How to plan your Christmas food shop

Make the season stress-free with our guide to planning your big Christmas shop, and see all the key dates you need to know this year.

Senior Food Editor at M&S Food

Heather Taylor

The planning starts here!

It's the most wonderful time of the year – but making it magical involves a lot of planning. Whether you're feeding a crowd or planning an intimate Christmas, thinking ahead of time about what to buy and when will help you spread the cost and save your sanity during the busy Christmas season.

Need some help? We've got you. From our handy downloadable shopping list (opens a PDF file) to easy tools to help you get ahead, read our ultimate guide to how to plan your Christmas food shop.

Christmas ideas Christmas recipes

How to plan your big shop

Grab a coffee, warm up a mince pie, and make a list of all the main eating occasions around Christmas week – from the big day itself to Boxing Day, Christmas Eve, and all those festive food moments in between.

Check out our Christmas recipe collection for lots of inspiration, and jot down the ingredients you’ll need.
Browse the M&S digital food catalogue to see our entire range from the Foodhall. Check what's in stock at your nearest store, search for specific products, browse Christmas food, and create your own digital shopping list on the M&S app.
See what to pop away for the big day to help you get ahead.

Browse Christmas food

Decide on your meals

Confirm how many guests you have coming. Check ahead of time if there are any dietary requirements.
Think about all the meals you'll be eating across the Christmas week: think Christmas Eve nibbles, a festive breakfast, the main event and the Boxing Day buffet.
Don't forget about store cupboard ingredients for those 'Betwixtmas' meals – having some curry paste and noodles in the cupboard may be just what you need to rustle up a quick leftover turkey curry when you're sick of all those festive flavours.
For nights when you don't fancy cooking, keep fuss-free festive dinners from the Foodhall in the freezer (did someone say Pigs in Blankets Mac and Cheese? Find it in store from 14 November).

More Christmas ideas

Make a shopping list

Once you've understood exactly what meals you'll be making, it's time to make a list of everything you'll need. Add items to your shopping list on the M&S App (you can save recipes and easily add all of these ingredients) or go old-school with a pen and paper.
Plan your recipes, bookmarking family favourites and any new ones you'd like to test out – our Christmas recipe collection is a great place to start.
Decide which ready-made bits you need – remember there is no shame in opting for a ready-made dessert, jar of cranberry sauce or gravy – these things are there to make your life easier.
Buy what you can in advance – things like chocolates, mince pies, crackers, gift wrap, cleaning supplies, spices and condiments can all be bought ahead to spread the cost and make 'the big shop' a bit easier.
Pre-order your turkey, trimmings and more using our fuss-free, restaurant-quality Christmas Food to Order service, then collect in store between 22-24 December (and pick up any extras while you're there).
Remember you can use your Sparks rewards to pay towards your Christmas food shop – if you've been saving up all year, now's a great time to spend them!
Ready to get started? See our top Christmas shopping list essentials below, or download them all (opens a PDF file) to check off in our handy shopping list.

Christmas shopping list (opens a PDF file)

Christmas Eve picky bits

Party food and snacks, like Our Best Ever Pigs in Blankets and Collection 100% Olive Oil Crisps with lobster.
Charcuterie and hot cheese – don't miss our Val de Loire Camembert Baker (in store from 25 Nov) and Spicy Suino Nero Charcuterie Platter (in store from xx).
Pick up a fuss-free festive meal, like our Turkey Feast Lasagne (in store from 14 October).
Don't forget something to leave for Santa – mince pies, carrots, milk and maybe a glass of Clemencello Liqueur?

Christmas Eve food ideas

Christmas Day Breakfast

Bakery favourites, like frozen bake-at-home croissants, crusty sourdough, and panettone.
Cooked breakfast ingredients – try our Good Rasher dry-cured nitrate-free bacon; Mild and Delicate Smoked Salmon; and Rich Golden Yolk Eggs.
Fresh fruit, yogurt and granola.

