Millennials: Please Stop Serving Turkey for Holiday Dinner

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Turkey is the most overrated holiday dinner dish this season, according to a new survey of millennials from Recon Food, a food-centric social media app. While 73 percent of millennials say they prefer to eat their holiday meal at home with their extended families (as opposed to getting takeout), the research suggests most millennials want to keep their cooking and menu options simple this year.

If turkey is a must, plan for leftovers
Roasting a turkey can be time consuming, and while most (82%) millennials say turkey is the most overrated meat dish this year, that doesn't mean you should skip it entirely. Instead of the turkey being the highlight of the feast, plan on it being the hero of leftovers. Twenty-two percent of millennials say that when they prepare a turkey, they make excess to plan for leftovers. For cranberry sauce, 42 percent say they preferred canned over homemade.

Consider skipping the green bean casserole — but double down on mashed potatoes
According to the survey, nearly a quarter (24%) of millennials say the green bean casserole is the dish they always pass on during the holidays. Need a replacement that is sure to please? Stick to potatoes– but serve them mashed, not scalloped or roasted.

Pumpkin pie is the favorite dessert among millennials – but don't serve it naked
Pumpkin pie is the most reliable dessert choice for a holiday gathering this season, followed by apple pie. But don't forget the toppings. Cool Whip or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is the preferred pie topping among millennials – even over homemade whipping cream. Only five percent said to skip the topping.

"On Recon Food we're already seeing people get into the holiday spirit, sharing fun pictures of meals and recipes - both wins and fails," said Sophia Rascoff, CEO and co-founder of social media app Recon Food. "The past two years have taught us to get creative with our cooking efforts, and this research shows us that many millennials are ready to try something different this year — like skipping the turkey all together. But for side dishes and desserts – they're committed to sticking with the classics like mashed potatoes and a pumpkin pie dessert — but don't forget the Cool Whip!"

If cooking is not in the cards this year, don't worry. According to the survey, 26 percent of millennials would be just as happy sharing a restaurant-purchased meal with their immediate family.

About Recon Food: 
Recon Food is a new social media app meant for one vertical: food. Co-founded by 16-year-old entrepreneur Sophia Rascoff and her father, Spencer Rascoff (co-founder of Zillow and Hotwire), the duo is on a mission to create a positive community centered around a shared love of food.

With the app, people can share home-cooked recipes and photos, find and recommend local restaurants, write meal reviews, and connect with other foodies. It's a one-stop-shop for every foodie. Whether you are a trained chef or an amateur cook, Recon Food encourages you to share in a judgement-free zone! 

Recon Food can be downloaded for free in the App Store and is available on desktop at https://getrecon.app/.

These are findings from a Survey Monkey poll conducted on behalf of Recon Food, fielded November 11th – November 14th, 2021. For the survey, a sample of 219 U.S. adults over the age of 18 was interviewed online, in English.

SOURCE Recon Food