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There’s that one ‘big shop’ that most people undertake just before Christmas and it can be daunting to even think about having to battle the crowds.

However, it doesn’t have to be something to dread if you plan a little ahead of time.

Supermarkets are very clever at getting us to part with our hard-earned cash and a lot of research goes into how stores are laid out and where items are placed. You have to shop smart to overcome the tricks they play.

Here are our top tips for tackling the big shop ahead of Christmas.

Get out there early

Get out of bed early and get to the supermarket as the birds are singing their morning tunes. There’s no sense in hitting the supermarket at peak time two days before Christmas and having to face long queues at the till and battles to get to the cranberry sauce.

The earlier (or perhaps later, for the 24 hour openings!) you get to the supermarket, the easier it should be to get the shop done. Supermarkets will be advertising opening hours on their websites, in stores and on social media so check out when they are open and plan accordingly. 

Many may even be open for the full 24 hours of the day leading up to Christmas. Could you face a 3am shop to save time?

Buy ahead

Items like fruit and veg will be last minute but you can shop for items like goose fat and gravy (powder or long life) well ahead of time.

This will not only cut out the panic of having to fill your trolley on the day of the last big shop and you can easily stock up on frozen food too ahead of time and cut out this hassle closer to Christmas Day.

Spread your voucher love

If you are a savvy shopper you will have loyalty cards for all the major multiples. Use your vouchers wisely. 

The more you shop around, the more vouchers you will be able to use and save more money in the process. Be aware of the ‘use by’ dates on your vouchers too and if you can you can swap with friends and family if needed.

Use your freezer

You know that feeling when you arrive at Marks and Sparks on December 23 only to find that the cauliflower cheese you all love has been sold out? Well, that may not have been the case a week earlier.

Buy ahead of time and freeze as many items as possible so that you are not disappointed closer to Christmas Day. You can also freeze bread so you don’t have to rush out to buy it while still deep in a post-Christmas coma.

Don’t panic

The days before Christmas can often bring on a panic as we feel we need to shop for food to last us months. The supermarkets, however, will only be closed for a day or two so don’t lose the head and feel you need to over buy. You don’t need ten blocks of cheese or 50lbs of butter to get you through the festive period. 

The supermarkets will be open again and if you are very stuck you will always find a local shop open over Christmas.

Share the Christmas dinner prep

If you are hosting Christmas dinner then you could share the dinner purchasing and prep with those coming over. Perhaps one guest could do the ham, another do the dessert. This would help greatly with the prep work and also with the shopping bill.

Shop smart

Shop wisely at the supermarket. One thing to watch out for is cheaper products on different aisles. 

Consumer experts at Which? say shoppers can save money by checking the baking aisle for items such as sultanas and nuts, which will often be priced cheaper than they would be on the snacking aisle.

They also found that items such as rice and pulses can be cheaper in the world foods aisle than they are where you might usually expect to find them. 

Also, look up and down the shelves; don’t settle for the item at eye level. Supermarkets often place items on the middle shelves that they want to promote but taking the time to scan the entire shelf can often result in significant savings.

Make that list, eat before you go

It’s a very simple tip but also a very important one, especially around Christmas time. The shops can be very tempting around Christmas time and the shelves will be packed with alluring goods and treats and they can be hard to resist. Do you really need that cheese board with an expiry date of December 27?

Start by writing a list and stick to it. Also, we have all heard about shopping on an empty stomach but this is especially true at Christmas.

A study from Cornell University found people spent more and bought higher-calorie products on an empty stomach.

Arrive in the supermarket well-fed and brandishing a list and you’ll buy only what you need, not what a rumbling tummy says you want.