Christmas breakfast ideas

Christmas Day: the main event

Choose your centrepiece, whether you fancy turkey, beef, lamb or a veggie or vegan main.
Potatoes – whether ready-prepped roasties or Maris Pipers (and don't forget the Roast Potato Seasoning).
Fresh vegetables, like parsnips, sprouts, carrots, leafy greens, red cabbage and cauliflower.
All the trimmings – from Pigs in Blankets to stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, bread sauce and Wagyu Beef Dripping Yorkshire Puddings.
Pantry and cupboard essentials – think cornflour to thicken gravy, cooking oil, spices and tin foil.
Homecare must-haves for the big cleanup (before and after!).

How to cook Christmas dinner

Christmas Day: desserts and cheese

Traditional favourites like Christmas pudding or Yule Log – don't forget the brandy butter (or Clemencello Extra Thick Cream, in store from 25 November).
We'll have festive desserts galore landing in the Foodhall from 19 December, or available to pre-order now. Did someone say Sticky Toffee Pudding Trifle?
Making it yourself? Pick a dessert recipe and note down the ingredients.
All you'll need for an epic Christmas cheeseboard, plus crackers, pickles and chutneys.

Best Christmas desserts

Sweet treats

Christmas chocolates to share, like our Big Mix Tin and Malt Balls.
Festive biscuits are a non-negotiable. Try a box of The Big Six Assortment or browse magical Christmas biscuits including gift-worthy light-up tins.
Traditional Christmas cake – add a slice to your cheeseboard (it's great with Stilton) or enjoy with a cuppa.

Boxing Day essentials

Buffet showstoppers, like a jewel-topped cranberry pork pie and Handcrafted Sausage Roll Garland.
Sharing centrepieces for easy entertaining, like a wow-worthy side of salmon.
Ingredients to jazz up leftovers – try our Collection Crafted Christmas Sourdough Baguette (in store from 4 November) for turkey sandwiches, plus pickles and mayo.

Boxing Day food ideas

Festive drinks

Celebratory tipples, like Delacourt Champagne, Classics Crémant and Clementine and Cranberry Bucks Fizz.
Alcohol-free options, such as Alcohol Free Blanc de Blancs as well as soft drinks and mixers.
After-dinner treats, such as Irish cream liqueur or Apricot Brandy Liqueur.
Warming drinks: hot chocolate, tea, and Christmas coffee.

Best Christmas drinks

Don’t forget!

Kitchen essentials, like tin foil, baking parchment and cling film plus kitchen towel (bonus points if it's a Christmassy design).
Clean up must-haves: think bin bags, zip-lock storage bags and dishwasher tablets. Pro tip: pop a capful of our Cypress and Orange Flower Disinfectant in your sink, fill with water and leave overnight to have the kitchen smelling gorgeous the next day.
Hosting hacks, like napkins, ice cubes and disposable foil trays. Oh, and you don't want to run out of loo roll!

Key dates: what to shop for when

From 22 September: pre-order your Christmas feast in advance using our Christmas Food to Order service. Do this early – slots fill up fast!
From September: stock up on festive kitchen essentials and get-ahead gifts to pop away for the big day.
From September: decide on your Christmas wine and drinks and buy early to spread the cost.
From September: pre-order festive flowers and hampers for delivery from 3 November (hampers) and 12 November (florals).
From 14 October: the first of our Christmas party food will land in store, with more arriving from November. Try now to find out your favourites or pop in the freezer.
From 25 November: find expertly sourced cheeses (hot and cold) for festive gatherings. Shop these up to one week ahead of the big day.
From 19 December: shop fresh Christmas desserts in store.
From 20 December: pick up your Christmas veggies at brilliant prices, all with the M&S quality you expect.
From 22 December: shop fresh, responsibly sourced seafood and fresh M&S Select Farms turkeys for your big-day lunch.
24 December: pick up last-minute essentials like fresh bread, fresh flowers and anything you've forgotten – even with the best-laid plans, there's bound to be something!