Traditional favourites not so popular this year

Four-year-old Kyree Rikiti-Edmonds at the Somerfields Berryfruit Farm yesterday afternoon. Photo/Ruth Keber

Steak and seafood are running out the door this year with old traditional favourites like hams and Christmas puddings sitting still on the shelf.

Bidvest National Accounts Manager Selina Gray said a lot of people are moving away from the "traditional" foods and leaning towards summery favourites like salads and seafood.

"The staples are different now. Who wants to sit down to a hot Christmas meal?"

She said people were after barbecue meats and fresh seafood.

"Oysters, mussels and prawns are running out the door. We just had a cash sale where the guy bought steak and seafood for his Christmas day.

And we are not selling a whole lot of whole turkeys this year."

However, she said they were selling rolled turkeys, turkey meat rolled up and stuffed, which had a hour less cooking time than the whole big bird.

Ms Gray said the trend was the same for desserts as well.

"Christmas mince tarts are not popular this year, but Baileys cheese cakes, gateaux - like black forest gateaux were."

Fresh fruit and vegetable sales were also picking up, she said. Tauranga Nosh owner Jo Blennerhassett said their biggest sellers were meat and fresh fruit.

"Fillets and barbecue cuts are way up this year. Lots of fresh fruit and berries are always popular."

She said this time of year was a bit of a food heaven, but they were still selling a lot of hams, turkeys with chutneys and salad dressings.

Salad dressing sales had doubled, she said.

Somerfields Berryfruit Farm owner Richard Somerfields said his berries get more and more popular every year.