Brits are reportedly avoiding the responsibility of hosting Christmas Day this year, using extravagant excuses with having a broken oven (22%) and wanting to spend Christmas alone (21%) cited as some of the top explanations.
As 42% would be more likely to host Christmas if it cost less, Sainsbury’s recently announced a festive roast that feeds six for under £20 with Nectar, its lowest ever cost.
TV Personality, roast dinner devotee, and well-known bargain lover Tom Skinner, has shared how he’ll be hosting a festive roast for his family this year, and saving money at the same time.
Brits are dodging serving Christmas dinner this year, as 44% of the nation say they have been put off the idea of hosting family and friends due how much they think it could cost them.
Of those not volunteering to host their families this year, over a third (36%) have admitted they are proactively avoiding the duties, and 26% have come up with extravagant excuses such as claiming their oven is broken (22%), wanting to spend Christmas alone (21%) and not having enough chairs (19%)². 13% have even blamed it on their dog not liking guests, whilst almost a fifth (17%) have admitted leaving the family WhatsApp group to dodge the discussion altogether.
As 42% would be more likely to host Christmas if it cost less, Sainsbury’s recently announced the return of its price-busting festive roast at its lowest ever cost. Savvy shoppers can get all the ingredients they need to sort out their Christmas day meal and dessert that feeds six for under 20 Quid at Sainsbury’s with Nectar. At just £3.24 per person, it subverts Brits’ expectations that feeding six at Christmas needs to cost an average total of £84, making it available for less than a quarter of that price.
The research also revealed, instead of hosting duties, many want to ensure they have money left to treat themselves to other things this year, including going out for a meal with friends and family over the festive period (36%), booking a holiday for the New Year (27%) a shopping trip (22%), and self-care (21%).
Yet at a lower cost per head than a day of London bus fares, or a fancy coffee, even the most apprehensive about the price of hosting Christmas can serve up a feast for six people for under £20, thanks to Sainsbury’s. That means there’s change left to spend on everything else Brits would rather splurge their festive pay checks on.
The roast features fresh turkey,plus other items deemed the top essentials of the traditional Christmas dinner, like potatoes (79%), gravy (75%), stuffing (69%) and pigs in blankets (63%). Meanwhile, other festive staples like parsnips, carrots and brussels sprouts which all cost a mere 19p per pack, will be included as part of the roast, topped off with a fruit sherry trifle to further delight guests at the end of the meal.
Limited knowledge of how to cater for vegetarians is cited as another reason the nation is dodging hosting (28%). In fact, almost a fifth (18%) claim they’ve previously just served up a bowl of vegetables when hosting because they don’t know what to make.
Luckily, Sainsburys’ great value roast offering also includes a veggie option that feeds six for under £17. At £2.77 per person, it sees the Sainsbury's Plant Pioneers Meat Free Wellington replacing the turkey, along with a veggie gravy and Plant Pioneers Pups in Blankets.
TV personality, MasterChef contestant and roast fanatic Tom Skinner discusses the struggles to serve up a high-quality meal at Christmas for the family without worrying about the price tag.
He said: “It’s no surprise I’m a fan of a roast dinner, so naturally Christmas is my favourite time of year. The big day in the Skinner household is always full of food, and I’m all set for another year of hosting. who'd have thought I could serve a banging two-course roast for under £3.50 per person and have enough for leftovers, with the Sainsbury’s Feed six for less than £20 roast? If that’s not the most wonderful time of year, I don’t know what is – BOSH!”
Rhian Bartlett, Food Commercial Director at Sainsbury’s said: “We know our customers want to enjoy Christmas and celebrate with friends and family, whilst also treating themselves, too. At Sainsbury’s we’ve worked hard to ensure Christmas dinner doesn’t have to break the bank and our festive roast has everything needed to serve up a delicious meal for loved ones. By investing in lower prices, we’re proud to be able to offer a full Christmas roast for six people, that costs less than £3.50 per person with Nectar Prices.”
In addition to exceptionally low prices, all proceeds from the Sainsbury’s festive vegetables included in the roast will be donated to the Nourish the Nation programme in partnership with Comic Relief. By ensuring communities have improved access to balanced, nutritional, and sustainable food sources, the Nourish the Nation programme helps face food poverty by supporting those most in need, whilst also supporting those at risk in the longer term.
To take advantage of these great prices between 19th and 24th December, customers should scan their Nectar app or swipe their Nectar card at the till in store to save. Those shopping online will have their discounts applied automatically if their Nectar and Sainsbury’s accounts are linked for orders delivered between 20th – 24th December.
Those who don’t have a Nectar card can sign up to Nectar Prices by joining Nectar online at https://www.nectar.com, on the Nectar app, or by picking up a Nectar card in store. In fact, my wife and I did that only a week ago and already the savings we have made have been mounting up.
The full Festive offering is as follows:
Sainsbury’s festive roast for less than £20 includes:
by Sainsbury’s Standard Small Turkey, £3.75 per kg
by Sainsbury’s White Potatoes 2kg, 15p
by Sainsbury’s Brussel Sprouts 500g, 19p (x 2 required)
by Sainsbury’s Carrots 1kg, 19p
by Sainsbury’s Parsnips 500g, 19p
by Sainsbury’s Gravy Granules for Meat 170g, 60p
by Sainsbury’s Sage & Onion Stuffing Mix 85g, 40p
by Sainsbury’s Pigs in Blankets x12 260g, £2.50
by Sainsbury’s Fruit Sherry Trifle 900g, £4.50
Sainsbury’s vegetarian festive roast for less than £17includes:
Sainsbury's Plant Pioneers Meat Free Wellington 500g, £3.40 (x 2 required, frozen)
by Sainsbury’s Carrots 1kg, 19p
by Sainsbury’s Parsnips 500g, 19p
by Sainsbury’s Brussel Sprouts 500g, 19p (x 2 required)
by Sainsbury’s White Potatoes 2kg, 15p
by Sainsbury’s vegetable gravy granules 170g, 60p
Plant Pioneers Pups in Blankets 241g, £3.40
by Sainsbury’s Sage & Onion Stuffing Mix 170g, 40p
by Sainsbury’s Fruit Sherry Trifle 900g, £4.50
Selected Sainsbury’s seasonal vegetables available for 19p or less with Nectar Prices (with all proceeds donated to the Nourish the Nation programme in partnership with Comic Relief):
by Sainsbury’s White Potatoes 2kg, 15p
by Sainsbury’s Brussel Sprouts 500g, 19p
by Sainsbury’s Carrots 1kg, 19p
by Sainsbury’s Parsnips 500g, 19p
by Sainsbury’s Red Cabbage, 19p
by Sainsbury’s White Cabbage, 19p
by Sainsbury’s Swede, 19p
Seasonal vegetables available on Nectar prices from 18th December- 24th December.
