Economy

Prices for kutia, fish and dumplings: what’s cheaper and what’s more expensive on the Christmas menu

Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas for the second time on December 25, but in 2025, Christmas dinner will be held under martial law. Despite the difficult economic situation, the cost of a traditional Christmas dinner in 2025 will be UAH 1,374, which is actually equal to last year’s figure of UAH 1,365. This was announced by the director of the National Research Center “Institute of Agrarian Economics”, academician of the National Academy of Sciences Yuriy Lupenko, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports

What is included in the Christmas menu: a basic set of 12 traditional dishes

Scientists analyzed the average prices of Ukrainian supermarkets as of early December and determined the cost of a set for a family of several people. The calculation included dishes typical for Christmas Eve:

• kutia
• uzvar
• lean borscht with beans
• fried fish
• dumplings (with potatoes, cabbage, cherries)
• vinaigrette
• stewed cabbage
• fried potatoes
• pickles
• fresh vegetables

The entire menu will cost 1374 UAH.

The most expensive dishes on the holiday table

According to the Institute, the most expensive in 2025 are:

1. Fried fish – 346.02 UAH

• Live carp 2 kg – 339 UAH
• Flour 200 g – 7.02 UAH

This is the most expensive item on the menu.

2. Kutia – 213.37 UAH

• poppy seeds – 72.50 UAH / 200 g
• walnuts – 68.80 UAH
• raisins – 24.99 UAH / 100 g
• wheat groats – 26.90 UAH / 400 g
• honey – 18.70 UAH
• sugar – 1.48 UAH

3. Uzvar – 118 UAH

Ready-made set of dried fruits: dried apples, pears, prunes (600 g).

Prices for other popular dishes

Lenten borsch – 107.79 UAH

The most expensive ingredient is dry white beans (51.50 UAH).

Vinaigrette – 49.77 UAH

The most expensive ingredient is barrel cucumbers: 26.80 UAH / 200 g.

Dumplings

• with potatoes – 32.83 UAH
• with cabbage – 32.03 UAH
• with cherries – 87.83 UAH (due to the rise in price of cherries)

Stewed cabbage – 70.78 UAH

The main price driver is mushrooms (UAH 45.35).

Fried potatoes – 26.08 UAH

Pickles and vegetables

• sauerkraut – 96.75 UAH
• barrel cucumbers – 53.70 UAH
• fresh cucumbers – 66.72 UAH
• tomatoes – 71.90 UAH

What has fallen in price: a record harvest has brought down prices

The cost of a Christmas basket has hardly increased due to the fact that the “borsch set” has fallen in price by more than half. The reason is the record vegetable harvest of 2025.

They have fallen in price:

• potatoes
• carrots
• cabbage
• beets
• onions

This significantly offset the rise in price of other menu items.

What went up the most

Despite the overall stability, some products have increased significantly in price:

• vegetable oil – 26.7%
• frozen cherries – 25.7%
• barrel cucumbers – 25.2%
• beans – 18.3%
• flour – 17.5%
• live carp – 12.6%
• fresh tomatoes – 12.5%

How the calculation was made

The data is based on daily monitoring of prices in the chains:

• Auchan
• Megamarket
• Metro
• Novus

As of December 4, 2025.

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