New research reveals that the British Christmas is evolving, with many of us upping our vegetable intake this year and that, despite their long-held reputation as Britain’s most detested vegetable, Brussels sprouts are actually the UK’s second-favourite Christmas vegetable (19%).
When asked their favourite Christmas vegetable, Britain put Brussels in second place, only just behind the iconic roast potato (43%). In fact, the historic rumour has been turned on its head, as 63% of the nation now tell us they love Sprouts, compared with just 16% who still claim to hate them.
The poll of 2,000 adults, commissioned by New Covent Garden Market, the UK’s largest and longest serving fruit and vegetable wholesale market, revealed half of Brits (57%) claim veg has become a bigger part of the Christmas dinner plate, driven by a desire for more variety (51%) and healthier eating habits (48%).
The research shows that 63% of Brits include 3-4 vegetables on their Christmas plate, with a fifth (20%) serving up as many as 5-6 different vegetables. Almost half of Brits (47%) report spending more on vegetables during the festive season than at any other time of the year.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this demand for a healthier Christmas is largely driven by Gen Z, with 65% of them claiming veg is a bigger part of their Christmas dinner than in recent years, whilst less than half (41%) of Boomers share the sentiment.
Notably, 18-34 year olds are more likely than any other age group to serve up at least seven different vegetables on their Christmas plate. This generation is actively challenging the notion that Christmas means indulgent, naughty foods – both at home and when dining out. Their preference for more vegetables on the festive plate reflects a broader shift towards balanced eating that doesn’t take a holiday, even during the Festive period.
Wanda Goldwag OBE, Chair of Covent Garden Market Authority, the governing body of the market says: “It’s brilliant to see how diverse the typical Christmas plate is with many Brits preferring to have a variety of different vegetables on their plate. The fact that Brussels sprouts have gone from Britain’s notoriously most hated vegetable to the nation’s second favourite is a wonderful turnaround. We’re proud to play such an important role in feeding the nation at Christmas, whether that’s work Christmas parties, the catering and hospitality scene, London’s key workers, or even the animals at London Zoo.”
Looking beyond the Christmas roast, the research also showed the tradition of putting up the tree is considered to signify the official “start of Christmas” (26%), with 1st December (17%) and seeing the Christmas ads on TV (13%) as the next two signifiers.
The sentiment behind putting up trees clearly remains strong, and with Brits keeping trees up for over a month – with most people putting theirs up between the 1st and 3rd of December (22%), and not bringing them down until 5th or 6th of January (45%) – it’s a fantastic indicator of the quality and longevity of real trees.
Wanda continues: “Our flower market sells a huge number of Christmas trees to the catering and hospitality trades at this time of year, as well as to consumers. The market is full of festive cheer from early November onwards – it really is the most wonderful time of the year.”
When it comes to Christmas Eve, Brits continue to leave out classic treats for Father Christmas and his reindeer, with mince pies (40%), milk (34%), and carrots (31%) topping the list of treats.
It’s not just Father Christmas and his reindeer that visit the market to stock up ahead of Christmas. While London sleeps, New Covent Garden Market’s 150 wholesale traders supply luxury British institutions like Harrods, Claridges and the capital’s top Michelin starred restaurants, as well as supplying the Royal Households all the way to the animals of London Zoo.