kitchen to yours, I wish you a warm, joyful, budget-friendly Christmas shared with the people you love most.
— Stacey, Farmers Wife Homestead
