what budget do you allocate to it?

How to have fun on a limited budget? Are inflation and exploding prices forcing the Loir-et-Chériens to scale back for the New Year's Eve meal?

We went to meet them, Saturday December 28, 2024, on the Blois market. If the thermometer flirts with zero degrees, there are still many buyers because, three days before New Year's Eve, it is high time to fill the fridge!

New Year's Eve remains a tradition

For many, there is no question of deviating from tradition despite a budget that decreases from year to year. “There is a certain custom which remainssays Bernard. It's a time when we get together with family or friends, young and old alike. » Large tables are organized.

“December 31he continues, also brings back childhood memories where we celebrated the transition to the new year. » He planned to taste “a good meal” compound “local products”.

The price of a New Year's Eve meal ranges from €50 to around a hundred euros per person. For comparison, the Christmas meal costs a little more than €120 on average, according to annual opinion surveys carried out by the CSA institute for Cofidis (€127 in 2022, €117 in 2021 and €124 in 2020).

Prices have experienced high inflation due to the rising cost of raw materials and energy.

Suzie is preparing to celebrate her… 95^e moving on to the new year! This New Year's Eve evening, a true tradition, is an opportunity to bring the whole family together: “four children, twelve grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren… With the spouses there will be forty-two of us at the table! » So, she counts “to have fun” with the menu, too. “My son called me today (Saturday), he wants to serve oysters! »

“I don’t think that the meal of December 31 has become trivialized as we sometimes hear,” supports Florian. Only “this year, prices have increased”, creating “a fracture” with the previous year. Despite everything, “people want to have fun”.

King products

Romain, a senior executive, well aware of having above-average purchasing power, will not deviate from the rule either. He plans “a sophisticated dinner, a quality meal, plus more”as he says.

“Like every year”he will celebrate the transition to the new year ” with [ses] amis ». He is responsible for bringing iced logs which will conclude a meal “ thought in advance » where all the king products will be served: foie gras, poultry, cheeses…

Catherine, from Blois, also summons “the tradition: oysters, scallops, poultry, fish” will compose an extended menu. Only foie gras has disappeared in recent years, but for reasons more ethical than economic. Only variation: this meal will be served on the 1st^is January at noon, that of the 31st in the evening being “lighter”.

Have prices increased? What does it matter, in essence, think Frédérique and Pauline, two friends. “We will spend more money”because they have the intention “to continue to have fun”.

Find out: for New Year's Eve, many brands are offering reduced prices in order to encourage consumers to concoct dishes from products that were going to be thrown in the trash. Some supermarkets also offer discounts on products whose use-by date is about to be exceeded.