Christmas food spending to top €490m
It highlighted the total spend on food in conjunction with a series of preparatory culinary tips for the holiday period. Teresa Brophy, Ireland Market Manager at Bord Bia, said trends show that there is a wider variety of food being consumed on the Irish table than the traditional turkey and stuffing.
In the last quarter of 2004, consumers spent 25% more on lamb and 6% more on beef compared with the last quarter of 2003.
In the same period, sales of fruit and vegetables increased by over 2%, totalling €203m. Peppers, not usually considered a holiday staple, increased sales by 17% to €7m.
Bord Bia said that while Christmas is a wonderful time of year, it can also lead to increased stress. Deciding on what to eat, where to source the food and trying to avoid standing in long queues can take some joy out of the season.
It has put together some tips to make preparation for the holiday season more enjoyable and relaxing.
* Speedy recipes as well as some time-saving tips and stress-reducing gift ideas can be found on www.bordbia.ie/consumers/recipes/holidays.
