Hosting a holiday dinner on a budget is tough, but a lot of American families may be in that situation this Christmas given grocery prices have increased, on average, by 5.3% since last year and not a lot of relief from inflation is in sight.
That said, with enough creativity and shopping savvy, it is possible to throw a humble but meaningful Christmas dinner for around $100 or less. To simplify the process, I asked for ChatGPT’s help in coming up with just how to do this.
Plan Your Menu Around Affordable Staples
If you’re on a tight budget, this is not the year to lean into complex recipes or anything that requires imported ingredients due to tariff-increased costs. Instead, stick to simple, classic dishes that stretch furthest, ChatGPT suggested, like ham, roast chicken, potatoes and rolls.
Then, choose one main dish, two to three sides and one dessert. You can invite others to bring extras, but these are what you should focus on.
ChatGPT noted that turkey and ham are both often on sale leading up to the holidays. Additionally, lower-cost ingredients like roasted veggies (start with frozen ones) and noodles or rice can make budget-stretching casseroles that feel and look festive.
You might have to skip alcohol unless you’ve been saving up or others want to bring it — as that rarely comes cheaply.
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Shop Smart and Early
Your priority for a low-cost Christmas meal should be deal hunting, the AI insisted, using grocery apps, coupons and rewards points. Combine these kinds of discounts with stores that already have a reputation for offering low prices like Aldi, Grocery Outlet and Trader Joe’s. Also, seek out holiday bundle deals at major retailers like Walmart.
Also, buy what makes sense in bulk or in generic brands to save money.
Shop as early as possible (without letting food spoil) to avoid last-minute overspending. Planning ahead locks in savings and prevents last-minute overspending.
Keep the Guest List Manageable
To stay under budget, if you plan to do all the cooking yourself, capping the number of guests will help. ChatGPT said that $10 to $12 per guest is doable based on its math, which means you can host a total of eight to 10 people (including yourself) if you manage portions. Most people are happy to contribute a side dish, however, so you can probably stretch things a little if you have others add to the meal.
The AI also suggested that buffet-style dining can simplify serving and reduce waste as people take only as much as they will eat.
Stretch Your Budget With Creative Tricks
Lastly, be creative in your food prep and planning, the AI urged. Think about dishes where you need less to make more, such as rice, beans, frozen veggies and pasta to bulk up dishes.
Don’t buy expensive sauces and desserts, make your own, as well as beverages when possible. And of course, repurpose leftovers for the next day’s meals.
A Sample Budget
To see what an actual meal would cost using items from Walmart, Aldi and Costco, ChatGPT helped me put together the following meal plan.
- Frozen whole turkey, 16 to 24 pounds, $9.96 at Walmart
- Dinner rolls, 12-count, $4.39 at Aldi
- Instant mashed potatoes, 26.7 ounces, $3.84 at Walmart
- Mixed vegetables, 24 ounces each, $2.18 at Aldi
- Kirkland pumpkin pie, 58 ounces, $6.80 at Costco
- Milos lemonade, 1 gallon, $4.47 at Walmart
- Salted butter, 16 ounces, $3.29 at Aldi
Those ingredients so far only come to a total of $34.93, leaving more than $60 more for other miscellaneous items like gravy, condiments, paper goods or additional servings of the good stuff.
With a little planning, smart shopping and shared effort, even a $100 holiday can feel priceless.
Editor’s note: Pricing is accurate as of Dec. 18, 2025. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I Asked ChatGPT How To Host Christmas Dinner for Under $100: Here’s What It Said
