Shopping for Christmas - Snacks!

We were sent two packets of Branston Peanuts & Crackers

We love Christmas here, as anyone who has seen my Christmas Tree video can confirm! As it is such a big event in our calender I like everyone to have a good time who pops into my house and so seeing as it is the start of October, it's time for me to start thinking about Christmas snacks! As we celebrate from the last week of November (that's when we put up our tree so it is ready for the first day of December) right up to New Year I like to spread the cost of Christmas food and drink by buying a few pieces each time I go shopping. I also like to see my storage cupboard fill up with Christmas treats and know that if a Neighbour or friend were to drop by unexpectedly that I could easily pull out a few snacks to show that I was a fantastic hostess...

The one thing I do have to still work out though is a menu for the big day itself, and of course I need to work on the Drinks menu for the season too. We tend to have several starters, one that Top Ender and Big Boy have chosen, one that Daddy has chosen and if I don't fancy either of theirs one that I have chosen too, add this to the million vegetables that I think you have to have in a Christmas Meal and it's a pretty big menu!

Starting today gives me twelve weeks until Christmas (technically 13, but who wants to shop the week before Christmas) and that means I can make 12 batches of holiday biscuits for the freezer (Try my mixed Spice Biscuit recipe, it freezes well) and I can make 12 batches of biscuits for the children to decorate (My Decorating Biscuits taste nice) and I can make 12 batches of Mince Pies as well as my Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding...

There are also 12 weeks for me to buy extra bottles of Dr Pepper for me, Pepsi for Daddy, J20 for Top Ender and Big Boy. Not forgetting the Shloer, Sparkling Water, Flavoured Water and cordials that we like to share at Family events too! A couple of extra items a week means that I won't notice them on my weekly shopping budget!

And of course it gives me 12 weeks to add extra snacks to my weekly shopping, such as the Branston Peanuts and Crackers that we were sent to try and I actually quite liked, but was the only one out of my extended family who did. 

I guess it is an acquired taste, just like Marmite is! They are available in Aldi, ASDA, Holland & Barrett, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose stores with an RRP of £1.49 for a 90g bag.

I will be adding a selection of Gluten free snacks for Daddy and I am thinking that seeing as I am doing quite well with my Diet that I should probably look into some nice healthy Christmas Snacks too... Anyone any suggestions?!