Meat corners seafood and fish in Christmas meals

The generalized rise in prices will mark the Christmas meals of this year. Also the number of diners, which this year (at least for now) will not be subject to the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic last year. The products that usually reign on Christmas tables, especially the fish and seafoodThey are more expensive than ever and sellers and consumers have been noticing it for weeks. This is causing a change in the trend of Christmas menus, where it is expected more prominence of meat and a throwback to fish and shellfish at family dinners.

The uncertainty about prices and the supply of products this Christmas is causing a stir in the street. Some consumers are already starting to shop for the holidays and others choose to buy later but most of them admit that they will make changes to their regular menu. Highlights the intention to change fish and seafood, two of the star products of these dates, for poultry, such as chicken or turkey, and sausages.

Robert and Cristina have a bird stop at the Sant Antoni Market, in Barcelona. They are already noticing the price increase in their products and the trends in users. “Things are still calm, product sales for Christmas are still dripping, but we have already noticed a sales increase higher than other years. People are switching from fish and seafood to meat this year. We are selling more chicken, more chicken and more poulards than other times. This is also because the little ones prefer meat to fish and it is easier to make a menu that appeals to the whole family than a menu for adults and another for children. Stuffed chickens, stuffed turkeys or round chicken are some of the most repeated dishes in recent days. In any case, it is still too early to make exact forecasts, but the trend we are seeing is this. The year is presented at least the same as last year but we do have a forecast of increasing sales in the star products of the festivities such as free-range chicken, turkey or poularde “, they comment.

In the sector of Fish and seafood is where prices are increasing the most this season. Eduard Elie, owner of a fish and seafood stall in the same market, warns of the change in consumption that is generating. “There are products like prawn or prawn that are essential in christmas snacks and there are others like him lobster or lobster that traditionally have been part of the main menu. We believe that people will continue to bet on these foods so typical of the season but if prices go up a lot will be sold less than other years. It is still too early to talk about forecasts and whether we will eat more fish and shellfish or less than in other years, but due to the increase in prices and the transport strike, it is expected that this year we will have fewer products, of lower quality and , despite the fact that the lunches and dinners are more massive, it won’t be much different from last year“, Explain.

Buy before

Many consumersFor these reasons, they are already starting to shop for the holidays and a change in trends can be observed with respect to the menus of the most important days. More meat and less seafood as main menu Y picoteos with more cold cuts and canapes that replace a more elaborate main dish. Laura González, a neighbor of the neighborhood and a regular customer, explains that she is noticing that this year people are starting to buy earlier and that this will condition them to advance their purchases and be able to make their usual menu. “I have always been to buy at the last minute but seen the panorama of this year, I will buy before so as not to run out of anything because I’m seeing a lot more movement than the rest of the years. In addition, the price increase is being noticed. We at home have it clear, we always eat turkey. This year we will buy prawns and prawns just for the appetizer. The main dishes will be turkey and cannelloni and for the 25th we are still not sure, but I also take into account that children prefer meat and I do not want to cook twice & rdquor ;.

Irene Neira, a regular buyer at Mercat de Sant Antoni, says that she has advanced her purchases to ensure her menu. “We have already done all the Christmas shopping because that way we go calmer and we don’t run out of anything. We are not going to eat fish and shellfishWe are going to bet on a different menu because fish and shellfish, in addition to not being bought, we have all year to eat it. This year we will do a more elaborate pica-pica, with cheese, ham and different types of canapés, and other typical dishes, such as galet soup, stuffed turkey, kid or cannelloni. Food in general is much more expensive than in other years, and that for these holidays always rises, but this year it is scandalous, “he explains.

More people at family tables

Along the same lines, Ana María Pluvins explains how will change your table this year. “The thing that rises the most is the food, and in these holidays, that the meals are the most important thing, that they are rising so much is a crime. The chicken and the stew have already risen a lot and I am already buying it to freeze it and have it ready to go. dinner. This year we will buy more than last year because we will be more, but we will buy less seafood and we will throw more for different sausages, patés, canapés and meats “, he points out.

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Despite everything, there are still last-minute consumers who aim to adapt the menus based on how the prices are before the holidays. “We will start shopping in the middle of the month. We have not yet thought that we are going to eat but we are clear that we we will adjust based on prices. At the moment we are thinking of making a consistent aperitif, with different starters that we will order a few days before the holidays“said Manel Gonzalez, also a regular buyer in the market.

The price hikes, the transport strike and the season are marking a significant change in the trend of holiday lunches and dinners. Ham, cheese, pâtés, canapés and prawns continue to reign among the appetizers while the chicken or turkey will win the field this year to seafood, the undisputed king of the tables at this time of year. According to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), food prices this Christmas have increased by 8%, which is a historical record.