AHDB has predicted that pigs in blankets will remain a star component of this year’s Christmas food trends.
The costly festive season can’t let go of some traditions, but AHDB said some Christmas food trends may look different in 2024 as the cost-of-living crisis starts to ease.
People are keeping the trimmings this season, Emma Wantling, retail and consumer insight manager at AHDB, said: “In recent years, purse strings were tightened and some shoppers had to choose between perceived ‘non-essential’ options like stuffing and pigs in blankets, instead of getting both.
“However, as we head into the 2024 festive season, the number of consumers who are concerned about the cost-of-living crisis has fallen and we predict Christmas plates will be piled high.”
58% of consumers in the AHDB study said that pigs in blankets are an essential part of Christmas dinner with stuffing, Brussel sprouts and Yorkshire puddings also being non-negotiables. (Two Ears One Mouth, November 2024).
38% of consumers think that a cheese board is key to festive celebrations, with brie, Cheddar and Blue Stilton being the most preferred varieties to feature (Two Ears One Mouth, November 2024).
Over a quarter of consumers in the study said they would be enjoying a selection of meats on Christmas day. Turkey is predicted to remain the most popular but 23% of consumers said they would have two meat options, and 10% were to have three. Turkey and gammon were among the most popular meat combinations.
Air fryers on the rise
Whilst the meal is staying traditional, the way it is cooked is less so. One in four claimed that they will use an air fryer to cook all or part of their Christmas meal.
Of those who plan to use an air fryer, 57% plan to use one to cook their Christmas meat, closely followed by roast potatoes at 53% (YouGov/AHDB Pulse November 2024).
Ms Wantling said: “The need for consumer convenience does not just apply to the cooking and we predict online shopping will take a big chunk of the retail spend.
“43% of consumers said they are planning to do their Christmas shopping in one big hit (IGD October 2024), so we predict that Sunday 22 and Monday 23 December are likely to be the busiest shopping days for the 2024 Christmas food shop.”
To read AHDB’s full Christmas predictions article, visit: https://ahdb.org.uk/news/consumer-insight-sensible-spending-and-a-passion-for-pigs-in-blankets-predictions-for-christmas-food-trends-2024
