Do you like help making Christmas dinner?

Christmas dinner is perhaps the best meal of the year - at least for those not making it!

Many families now divide up some of the tasks to make it more manageable but new research suggests a lot of cooks don’t want someone else in the kitchen while preparing Christmas dinner.

New research from 1,000 adults in November commissioned by the Panelling Centre found a third of people dislike having someone else in the kitchen while preparing Christmas dinner.

44% of people will spend up to 4-8 hours in the kitchen between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day while 39% will spend a more modest 2-4 hours creating the ultimate festive feast.

For those who like to cook alone, it seems that Christmas dinner can be a case of too many cooks, with 33% citing their partner as most likely to interfere in the festive food prep, followed by a sibling (13%) while 11% find their mother most disruptive.

While cooking alone is a preference for many, 38% say they secretly enjoy cooking in someone else’s kitchen, with more space (43%), a better selection of appliances (40%) and a better oven (37%) topping the reasons why.

According to The Panelling Centre research, 41% of people feel the layout of their kitchen impacts what they choose to cook with lack of space on counters (42%), in ovens (41%) and in a fridge or freezer (39%) the biggest obstacles.

With lots to prepare for ahead of the big day, perhaps it’s no surprise that 6 in 10 have experienced a kitchen disaster while cooking Christmas dinner, with forgetting a key ingredient (20%), burning the turkey or ham (16%) and forgetting to turn on the oven (12%), the most common mishaps. Festive favourites such as turkey (28%), brussels sprouts (26%) and pudding (18%) are the foods people dislike cooking most.

Of all the appliances Christmas cooks dream of having to achieve the perfect Christmas dinner, a double oven (40%) is number one on the wish list.

For more information on double ovens, and other appliances, see panellingcentre.ie. For more guidance on choosing kitchen appliances or achieving a kitchen that works best for you, book a free appointment online at panellingcentre.ie with one of the expert team.