Why your Christmas turkey just got 30% more expensive – and how to avoid the shock

Brown sugar & spice-glazed turkey with candied carrots

Have you started shopping for your Christmas dinner yet? If you've been browsing the supermarkets, you might have spotted that turkey is a lot more expensive this year...

Turkey is the staple centrepiece of our Christmas dinner but with rising farming costs, labour and inflation, your festive plate is likely to have gone significantly up in price compared to what you are used to. At the major supermarkets, more than half of all frozen turkey lines are outpacing general inflation, while preorders of fresh turkeys are seeing double-digit price hikes, according to analysis by The Grocer. Premium turkey crowns have seen the biggest price rises, of up to 28%, while some of the supermarkets’ whole turkeys have increased by up to 20%.

The good news is there are still easy ways to enjoy turkey this year without overspending. From choosing the right bird to savvy cooking to stretch it further, here’s how to get the best value for money from your turkey this year.

Why does turkey cost more this year?

Farming and labour costs have been increasing for the past few years. “Three years ago, following the Ukraine war, agricultural input costs such as fuel and feed hit an all-time high and have remained high since,” explains James Mansfield, founder of the free-range meat delivery service, Field & Flower. “This puts sustained pressure on all of us through higher food prices. Further, in the past year, employment cost increases and seasonal labour availability has impacted farmers."

Shopping directly from farm shops or online equivalents seems to be one of the best ways to bag a turkey for the same price you did last year. As Mansfield tells us, “as the farm input cost increases have levelled out from the peak 3 years ago, [his turkey farmer] John has managed to maintain his turkey cost price. We have therefore not increased our whole turkey price this year and have reduced the price of some of our free-range turkey breast joints.” By going straight to the farm, you’ll not only know where your bird was raised, it’ll likely have higher welfare standards and you cut out the cost of the middle men.

Another option is to hold your nerve and visit the supermarkets in the week running up to Christmas. As the major retailers battle it out to be the best value, there’s likely to be some great deals on on-the-shelf purchases. If you’re happy to be flexible with what ends up in your basket, there are sure to be some bargains to be had.

It’s not just the turkey

Inflation has affected the cost of all food and while it might feel like a bigger jump with a product you buy once a year such as turkey, the impact is often greater elsewhere. Turkey is still a better value choice than a beef joint or wellington as the average price of beef per kilo has increased 18% in the past year. Mansfield says, “Beef has been especially impacted [by inflation]. The beef market is under pressure with a real squeeze on supply, something that's reflected all over the world, while demand has remained relatively strong and held a high price."

And it’s not just the protein on your plate that’s likely to cost a bit more this year. Over two-thirds of Brits will cook roast potatoes this Christmas and price rises have hit farmers of this staple crop too.

“Recent trends have seen all the main costs of growing potatoes increase, from the cost of labour to the cost of power for water irrigation and storage. The dry summer with little to no rain for much of the country shows how the changing climate is increasing the risk growers face in growing the country's potato crop”, explains Alex Godfrey, Grower and Chair of GB Potatoes. “Despite these challenges, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without roast potatoes, and even without retailer promotions, potatoes remain great value and a good source of nutrients all year round.”

Close-up of farmer holding potatoes at farm

How to make your turkey go further

Be smart about the turkey you buy. Turkeys are big birds so if you’re only cooking for a few, consider a turkey joint. Crowns or breast joints are ideal for a party of four, or for a budget option opt for turkey legs which are delicious slow roasted. Remember that with all the trimmings, each of your guests will likely eat less meat than a standard Sunday lunch. Though of course, you might want to factor in leftovers. Have a look at our portion planner as a guide.

Choosing a whole bird is usually the best value for money. If you think a crown would be enough meat for your Christmas day, consider removing the legs yourself (or ask a butcher to do it for you). Cooking the legs and crown separately makes roasting turkey a whole lot easier, as you don’t need to worry about drying out the breast during the extra time needed to cook the legs through. Roasting the legs low and slow allows the dark meat to cook gently, resulting in meltingly tender turkey. You could even confit them in oil or goose fat so they’re really juicy. Do this on Christmas Eve, then strip the meat from the bones to warm through on Christmas day and enjoy alongside the crown (then the confit fat can be used for your roasties too.) Or pop the legs in the freezer to cook another time. Check out our recipe for brined roast turkey crown and confit legs.

With a whole bird you’ll also benefit from the giblets which are great for adding flavour to a make ahead gravy – check out our flavour bomb roast turkey and gravy recipe which uses the giblets. If you like, remove the liver from the pack of giblets first, chop it finely and add it to your stuffing – stretching it further and making it richer.

With some savvy cooking, you can also stretch your leftovers further than you think. Use the turkey carcass to make stock with all the vegetable peels and trimmings from Christmas Day (save everything in a container to cook on Boxing Day). Once strained this bone broth is packed full of flavour that can form the base of an array of soups, stews and sauces. Check out our full guide to the best turkey leftover recipes, from curries and pies to nachos and noodles.

Bulk out chunks of turkey meat in a curry, casserole or pie with beans, chickpeas or lentils. Or add shredded turkey to stir fried rice, a grain salad or to top a pizza where you need less anyway. The value in your turkey comes not only at Christmas dinner but all the meals you serve from the leftovers.