Lamb preferred Christmas Day meat!

More than a third of respondents (34.29%) to the Retail Meat New Zealand annual Christmas survey opted for Lamb over ham (33.17%).

Beef was ranked in third place with 13.34% of the vote and chicken (7.97%) prevailed over turkey (7.75%).

Now in its sixth year, the annual survey captured responses from over 3,000 individuals.

The survey was promoted via the social media channels and electronic newsletters of Retail Meat New Zealand, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and NZPork. Entrants were incentivized to enter with the chance of winning one of five Blitzen Meat Boxes.

The Christmas feast extends beyond protein, with an assortment of side dishes.

With 91.03% and 55.82% of the vote respectively, potatoes and kumara took out the top spots. However, broccoli, carrots and salads also look to have earned their place on the Kiwi Christmas dinner table.

When it comes to dessert, pavlova stole the spotlight, loved by 70.13% of participants. Trifle, strawberries with ice cream, and fruit salad were also up there adding a sweet touch to the big day.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc marketing manager Katie Ward says the holiday season is a great time of the year for Kiwis to come together and celebrate with family and friends.

“At this festive time, food plays a pivotal role in our celebrations – often being the catalyst to bring us together,” Ward says. “A leg of lamb not only offers incredible taste and quality but it is also ideal for feeding larger groups.”

The survey also looked into the activities accompanying the feast, revealing a mix of traditions, including opening presents (77.47%), backyard games (47.08%), and watching movies (41.65%).

The controversial Christmas (fruit) cake debate has been solved — 82.5% of respondents either love it or think it’s OK, with the minority (17.08%) saying they hate it, less than one percent have never tried it. Christmas cake lives on.