Stuff tradition, with turducken

Dean Waddell says the turducken - a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey - is proving popular this Christmas. Photo / George Novak

Hams, turkeys and berries remain in hot demand this Christmas but less traditional items, such as the turducken, are gaining popularity.

Pak'n Save Tauranga owner Dean Waddell said turduckens - a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey - were selling well this Christmas.

"We've never stocked them before. We've sold a few and they are quite a big sale. They are $150 each," he said.

"I think it's one of those new trends that will grow into a big thing. It has to be a big occasion because there's a lot of meat in there. It's got a special stuffing around each layer."

Mr Waddell would not reveal the exact number sold so far but said he had been surprised how many had been bought.

The store did still sell a number of turkeys at Christmas but they were not as popular as they used to be.

"My view is that people certainly are a lot more casual about Christmas than what they used to be. People aren't so stressed about getting berries on their table anymore."

Mount Maunganui New World owner Allan Rudkin said Aussie prawns had been unusually popular this Christmas with "truck loads" being sold.

"Even though we're selling turkeys and hams, in the Mount I think there would be a move towards more barbecue Christmas meals."

It was no longer just steak and sausages people were cooking on the barbecue but prawns, chicken kebabs and other seafood.

That said, the normal Christmas lines of turkeys, hams, pavlovas, cream, strawberries, bacon, custard, wine and bubbly were selling well.

Tauranga Nosh owner Jo Blennerhassett said people were buying up a range of traditional and new Christmas food but wanted to make the meal easier.

"They want things that are simple instead of making it themselves," she said.

Hams, turkeys, lemon curd, mustards, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding were among the traditional festive favourites, she said.

"I think people are looking for a bit of an alternative to the traditional Christmas as well. Pecan pies are really popular."

Brookfield New World owner Brendan Good said he had not noticed much change in what was selling.

"All the usual hams and turkeys and nice cheeses. Cherries have been really late this year, cherries have only just come in the last couple of days so people are going crazy over cherries," he said.

"We sell so many more lamb roasts and pork roasts than we do turkeys. We sell an awful lot of roasts this time of year."