AUSTRALIA | The festive frenzy about Christmas dinner will be more chilled this year.
This Christmas, convenience is king, and research has revealed Australians turn to the freezer for ease when cooking for a large group and because it saves time.
On average, those hosting Christmas Day spend four hours in the kitchen preparing, which is almost half the day that could be spent celebrating instead.
New research commissioned by ALDI Australia revealed that two-thirds of Australians will be flocking to the freezer to pull their Christmas feasts together, with almost a third even confessing to passing off a frozen find as a homemade dish to impress with a delicious dinner.
Whether frozen desserts (64 percent) or frozen veggies (50 percent), frozen goods cut costs and increase Christmas sanity.
Catering to this demand, ALDI Australia launched its biggest-ever frozen range of Christmas delights, with must-have items returning and a brand-new convenience range, Christmas Favourites. This has allowed even more Australians to go a little extra on their festive dinner with less festive stress.
ALDI’s 2024 Christmas freezer range has doubled, making it the most significant range to date and bringing two solutions to suit every taste and budget. The aptly named Christmas Favourites range covers the most loved dishes to put on a particular spread that doesn’t break the bank. It includes a traditional turkey, an assortment of seafood entrées, and new garlic and herb roast potatoes for perfectly seasoned and crunchy roasties.
“Christmas should be all about enjoying the company of your loved ones and having time to make memories and share good food. Our research shows Aussies spend on average, four hours preparing food for Christmas day. At ALDI we’re hoping to make the day feel a little lighter on prep with our biggest-ever frozen range, so there’s something for everyone,” said ALDI’s Shopping Expert Kylie Warnke.
“From delicious stuffed turkey breast roast to Aussie tiger prawns, split rock lobster, scallop and champagne gratin and Christmas-inspired ice cream – there’s a frozen find for every element of the Christmas meal. Adding these frozen goodies to your Christmas menu will relieve stress and put you back into the fun with your family and friends.”
The Specially Selected collection has returned for those looking to go a little extra this year, with the much-loved, in-demand maple bacon-wrapped scallops, salmon Wellington, and turducken to stores.
Alternatively, those looking to up their seafood game can splash out and go a little extra with the new croissant prawn puffs and lobster thermometer-style croquettes.
This Christmas, ALDI has encouraged hosts of all levels to visit the frozen aisle to make this Christmas the most convenient one yet and turn back the clock on holiday cooking.
YouGov conducted the research on behalf of ALDI Australia between the 11th and 15th of October 2024. The sample comprised a nationally representative sample of 1,049 Australians aged 18+ who have ever hosted a Christmas Day meal.
