How our Christmas menu gives us security
According to the latest Civey survey commissioned by the German Food Association, whether we have Christmas goose, carp, smoked meat or ham rolls on the table is a question of our childhood habits.
According to Christoph Minhoff, Managing Director of the German Food Association, a full 95 percent of Germans are planning a special meal for Christmas Eve, and 90 percent for Christmas Day.
Although our eating habits are becoming increasingly diverse overall, many people stick to cherished traditions, especially at Christmas.
Why is that?
Sociologist Jana Rückert-John from Fulda University of Applied Sciences has also thought about this topic and concluded that this phenomenon is primarily due to the exceptionally "contemplative" time and the feeling of togetherness. According to Rückert-John, in order to emphasize the special nature of the holidays, dishes that are rarely eaten in everyday life are served at Christmas - so-called "non-everyday meals" with tradition.
"When the community is celebrated, it makes sense to prepare traditional food," explains Rückert-John. These are often cooked according to recipes that have been passed down in the family for generations, which strengthens the sense of belonging.
This adherence to tradition can also be seen in the barely diminishing popularity of meat dishes at Christmas time. While vegan and vegetarian eating habits are generally on the rise in everyday life and meat is becoming increasingly expensive, for most people a main course with meat is simply a must at Christmas.
Only 5.2 percent of respondents in the Civey survey plan to eat a vegan or vegetarian main course on Christmas Eve. On public holidays, the figure is only 4.3 percent.
pro.earth conclusion:
Although these figures apply to Germany, we're sure it's the same in Austria. I've already ordered the smoked meat from my trusted farm store - because at Easter and Christmas it simply HAS to smell like it for me, even though meat consumption in my household has been absolutely decimated. 💚✨🎄
