Dec 25, 2023 at 5:03 AM Update: an hour ago
At Christmas, many people put on their aprons to serve family members culinary creations. Others go to restaurants. Meat still predominates on the table: from stuffed turkey and tenderloin to gourmet dishes. Drinking does change.
“We see that people stick to traditions at Christmas,” says Dennis van Dun of Slagerij-Traiteur Van Roessel in Waalwijk. “Fun dining with the whole family. Gourmet dishes are always popular.”
“It almost sounds old-fashioned, but it certainly doesn’t make my customers gourmet any less. Everyone is having a good time and you can enjoy a full evening of dining. But nice cuts of meat are of course also in demand.” Smakelijk, Van Dun lists what customers come by for. “Turkey that they stuff, roulades, hare pepper, tenderloin, deer…”
The restaurants are also about traditions. At Sligro, where catering establishments in particular do their shopping for Christmas dinner, they see little change in this. “A lot of attention is paid to high-quality meat and fish. And also game, of course. So the menu includes roulades, roast game, and so on,” says a spokesperson. “Christmas is a festival of traditions.”
Haricoverts, carpaccio at ijsdesserts
Traditional Christmas products are also ending up in the shopping cart in supermarkets. “Meat predominates,” says an ALDI spokesperson. “Carpaccio and ham are timeless favorites and the venison steak and frozen pork tenderloin are also popular every year. And of course we have the gourmet dishes.”
According to Albert Heijn, gourmet food remains as popular as ever. And that also applies to a list of frequently sold products. “Shrimp, roulades, party stollen, haricoverts, carpaccio, butter, whipped cream and ice cream desserts,” lists an Albert Heijn spokesperson.
The supermarket expects peak traffic in the four days before Christmas, especially on Saturday. Customers were already searching for recipes on the website. Many people are looking for how to prepare stewed pears, roulades, shrimp cocktails and tiramisu.
Photo: ANP
Celeriac steak or vegetable roulade
ALDI and Albert Heijn have also expanded their range of meat substitutes for Christmas in recent years. They notice an increasing interest. At ALDI, customers enjoy a mushroom risotto or a beet carpaccio. Both supermarkets also sell steaks or roasts made from celeriac. There are also beetroot pieces and vegetable rolls on the shelves.
Butcher Van Dun does not notice that people are looking for meat substitutes for Christmas. “Although I also profile myself by selling meat products.” He does see that customers are increasingly purchasing their meat consciously. “They appreciate animal friendliness and meat that we get from local farmers. I see that especially at Christmas.”
More often on bubbles and mocktails
Sligro recognizes this conscious behavior in the drink trends at Christmas. “Wines are of course part of a Christmas dinner. We are drinking more and more sparkling wine. But alcohol-free alternatives such as mocktails (ed.) are also on the rise. This way, restaurants can be creative for people who do not drink alcohol or who still have to drive. That’s a nice solution instead of non-alcoholic wine or a glass of soft drink.”
Convenience is also a trend that, according to Van Dun, is increasingly relevant to getting a delicious Christmas dinner on the table. “There are of course also hobby chefs who want to do a lot themselves, but I sell more ready-made dishes every year. Such as multi-course starters or tasty game stews. This way you can prepare a lot if you outsource some of the work.”
2023-12-25 04:03:26
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