The UK public says that roast potatoes are the “most important” part of a traditional Christmas dinner, according to new research from Savanta.
The most essential items (net important %) are:
- Roast potatoes (87%)
- Gravy (83%)
- Stuffing (73%)
- Turkey (67%)
- Pigs in blankets (66%)
Comparatively, only half (50%) of the public say that mashed potatoes are an important part of Christmas dinner. There is a significant north/south divide over the role of mashed potatoes, with 60% of northerners considering them a key part of the meal versus just one third (34%) of southerners.
UK adults are most likely to say that the least important parts of a Christmas dinner are bread sauce (48% net unimportant), gammon or ham (27%) and cauliflower cheese (25%).
Savanta’s findings suggest that younger people are much less likely (77%) than over 55’s (94%) to say that roast potatoes are a key staple of Christmas dinner. However, 18-34 year olds are more likely (71%) than older people (59%) to say that Yorkshire puddings are essential. One third (33%) of 18-34 year olds say a vegetarian or plant-based meat alternative is ‘essential’, compared to just 12% of over 55’s.
Turkey (55%) continues to be far and away the most popular ‘main meat’ of a Christmas dinner for the UK public, ahead of chicken (13%) and beef (9%). Lamb (6%) is as likely to be considered a key part of the Christmas meal as a vegetarian alternative (6%), followed by pork (3%) and duck (2%).
Chris Hopkins, research director at Savanta, says: “The British public has spoken. Roast potatoes are seen as the essential Christmas dinner item, beating out gravy, stuffing and even turkey. Poor old mashed potatoes are very much seen as long-distance second choice.”
“Among the revelry, UK adults’ view of their Christmas dinner tells us something interesting about UK society. There is a huge north/south divide over whether you should have mashed potatoes or not. While younger people are much more likely to want Yorkshire puddings and vegetarian alternatives than their grandparents, while some old staples like bread sauce are no longer seen as essential.”
