THIS CHRISTMAS is going to be tough for a lot of people - but hopefully that just reflects the economic climate, not the meat that will be served up in the nation's pubs.
Nevertheless, the credit crunch does leave pubs facing a dilemma. Is the best approach to offer customers a cut-price Christmas, or pull out all the stops and go for a festive blow-out?
The short answer is probably both. There will be plenty of parties looking for Christmas dinner on a tight budget, but there will also be those looking for a treat to make up for what has been a pretty grim year.
Offering a range of prices for both buffets and sit- down meals will enable pubs to meet the needs of all customers more than ever. At the entry point, Booker has costed a competitive Christmas menu which includes a traditional prawn cocktail for 99p, roast turkey with trimmings for £1.76 and mini- Christmas pudding with brandy sauce for just 80p.
The products are available in all Booker branches, with the menu costings featured in its Festive Menu Guide.
Ron Hickey, director of catering development at Booker, says: "All the meals taste delicious and offer a fantastic profit opportunity for our customers."
Brakes has also costed a full Christmas menu which includes its cheddar cheese soufflé, spicy parsnip soup with cheddar cheese and onion flutes, turkey tournedos with duck stuffing, premiere nut loaf as a vegetarian option, roasted potatoes with goose fat, honey glazed parsnips, winter vegetable medley carrot and bean, gravy and a choice of desserts from white chocolate box trifle, tiramisu fruit flutes and Belgian chocolate praline torte.
At list price this works out at a cost of £11.03 a head, allowing a pub making 60 per cent GP to charge £32.40 per head for a full sit-down dinner. Many pubs would get this at a lower price depending on their discount structure with Brakes.
While price will undoubtedly be the main consideration for many customers, there will still be those looking for assurance about the quality of the meat on their plate.
Gavin Hands, marketing manager at the Barton Meat Company, 3663's catering butcher, says: "In line with the increasing demand for meat and poultry produced in the UK and carrying an assured quality mark, our Christmas range this year includes a wide choice of products carrying Red Tractor, BPEX and Quality Standard Beef and Lamb marks.
"These will reassure consumers that the meat they are buying has been reared according to agreed standards of farming and animal welfare - concerns which are currently high on the consumer agenda."
Despite the credit crunch, Nigel says: "We expect that Christmas orders for our Red Tractor-accredited lines such as turkey breast roast and boneless lamb leg roast to be higher than last year."
Among Barton's range is turkey paupiette with cranberry, chestnut and sage wrapped in smoky bacon, an alternative to traditional carved turkey.
Even if this Christmas is more challenging economically, according to industry body EBLEX there are opportunities to profit with careful menu planning.
EBLEX has developed its Christmas roasting joints range, containing a number of new roasting cuts, many taken from the forequarter
Hugh Judd, foodservice project manager for EBLEX, says: "Roast beef and roast lamb are both popular and versatile alternatives to the traditional turkey dinner and customers expect to see them on festive menus.
"By using more economical cuts such as a flat iron roast or brisket mini-joint, chefs will benefit from better returns. And using Quality Standard beef and lamb means there is no compromise on consistency, quality or taste during this important period in the catering calendar. It is crucial to remain competitive and increase market share this Christmas."
EBLEX also has a Quality Standard Christmas Gourmet Range, which includes a selection of cuts that benefit from slow cooking to become tender, and full of flavour.
Hugh says: "These cuts are extremely versatile and can be pre-prepared and then used as ready meal solutions or sous-vide products. Once cooked, portions can be set aside and easily reheated as required, allowing for excellent portion control and profit.
The whole slow-cooking process allows for enhanced flavour and by utilising some of the lesser-used cuts, pubs can also benefit from paying lower prices yet continue to promote the fact they serve quality meat that is fully assured from farm to plate."
The age-old question of what to do with that left-over turkey may also be of more interest to pubs looking to stretch the budget this year.
Knorr has a solution - as well as making a great roast turkey gravy, new, limited-edition Knorr Turkey Bouillon paste can also be used to dish up Boxing Day specials.
Use it to liven up a turkey curry, create a hearty turkey and 5-a-day vegetable broth, whip up a turkey and bacon risotto or create a sauce base for turkey and cranberry pie.
Claire Sullivan, marketing director of Unilever Foodsolutions, makers of Knorr foods, says: "Healthy eating is one of the most important concern for consumers in the UK when eating out of home.
"The new turkey bouillon not only provides chefs with a convenient way to create delicious roast turkey stock with multiple uses, but gives them the added assurance that they are serving a product that meets targets on salt."