Christmas Veg Wars 2025: Expected Dates And Prices For The Cheapest Festive Vegetables

 Image courtesy of Cyrus Crossan /Unsplash

The Key Dates And Prices To Watch For This Year’s Veg Wars!

Every December, the Christmas veg wars kick off, and the supermarkets start slashing the price of potatoes, carrots, parsnips and sprouts to ridiculous, below cost levels. They want one thing. They want you in the store. Because if you come in for 8p carrots, chances are you will also pick up your turkey, trimmings, desserts and booze. Veg is the bait. The rest of your Christmas shop is the profit!

This year will follow exactly the same pattern. Aldi and Lidl have already confirmed their 2025 Christmas veg prices, and they are incredibly cheap. The other supermarkets have not announced yet, but based on last year, we can predict the dates and prices fairly confidently.

I am already planning what I am buying. I always grab the first wave of veg as soon as the deal starts, generally within a day or two. Then, a few days later, I go back for a second shop to load up on extras. At these prices, it makes sense. Veg is expensive for the rest of the year, so I fill the freezer, batch cook mashed potatoes, roasties, cottage pies, broccoli and Stilton soup, mixed veg soup, everything I can stretch into January. It makes a massive difference to the food budget, especially after Christmas when money is tight.

And of course, I stack cashback on every shop. JamDoughnut for in-store, Complete Savings or Rakuten (who have an amazing £25 new user bonus scheme on at the moment when you spend £60), for online. It all adds up.

Here is everything we know so far for 2025, plus what we expect from the supermarkets that have not announced yet.

Confirmed 2025 Christmas Vegetable Deals (Aldi And Lidl)

Aldi has confirmed its Festive Super Six. These prices run from 18th December to 24th December.

• White potatoes 8p (2kg)

• Carrots 8p (1kg)

• Parsnips 8p (500g)

• Brussels sprouts 8p (500g)

• Red and white cabbage 8p each

• Swede 8p each
  

Lidl has also confirmed its festive veg pricing for 2025. These run from 19th December to 24th December.

• White potatoes 8p (2kg)

• Carrots 8p (1kg)

• Parsnips 8p (500g)

• Brussels sprouts 8p (500g)

• Red and white cabbage 8p each

• Swede 8p each

• Echalion shallots 8p (300g)
  

These are the prices that usually trigger the full veg price war. Once these go live, the rest of the supermarkets nearly always follow.

Expected 2025 Veg Prices For Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s And Morrisons

These supermarkets have not confirmed anything for 2025 yet, but they follow the same pattern each year. The dates below come from 2024, so they are highly likely to be similar.

Tesco Expected dates: 18th December to 24th December Expected price: around 15p per item with a Clubcard Typical veg: potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sprouts

Sainsbury’s Expected dates: 18th December to 24th December Expected price: around 15p per item with a Nectar Card Typical veg: potatoes, carrots, parsnips, swede, cabbage, sprouts

Asda Expected dates: 19th December to 24th December Expected price: around 8p per item Typical veg: carrots, parsnips, sprouts, broccoli, potatoes

Morrisons Expected dates: 18th December to 24th December Expected price: around 10p per item with a More Card Typical veg: carrots, parsnips, swede, sprouts Prices often change, though; Morrisons typically drops its prices first, then Tesco and Sainsbury’s quickly match. Then Asda tries to undercut them. By the end of the week, all the supermarkets are within a few pence of each other. There is rarely a huge saving between stores, so it usually makes sense to shop where you were already planning to go!

My Christmas Veg Shopping Routine (And How You Can Save More)

I shop based on convenience, not pennies, because the price difference is tiny. If I do my main Christmas shopping at one supermarket, I get my veg there.

I always buy my veg within the first couple of days of the reduction going live. Stock can disappear fast, especially sprouts and potatoes. Last year, some stores sold out completely.

Then, a couple of days later, I do a second, smaller shop, the backup shop. That is where I get all the veg I plan to freeze or batch cook. It saves me a fortune in January!

Last year I used the cheap veg to make:

Broccoli and Stilton soup Mixed vegetable soup Mashed potatoes Roast potatoes Mixed veg Cottage pies Roasted parsnips

All frozen in portions for weeks afterwards. This is one of the best food budgeting tricks you can do.

And cashback is non-negotiable. I always earn something back! JamDoughnut in store. Complete Savings or Rakuten for online. Every little chunk of cashback helps reduce the Christmas grocery bill.

