Eggnog, Sprouts And Bread Sauce Are The Festive Favourites Falling By The Wayside

(MENAFN- SWNS Digital) Eggnog, sprouts and bread sauce are the festive favourites falling by the wayside – replaced by gin and tonics, charcuterie boards and profiteroles.

A poll of 2,000 adults revealed nearly half (46 per cent) of those who celebrate Christmas have always given the creamy concoction of eggnog a wide berth.

While 40 per cent have balked at the chance to sip on a boozy, custard-like advocaat.

It emerged some have never tasted a Brussels sprout (nine per cent), a yule log (12 per cent), pigs in blankets (11 per cent) or a single mince pie (nine per cent).

While 27 per cent have never even tried a prawn cocktail – the classic Christmas starter – others have consistently overlooked glasses of sherry (23 per cent) and even mulled wine (20 per cent).

With nearly a third (31 per cent) admitting they're not fans of traditional festive foods, many have added sausage rolls (43 per cent), smoked salmon (37 per cent) and profiteroles (18 per cent) to their festive menus instead.

However, 21 per cent have never attempted to cook a Christmas dinner – and 61 per cent of these said they wouldn't know where to start, according to research commissioned by Smart Energy GB.

To help keep old favourites on the menu and inspire more people into the kitchen this Christmas, chef Rustie Lee has shared her top tips to prep a Christmas dinner, without breaking the bank.

Her advice includes prepping sides in advance to make the most of oven space, don't feel guilty buying pre-made dishes and spread the workload with your guests.

She said:“Christmas is a time for joy, spending time with loved ones and eating lots of lovely food.

“But cooking Christmas dinner is no mean feat. It's a balancing act that can turn into complete chaos with lots of dishes to make, family to tend to, and the pressure of delivering a grand feast in good time.

“So, my advice to those of you hosting this year – keep it simple, stick to the classics you know and love, plan ahead to spread the cost, and get a smart meter to keep track of the energy you're using.

“We spend the most time in our kitchens during the festive period so having a better idea of what you're spending on energy can help you manage it more easily.

“It's all quite simple really, just give your supplier a call, request an installation and they'll fit it for no extra cost.”

The research also found the biggest challenges for Christmas cooks are making sure everything is ready at the right time (51 per cent) and not being able to fit everything in the oven (24 per cent).

One in five (22 per cent) worry about running out of pots and pans mid-prep, while 15 per cent are concerned about running up a hefty electricity bill after hours in the kitchen.

However, 55 per cent added cooking equipment such as air fryers, microwaves, pressure cookers and slow cookers help them reduce how much they spend on energy during the festive period.

With 76 per cent saying it's important to keep costs down this Christmas, many are turning to simple hacks, according to the OnePoll research.

RUSTIE LEE'S TOP TIPS FOR COOKING A CHRISTMAS DINNER:

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN Decide what dishes you want to do in advance, so you know exactly what ingredients you need. It means you can spread the cost of buying things over time, so you're not panic buying everything in one go.

Keep it simple. Stick to the classics – bird, roasties, root veggies, bread sauce, stuffing, sprouts, cabbage, pigs in blankets and gravy. They are crowd pleasers, cost efficient and delicious.

Prep your sides in advance. If you're worried about having enough oven space, almost all the sides can be cooked before the big day and frozen. So just heat up and serve when you need them.

Don't just rely on the oven. Pop your spuds, veggies or stuffing in the air fryer, your gravy and bread sauce in the microwave and cook your cabbage in a pot with a lid on.

Enlist help from guests. If you're hosting lots of people this year, get everyone involved and ask them to bring a dish with them. Spreading the load means less stress for you.

Be realistic and know your limits. Don't feel guilty about pre-buying some things to heat up on the day. We all do it – especially desserts. Shop around for a good supermarket deal and tick it off the list early.

Get a smart meter. If you worry about how much you're spending on energy this time of year, this is a handy thing to get installed at home. You'll have a better understanding of the amount of energy you're using and what it's costing you.

TOP 20 TRADITIONAL FESTIVE FAVOURITES PEOPLE HAVE NEVER TRIED

1. Eggnog

2. Advocaat

3. Bread sauce

4. Prawn cocktail

5. Candy canes

6. Sherry

7. Mulled wine

8. Bucks fizz

9. Red cabbage

10. Cranberry sauce

11. Gingerbread

12. Yule log

13. Pigs in blankets

14. Trifle

15. Brussels sprouts

16. Christmas pudding

17. Christmas cake

18. Mince pies

19. Yorkshire pudding

20. Stuffing

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