Not on your Egg-Noggin! The Christmas classics falling off the menu

   Brits celebrating Christmas reveal they’ve never tried a brussels sprout (9%), eggnog (46%), advocaat (40%) or bread sauce (29%)

·       Instead choosing year-round favourites – cheese (62%), wine (56%) and sausage rolls (43%)

·       3 in 5 (61%) admit they have no idea where to start when it comes to cooking Christmas dinner, and 3 in 4 say keeping costs down is important to them

·       TV chef Rustie Lee shares her expert tips on how best to prep Christmas dinner and keep costs low

For some households, festive food is changing as Brits celebrating Christmas reveal they’ve never tried eggnog (46%), advocaat (40%) or bread sauce (29%).

More surprising is that 1 in 10 Brits haven’t once tried a single brussels sprout (9%), considered by many to be a Christmas classic. The same number also haven’t tasted gingerbread (12%), or a slice of yule log (12%).

However, almost half (47%) do still enjoy traditional festive food like Christmas pudding and mince pies but admit they have no idea where to start when it comes to cooking a proper Christmas dinner (61%).

Many are instead adding year-round favourites cheese (62%), wine (56%) and sausage rolls (43%) to their seasonal menus.

While 6 in 10 (59%) say they are open to experimenting with new recipes for the festive period, a quarter (27%) confess they’ve never tried a prawn cocktail - the classic Christmas staple.

On the minds of this years’ festive chefs, is ensuring things are ready on time (51%), not having a big enough oven for everything (24%) and the cost of energy from using multiple appliances (15%).

With 3 in 4 (76%) saying it’s important to them to keep costs down during this time of year, over half (55%) are already turning to tools to help keep on top of their energy spend.

TV chef Rustie Lee provides her tried and tested expert advice to help the country get ready for Christmas dinner duties without breaking the bank.

Rustie Lee’s Christmas dinner essentials to cook like a pro and cut costs:

 PLAN! PLAN! PLAN! Preparation is key when there’s lots to do and many mouths to feed. Decide what dishes you want to do in advance, so you know

exactly what ingredients you need. It means you can spread the cost of buying things over time, so you’re not panic buying everything in one go.

Keep it simple. Stick to the classics – bird, roasties, root veggies, bread sauce, stuffing, sprouts, cabbage, pigs in blankets and gravy. They are crowd pleasers, cost efficient and delicious!

 Prep your sides in advance. If you’re worried about having enough oven space, almost all the sides can be cooked before the big day and frozen. So just heat up and serve when you need them.

 Don’t just rely on the oven, use other cooking equipment. Pop your spuds, veggies or stuffing in the air fryer, your gravy and bread sauce in the microwave and cook your cabbage in a pot with a lid on. It’s quick, energy efficient and you don’t have to worry about squeezing everything into the oven.

Enlist help from guests. If you’re hosting lots of people this year, get everyone involved and ask them to bring a dish with them. Spreading the load, means less stress for you.

Be realistic and know your limits. Don’t feel guilty about pre-buying some things to heat up on the day. We all do it – especially desserts! Shop around for a good supermarket deal and tick it off the list early.

Get a smart meter. If you worry about how much you’re spending on energy this time of year, this is a handy thing to get installed at home. You no longer have to wait until the new year to see your bill, and you’ll have a better understanding of the amount of energy you’re using and what it’s costing you.

Rustie Lee, said: “Christmas is a time for joy, spending time with loved ones and eating lots of lovely food!

 “But cooking Christmas dinner is no mean feat! It’s a balancing act that can turn into complete chaos with lots of dishes to make, family to tend to, and the pressure of delivering a grand feast in good time.

 “So, my advice to those of you hosting this year – keep it simple, stick to the classics you know and love, plan ahead to spread the cost, and get a smart meter to keep track of the energy you’re using.

 “We spend the most time in our kitchens during the festive period so having a better idea of what you’re spending on energy can help you manage it more easily. It’s all quite simple really, just give your supplier a call, request an installation and they’ll fit it for no extra cost.”