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Lifestyle Dec 23, 2021
| Photo courtesy of Alicia Bruce (CC BY 2.0)
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Turkey is the most overrated holiday dinner dish this season, according to a new survey of millennials from Recon Food, a food-centric social media app.
While 73% of millennials say they prefer to eat their holiday meal at home with their extended families (as opposed to getting takeout), the research suggests most millennials want to keep their cooking and menu options simple this year.
Roasting a turkey can be time-consuming, and while most (82%) millennials say turkey is the most overrated meat dish this year, that doesn’t mean you should skip it entirely.
Instead of the turkey being the highlight of the feast, plan on it being the hero of leftovers. Twenty-two percent of millennials say that when they prepare a turkey, they make excess to plan for leftovers. For cranberry sauce, 42% say they preferred canned over homemade.
According to the survey, nearly a quarter (24%) of millennials say the green bean casserole is the dish they always pass on during the holidays. Need a replacement that is sure to please? Stick to potatoes — but serve them mashed, not scalloped or roasted.
Pumpkin pie is the most reliable dessert choice for a holiday gathering this season, followed by apple pie. But don’t forget the toppings. Cool Whip or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is the preferred pie topping among millennials — even over homemade whipping cream. Only five percent said to skip the topping.
“On Recon Food we’re already seeing people get into the holiday spirit, sharing fun pictures of meals and recipes – both wins and fails,” said Sophia Rascoff, CEO and co-founder of social media app Recon Food. “The past two years have taught us to get creative with our cooking efforts, and this research shows us that many millennials are ready to try something different this year — like skipping the turkey altogether. But for side dishes and desserts – they’re committed to sticking with the classics like mashed potatoes and a pumpkin pie dessert — but don’t forget the Cool Whip!”
Nevertheless, if cooking is not on the cards this year, don’t worry. According to the survey, 26% of millennials would be just as happy sharing a restaurant-purchased meal with their immediate family.
