It’s a tradition much loved by the British and famous around the world as our national cuisine: the Sunday roast.
Many Brits wouldn’t dream of sitting down to dinner with nothing more than a piece of roast beef with all the trimmings and, of course, gravy, on a Sunday afternoon, but according to Generation Z, it’s time to mix things up.
Research has revealed that the younger generation wants to replace the humble roastie with chips (sometimes known as French fries) on their plate.
More than a third of young people believe that the traditional turkey feast belongs to the past and should be modernized in some way.
And Lamb statistics Weston has revealed that 80 per cent of Generation Z would prefer a plate of chips to a handful of roasted golden potatoes.
Meanwhile, people over 65 maintain the traditional: 98% want to keep roast potatoes on their Sunday plate.
It seems that London has led this unusual trend: 54% of people in general are willing to replace roasties with fries.
Bringing home all the delicious decorations, few could imagine tasting the Christmas meal without the beloved roast potato, except, perhaps, the younger generation, whose striking tastes crave chips.
Hoping to avoid crunchy potato pillows, more than 79 per cent of those under 34 revealed they were desperate to stick their forks into a pile of freshly fried chips, rather than stick with the traditional starch option.
Next up was the West Midlands, where 42% of foodies said they would prefer chips to a roast.
But the Welsh city of Swansea was the area most likely to stick to the roast dinner tradition, with only 10% of people ordering chips on their plate.
It seems the trend may have been inspired by TikTok, where dozens of cooks have shared their recipes for chips in their roast dinner instead of potatoes.
One creator recently shared a recipe for Sunday fries, which make up a mountain of baked fries packed with roasted chicken, bacon bits, and stuffing.
Captioning the image, they described the convention-defying food as “the perfect comforting touch to a classic Sunday dinner!”
Others have revealed crisp platters packed with roast dinner fixings, and a recipe for “festive fries” – featuring turkey, pigs in blankets, stuffing and brie – has racked up more than 60,000 likes on the app.
Some even go all out and fill their plates with vegetables, meat sauce, and a handful of grated cheese.
And Gen Z has nothing but high praise for the roast dinner alternatives, with numerous comments praising the “perfect meal”.
Commenting on a ‘Christmas chips’ recipe, one user wrote: “I’d probably love to eat this for Christmas dinner.”
Another creator revealed a recipe to make ‘roasted chips’ by turning typical roast potatoes into chips.
And those in charge of big food can leave the usual bread and cranberry sauce condiments, which have also gone out of style, at the store.
And crisp-loving Gen Z has nothing but high praise for alternatives to roast dinners, with numerous comments praising the “perfect meal”.
Others have revealed plates of crisps packed with roast dinner fixings, and a recipe for “festive fries” (including turkey, pigs in blankets, stuffing and brie) has racked up more than 60,000 likes on the app.
Research has revealed that Gen Z tradition defies taste, with most admitting they would rather eat a plate of turkey and beef fries than typical roast potatoes.
And crisp-loving Gen Z has nothing but high praise for alternatives to roast dinners, with numerous comments praising the “perfect meal”.
Research recently revealed that more than half of those under 24 would gladly prefer a little ketchup instead of traditional tasty sauces.
The abandonment of roast potatoes seems to have increased in recent years.
Last year, a study by Farmhouse Inns found that one in 20 serve chips instead of roasts on the big day.
This comes after news that young people were ditching tea in favor of coffee, hot chocolate and trendy matcha and chai lattes.
Last week, Typhoo, Britain’s oldest tea company, narrowly escaped administration after years of falling sales and mounting debts.
According to government figures, an average family would buy around 30 tea bags per person each week. By 2023, this figure had dropped to around 10 per person.
People ages 18 to 24 would prefer a lemonade, kombucha or juice to a cup of tea when meeting friends and family, according to a survey conducted in June 2023.
Some have even referred to this hearty beverage as a “seniors’ drink,” with people citing the taste and its “coolness factor” as a reason not to indulge in the tea craze.
And those in charge of big food can leave the usual bread and cranberry sauce condiments, which have also gone out of style, at the store.
Gillie Owen, 20, told the BBC: “I suppose there is some sort of association with tea as an older people’s drink.” He added that he and his friends would tend to opt for water or diet soda.
And Rebecca Gibbions, 46, owner of jewelry boutique Last Night I Dreamt, told FEMAIL that while she is an “avid tea drinker herself,” her teenage children “hate” tea and “refuse” to try it.
Rebecca said her son Reuben, 17, finds the tea “healthy.” He also believes that tea is a drink for “older people,” which he defined as “maybe 20 to 30 years old and up.”
Both Reuben and his 14-year-old daughter Beatrice would prefer hot chocolate, with Beatrice calling tea “disgusting.”
Rebecca added: “I think it’s a generational thing as I have staff under 25 and only one of them drinks tea (although it has to be black).
“Generally speaking, it’s not important, but because of my positive associations with tea, linked to comfort and soul sharing, I feel like I have somehow failed to pass on my love of tea to my children!”