Nearly half of Brits will use shortcuts to make Christmas dinner this year

Brits are planning to cut corners with pre-chopped vegetables, instant gravy and frozen roast potatoes

Brussel sprouts being produced for Christmas, Scotland (Getty Images)

A study of 2,000 adults found popular Christmas dinner hacks include prepping veg the day before and using pre-made sauces.

Other popular shortcuts for cooking a roast dinner at Christmas include using frozen roast potatoes, instant gravy and buying a turkey crown instead of a whole bird.

The annual festive feast is expected to be a more relaxed affair this year as social distancing and stricter rules look set to keep some families apart.

As a result, 42 per cent are planning to use shortcuts with the dinner this year to allow them to spend as much time as possible with the loved ones they are able to see.

Further time-saving techniques include buying pre-chopped vegetables and making the stuffing in advance.

The research, from the Nation’s Conversations series by McCain, found people will typically use five shortcuts — with 45 per cent using more than they did last year to make Christmas dinner.

Mark Hodge, from McCain, said: “This year, we understand that Christmas will be a bit different.

"But as the new research from the Nation’s Conversations series has found, people are still determined to spend quality time with their families, and this means embracing hacks and shortcuts more than ever — such as using our McCain Roasts.

"Christmas is always a wonderful time to come together, reflect and celebrate with those around us, and despite the year we’ve had, it’s clear that remains true this year.”

The study also found that not having to cook as much food is going to be the thing that is most different about Christmas dinner this year.

When it comes to the dinner itself, roast potatoes came out as the most popular ‘trimming’ — beating carrots and stuffing.

But 32 per cent will also serve mashed potato and 11 per cent even have mustard.

A further 61 per cent refuse to go without roast potatoes, 39 per cent won’t give up turkey and 43 per cent feel the same about pigs in blankets.

However, in doing things their own way this year, 12 per cent will opt for pork meat and 10 per cent are choosing fish.

Adults plan to spend an average of two hours and 20 minutes in the kitchen this year, but believe certain cooking hacks will save them up to 49 minutes in total.

It also emerged that while two fifths recognise that Christmas will be different this year, they are still looking forward to the big day.

A third of adults said they will be hosting for fewer people compared to previous years, but a tenth will be cooking dinner for the first time ever.

And an optimistic 12 per cent are looking forward to having more time for conversation around the table rather than cooking and hosting.

Sunday Times best-selling author and parenting blogger, Rachaele Hambleton said: “Christmas is always a hectic time, but it’s also a time to come together as a family and reflect on the year gone by.

“As the Nation’s Conversations research by McCain has shown, despite Christmas looking a little different this year, many people are still looking forward to it and will be embracing new things.”

SWNS