Nation's favourite festive food is revealed

Scrummy Christmas bites

As we mark the countdown to Christmas, our thoughts turn to the festive table and what our favourite food might be on the big day.

And it tuns out that roast potatoes have been named as the UK's ultimate Christmas trimming, according to a new survey by Miller Homes.

In the survey to reveal the UK's favourite Christmas trimmings, sauce, dessert and drink to have on the big day respondents were also asked to name the food they tend to avoid on Christmas Day, and the all important question: Do Yorkshire Puddings belong on Christmas Dinner?

As mentioned, the survey by new homes builder, Miller Homes, has revealed that roast potatoes have been named as the ultimate Christmas trimming, with 69 per cent of respondents voting the crunchy spud as our favourite trimming on the plate ahead of pigs in blankets and stuffing.

Brussels sprouts was named as the best-loved vegetable, with 32 per cent of respondents voting for it as one of their top four Christmas trimmings, ahead of parsnips, cauliflower cheese and carrots. However, it wasn’t all good news for the love-it-or-hate-it sprout - it also topped the list of the food that Britons would most like to get rid of on their plate.

Britons’ favourite Christmas trimmings:

1 - Roast Potatoes - 70 per cent

2 - Pigs in blankets – 56 per cent

3 - Stuffing – 37 per cent

4 - Brussels sprouts – 32 per cent

5 - Yorkshire puddings – 31 per cent

6 - Parsnips – 28 per cent

7 - Cauliflower cheese – 21 per cent

8 - Mashed potatoes – 16 per cent

9 - Carrots – 16 per cent

10 - Broccoli – ten per cent

Perhaps controversially, 31 per cent of people voted for Yorkshire puddings as their preferred part of the festive lunch, despite the ongoing debate of whether or not they belong on a Christmas dinner. Over two-thirds (68 per cent) of those surveyed said that Yorkshire puddings should be served along with the other trimmings on Christmas day.

Miller Homes also looked at the items that Britons are most likely to put off eating on the big day. Along with sprouts, respondents were most turned off by the centrepieces, with one in 12 people voting for turkey as the worst part of the Christmas dinner!

Britons’ least favourite Christmas foods:

1 - Brussels sprouts – 22 per cent

2 - Nut roast – 22 per cent

3 - Turkey – eight per cent

4 - Lamb – seven per cent

5 - Parsnips – seven per cent

6 - Cabbage – seven per cent

7 - Pigs in blankets - six per cent

8 - Stuffing – four per cent

9 - Gammon – three per cent

10 - Yorkshire pudding – three per cent

Over half of respondents opted for gravy as their favourite sauce (54 per cent), with cranberry sauce coming second at 26 per cent. One per cent of people surveyed said they have barbecue sauce as their condiment of choice on the day, and 0.8 per cent have hot sauce.

Those surveyed said that sparkling wines are also the most popular drink alongside their Christmas feast, with almost one in five choosing champagne (19 per cent), followed closely by prosecco (18 per cent) and bucks fizz (nine per cent).

For dessert, Christmas pudding topped the list, with the flaming pud, famous for its age-old tradition of being lit before serving, triumphing over cheesecake, yule log and trifle. Christmas cake didn’t even make the top five, with just three per cent of people voting for it.

Where Britons eat Christmas dinner has shown that spending time with friends and family is as, or even more, important than ever. 59 per cent of respondents said they eat Christmas dinner in the comfort of their own home followed by 37 per cent saying they spend it at a family member’s house.

Anne Marie Britton, group sales & marketing director at Miller Homes said: “Everyone has their own idea of what makes the perfect Christmas dinner, and this year especially as families and friends join each other around the dinner table and in the kitchen cooking once again we were keen to find out more.

“This research has certainly thrown up some great talking points but isn’t that what Christmas is all about; spending time with family and friends, having fun-filled debates and eating what we enjoy most throughout the entire period.

”Christmas is all about spreading happiness and spending time with loved ones which is why it filled us with joy to see that most Britons still love to share their dinner time at home with friends and family.”

See the full breakdown of the results here: https://www.millerhomes.co.uk/blog/2021/december/christmas-dinner-the-ultimate-rankings-as-voted-for-by-you.aspx