My Yellow Sticker Lesson

I do not rely on yellow stickers at Christmas, but I will grab them if they are genuinely cheaper. The keyword is genuinely!

A lot of people assume a yellow sticker pack is always the best price. It is often not. If carrots are usually 50p and the yellow sticker makes them 25p, that is still more expensive than the Christmas loyalty price of 8p to 15p, so properly check the price of yellow stickers before you buy at Christmas, and not just veg, everything!!

And here is a mistake from last year; I bought veg early and stored it in the cupboard under the stairs. I thought it would be cool enough. Four days later, and it was ruined. Sprouts and broccoli especially do not last long. Luckily, it was only about 50p of wasted veggies due to the cheap pricing, but it was a waste of good food, and so not ideal! If you buy early, store it somewhere actually cold. When the weather is chilly, I sometimes leave the veg in the car boot for a short time because the outside air keeps it fresh.

Why Supermarkets Sell Veg So Cheaply At Christmas

It is simple. They lose money on veg, so they can make money on everything else you buy. Cheap veg is a marketing tool, not a profit maker. They want your whole Christmas shop, not just your carrots, and assume that if you are buying your Christmas veg in their stores close to Christmas, there is a good chance you'll also buy your main Christmas food too!

You may well buy items such as meat, desserts, drinks and booze, and all the other yummy Christmas items we all enjoy, and thats where the profit is; they'd rather lose a few quid on your veg, but pocket the profit from the other products you buy; they aren't daft!

How Long Does Christmas Veg Last, And How To Freeze It

Root vegetables last longer than people think, but sprouts and broccoli are the first to go soft. If you have space in the fridge, use it. Freezing is a great option, and I use it every single year.

How to freeze veg properly:

• Boil water in the kettle to save energy, then pour it into a pan.

• Blanch the veg for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on its firmness. Hard veggies such as potatoes can be par-cooked for longer, while green veggies such as broccoli or sprouts need only a couple of minutes; you don't want to overcook them, or they'll be soggy and not that nice.

• Cool the veg quickly in cold water to stop the cooking process.

• Dry thoroughly, or the water will turn to ice, and you can get 'freezer burn'.

• Freeze the veggies. I put the veg on a baking tray, spreading them out so they don't touch or stick together.

• Once frozen, put them in a bag, and it's easier to take out individual pieces of veg rather than big clumps stuck together!

• If easier, or space is an issue, and you can't use a baking tray, you can of course freeze in bags with the air removed.
  

Frozen veg lasts at least six months. It technically never expires in the freezer, but freezer burn can affect texture over time.

FAQ: Christmas Veg Wars (2025 Edition)

When do Christmas veg prices usually drop? Most supermarkets drop veg prices between the 18th and 19th December, with deals running until Christmas Eve.

Which supermarket is cheapest for Christmas veg? In 2025, Aldi and Lidl have already confirmed 8p pricing, which is usually the lowest. Other supermarkets tend to match or come close.

Do you need a loyalty card to get the cheap veg? Yes for Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons. Asda sometimes sells its veg offers without needing a loyalty card.

Is yellow sticker veg cheaper than Christmas veg deals? Usually no. Yellow sticker veg is reduced from the normal price, not the loyalty offer price. So a 25p yellow sticker pack can cost more than an 8p deal pack.

Can you buy Christmas veg online? Yes, but the stock is more reliable in the store. Online availability often changes quickly during Christmas week.

Should you buy Christmas veg early?

Buy within the first day or two of the reductions, but avoid buying too far in advance. Sprouts and broccoli do not last long unless appropriately refrigerated.

How long does Christmas veg last in the fridge?

Most root vegetables last a week or more. Sprouts and broccoli last only a few days unless stored very cold.

Is it worth freezing Christmas veg? Yes! It is one of the best value tricks you can use. I freeze roast potatoes, mash, soups and mixed veg for weeks afterwards.

Why do supermarkets price veg so cheaply at Christmas?

To get you into the store. They take a loss on veg because they profit from everything else in your trolley.

How much veg should you buy for Christmas dinner?

Aim for roughly 250-300 grams of veg per adult, but most people buy extra because the deals are so cheap.

The Christmas veg wars are predictable every year, and 2025 is already shaping up to be the same. Aldi and Lidl have fired the first shot with 8p veg, and the rest will follow.

Prices will be incredibly similar, so shop where you already plan to go, stack your cashback, and grab enough veg to freeze for January. It is one of the easiest ways to stretch your food budget into the New Year!