UK | Over half of Gen Z want to introduce more modern foods, such as crispy fried chicken, deep-fried halloumi, and pizza, to the Christmas dinner table.
According to a new study, Gen Z and Millennials have turned their back on traditional Christmas favourites, including mince pies, Christmas pudding, and cranberry sauce.
A poll of 2,000 adults who celebrated Christmas found that 78 percent of those born in 1996 or later would love to find space for plant-based roasts and global-inspired dishes at the dinner table.
Regarding traditional favourites, over half of Millennials and Gen Z believed that old traditional Christmas dishes should include a modern twist to remain relevant.
Of the traditional favourites, Christmas pudding was one of the least-loved festive foods, along with mince pies and Christmas cake. Over half described festive classics like Brussels sprouts and Christmas pudding as ‘dated’.
Following the results, Aldi has announced a Christmas Pudding Exchange Service for those tired of dried fruit sponges on the big day.
The top ten Christmas foods that Gen Z and Millennials have turned their back on:
- Mince pies – 31 percent
- Christmas pudding – 29 percent
- Christmas cake – 25 percent
- Cranberry sauce – 25 percent
- Brussels sprouts – 24 percent
- Bread sauce – 22 percent
- Chestnuts – 21 percent
- Brandy butter – 20 percent
- Turkey – 20 percent
- Trifle – 19 percent
“At Aldi, we’re aware that tastes are evolving, so whether you want turkey and all the trimmings or loaded fries and pizza for Christmas, we have something for everyone,” said Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK.
“This Christmas, we’re launching a Christmas Pudding Exchange Service to help customers end their meal with a dessert they love. But don’t worry if you are a Christmas pud lover; we have a fantastic, innovative range this year, including single-serve options for just 89p.”
Gen Z would most like to be at the table for Christmas Dinner with loaded fries, crispy fried chicken, and even pizza. Cheesecake (33 percent), chocolate gateau (29 percent), and ice cream (25 percent) were also preferred as festive desserts.
Sixty-one percent of Gen Z thought they were still likely to see their parents dish up a Christmas pud this year, even if nobody likes it; however, 73 percent of Brits still enjoyed it across all age groups.
Data from Aldi showed that single portions of Christmas puddings, suitable for one or two people, were becoming more popular. The supermarket expected to sell over 2.3 million Christmas puddings this year.
Additional supermarket research found that Brits would like to change the format of Christmas dinner to better suit their taste preferences, accommodate dietary restrictions, and be more exciting or adventurous.
For Gen Z, two-thirds (67 percent) found it essential that their Christmas dinner was Instagram-worthy. The most popular cuisines Gen Z would like to see influence their Christmas meal are American foods like loaded fries (29 percent), African-inspired dishes (26 percent), and Chinese food (20 percent), rounding off the top three.
