The cost of Christmas dinner in 2026
There is one tradition that stands at the heart of every holiday season: the Christmas dinner.
Analysis completed by finance company Zable shows that the cost of dinner has increased by 54% in the past 10 years.
In 2026, the average Christmas dinner is set to cost £99.59 per household.
With the Food and Drink Federation estimating that, by December, food inflation will hit 3.9%, it's no surprise that Christmas dinner will have a bigger impact on our pockets this year than it did in 2025.
You could provide a child with meals and snacks for a week.
Turkey is the centrepiece of most Christmas feasts, but by itself has doubled in price over a decade. Money SuperMarket reports that a turkey will set you back £53.06 in 2026.
Dried foods like stuffing mix and gravy granules have also seen the biggest increases in price, with the cost per kilogram of stuffing in particular rising by 196% since 2016.
Expect to see a double hit when purchasing festive treats this season, with chocolate selections rising in price and decreasing in weight.
Tubs of Celebrations, for example, weighed 750g in 2016 - as of 2025, they weigh just 500g.
Hot chocolate, Buck's Fizz and even everyday essentials like orange juice have also seen dramatic increases over the past few years.
At Action for Children, we see the toll that food and energy costs are having on families across the UK. We have over 2,500 frontline workers supporting children every day. We see children without a bed sleeping on the floor with just blankets. We answer calls from parents in tears, desperate because they can't afford to feed their children. Because poverty touches every part of a child’s life. It’s relentless. And it doesn’t stop because it’s Christmas.
But you could change that.
You could give a child their very own Christmas dinner by joining our Christmas appeal.
Last year, your help meant we could reach children like Freya* and her mum Jess. Our service workers were able to provide them with warm clothes, festive food, and the only present Freya wanted - a toy farm.
Freya's* story is based on real examples of children we support.
Having a warm house, enough food, and a coat for Freya really changed everything. Freya's herself again.
Freya's mum, Jess
You could bring Christmas magic to a child like Freya.
It's easy to become a charity Secret Santa.
Browse our charity Christmas gifts, and choose a virtual present from our range.
By becoming a charity Secret Santa, you could help put the magic back into Christmas for a vulnerable child. The kind of magic that lasts a lifetime.
You could change a life
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