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Feel like branching out this festive period? These are the seasonal food crazes you might want to consider…

The countdown to Christmas is officially on. Christmas lights are shining bright; the most anticipated Christmas adverts are on TV and festive songs are making their way back onto our playlists.

Christmas supermarket delivery slots are also booked up, and now is the time to start thinking about what to put in those shopping baskets. Will you be sticking to the classics this year, or is it time to branch out? We’ve rounded up the festive food trends of 2024 for inspiration.

Christmas party ideas

According to Tesco, ‘the cheeseboard is the UK’s most popular festive party food with nearly a fifth placing it as top choice (17%)’, but what else will fill the buffet table?

Grazing boards

“Across social media we spotted a rising trend in premium grazing boards, so we know customers are looking for DIY options to ‘build-your-own’ board and make it showstopping and bespoke,” says Rich Harding, Asda’s senior innovation chef.

On Instagram alone there are 6.3million posts with either the hashtag #charcuterie or #charcuterieboard and, every December this .

Look at any of the supermarket Christmas food guides and they’ll all have charcuterie boards – or plays on them – in them. And the wonderful thing about charcuterie boards? You can personalise them to your tastes.

Baked camembert

The trend for baked camembert is going up a notch this year. Recipes and retailers are creating versions with various toppings and there are also versions of camembert with ingredients baked around them, creating a sunshine-esq design.

Among other retailers, this is something Asda is doing, with a pigs in blanket wreath surrounding their camembert. Harding explains they were “inspired by the ever popular, Instagram-able ‘cheese pull’.”

While many cheeses would work, camembert makes an obvious choice because it’s so popular at Christmas. There’s a 92% increase in searches on the Asda website for ‘camembert’ in the two weeks leading up to Christmas.

Miniature mains

Whether you’re putting together a ‘picky bits’ dinner for the days between Christmas and New Year or going the whole hog with a party, the trend for miniature mains like mini Yorkshire’s filled with beef and horseradish is growing.

Retailers are upping their offerings with topped miniature crumpets, mini fish and chips, burgers, pies and even miniature toasties on sale.

“We’ve absolutely seen a growing trend in miniature dishes and they’re popular as they are the perfect bite-sized portion for a ‘picky bits’ spread – whether at a party or with the family in front of a Christmas film,” says Barbara Ross, Sainsbury’s product development manager.

The main event

According to Tesco research, 44% of people say Christmas dinner is the one food moment they most look forward to during the holiday season. But what will you serve up this year?

Beef on the big day

While turkey is the traditional choice, supermarkets are seeing an increase in people opting for beef. In late October, when Ocado’s Christmas slots had been open for a month, their beef sales for Christmas were growing faster than turkey and there was a 33% increase in non-turkey centrepieces compared to 2023.

“Beef’s both indulgent and versatile,” says Ocado buyer, Lucy Laister. “It brings a sense of celebration to the table.”

Breige Donaghy, product development and innovation director at Tesco adds: “We know people are comfortable cooking roast beef in a variety of ways. It’s also perfect to eat hot on Christmas Day or serve cold as part of a boxing day buffet.”

Sainsbury’s have also spotted an unusual trend for December involving beef. They’ve found 17% of Brits are planning to host a barbeque party during the festive period.

“We’ve seen a 74% year-on-year (YoY) increase in customers buying our premium range burgers in December,” adds Graeme Hibbs, Sainsbury’s product development manager.

“While 40% of Brits eat the same thing every Christmas, it seems others want to shake up their dining experience and embrace quirky new traditions,” explains Hibbs.

‘Luxury’ fish

Scallops, crabs, lobsters and even three fish roasts are on the menu this year, according to experts.

“With searches for salmon caviar, tinned fish and our fish pie up over 240%, 200% and 190% on the Waitrose website compared to the same time last year - our customers are looking for more luxury options when it comes to fish,” explains Beth Jacobs, seafood product developer at Waitrose.

Talking of fish, one dish is making a big comeback this festive season, behold the prawn cocktail!

“Everyone loves a slice of nostalgia and prawn cocktail is a trend that keeps coming back around,” says Jacob.

The starter associated with the ’70s and ’80s in the UK seems to be on the rise again. But why now?

“Millennials are taking the reins on festive hosting and have a hankering for a bit of nostalgia as 60% are planning to buy food that sparks childhood memories,” explains Claire Hughes, Sainsbury’s director of product and innovation.

“As families pass the hosting torch and traditions to younger generations, more people are opting for retro dishes from their childhood,” she adds.

Sweet tooth?

Previous research by Sainsbury’s found 36% of people don’t like Christmas pudding, but what desserts will be popular this year?

Mince pies with a twist

All the major retailers have quirky mince pie options this year, including those infused with alcohol, chocolate, different fruits, spices and toppings. But what’s driving this trend?

“We’re seeing that younger customers, in particular, tend to prefer alternatives to the classic spiced mincemeat, which is often heavy on dried fruit and seasonal spices. These shoppers are drawn to lighter, citrus-forward flavours and novel pairings that feel more refreshing,” explains Kevin Sargent, senior product development manager at Co-op.

Citrus zing

Limoncello is growing in popularity – and you can expect to see it infused into puddings this year.

“Italian cuisine is booming on social media and we’ve seen searches for limoncello increase over 250% compared to the same time last year,” says Will Torrent, senior development chef at Waitrose. They – like others – are using it in novel ways. “It complements the festive flavours of panettone and stollen extremely well, bringing a fresh citrusy zing.”

Whatever you decide to make this year, the key is to go for what you love, whether that’s traditional offerings or dishes with a twist. That’s what will make your festive feasts memorable, for all the right reasons.

Originally published November 2024