25 Dec 2024

What are the best-selling meats this Christmas?

4:30 pm on 25 December 2024
A pair of white hands carve a roast chicken on a table with other food dishes

Photo: Kaboompics.com

Some butchers say Christmas ham and chicken are among some of the best-selling meats this holiday season, as New Zealanders look for more affordable Christmas meals.

Christchurch butcher David Timbs, who runs Peter Timbs Meats, said the most popular product this year has been half ham on the bone, followed closely by rolled pork loins, then tailed by legs of lamb.

Timbs said people prefer the ham on the bone for its versatility and relatively lower price compared to lamb.

"Most people glaze it, they have it hot, and then you can also have it cold for the next two or three days, then you could have ham steaks, ham sandwhiches, you could even pan fry it in the morning and have some ham and eggs, so it goes a long way," he said.

Timbs said Christmas ham has been selling well over the past few Christmas seasons.

A butchery in Auckland's Onehunga - Quality Meats 4 Less - said its top sells this Christmas are lamb shoulder chops, Christmas ham and chicken nibbles.

Staff member Kylie Walker said she has noticed people are on tighter budgets for their Christmas meals this year, and chicken nibbles or whole chickens have been popular for their affordability.

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