Nearly half (47%) of 18-to-24-year-olds say they can only cook one or two meals from memory, while one in five Brits (22%) admit they can manage just two dishes or fewer without relying on a recipe. Alarmingly, 6% say they cannot cook a single meal without step-by-step instructions.

The findings point to a wider erosion of basic cooking know-how across the UK. Just over six in 10 feel confident boiling an egg (61%) or baking a jacket potato (63%), suggesting that even simple skills that older generations can easily navigate, are no longer guaranteed.

Yet this is not a nation that has given up on cooking altogether. In fact, 86% of Brits still see cooking from scratch as an essential life skill highlighting a clear disconnect between aspiration and ability. This nods to the increasing importance of reducing processed foods within every day diets.

“It seems that a lack of confidence and practical guidance are hampering people’s abilities to achieve success in the kitchen,” says Sebastian Goff, Brand Marketing Lead for home appliances at Samsung UK. “For many younger Brits, the growing confidence gap around preparing meals from scratch is increasingly becoming a source of stress rather than enjoyment. A worrying shift for something so central to everyday life.”

Almost two in five (39%) say preparing meals from raw ingredients feels like “too much hassle”, while 38% find cooking so stressful that they actively avoid it. The knock-on effect extends beyond the kitchen, with 17% admitting they shy away from cooking for others because they don’t feel capable enough.

Sebastian adds: “The challenge isn’t limited to what people cook but how they use the kitchen in general. Only half (50%) of Brits say they feel confident using the full range of functions on their oven, so many are missing out on features specifically designed to make cooking easier.

“This is where technology has the potential to close the growing generational cooking skills gap. Smart appliances such as our Samsung ovens can guide users, reduce guesswork and even set the correct temperature according to the dish. It can help turn everyday cooking back into a positive experience so you can enjoy healthy, home cooked meals.”

Helping rebuild cooking confidence at home

To help close the cooking confidence gap, Samsung shares three simple ways technology can support people in the kitchen.

1. Start small:
   Kitchen confidence grows through repetition. Mastering a few everyday dishes using reliable settings dedicated to simple dishes helps turn cooking into a habit. Consistent results build confidence and make it easier to take on bigger cooking challenges over time.

2. Take the pressure out of perfection:
   Cooking doesn’t need to be flawless to be successful. There are plenty of recipe videos, apps and appliance settings that can offer support and help people feel more relaxed in the kitchen. If it doesn’t work first time that’s ok! This makes cooking less stressful and far more enjoyable.

3. Let your kitchen do the thinking:
   Some modern ovens, cooktops and fridges are designed to take the guesswork out of meal planning and cooking. Features like automatic programmes, temperature sensors, burn detection and guided cooking modes take the uncertainty out of timings and settings. For example, AI Pro Cooking^[1] features in some Samsung ovens uses AI to suggest optimal cooking settings and can even alert you on your phone if your food is about to burn.

[1] Requires SmartThings App available on Android and iOS devices. An internet connection is required.

London – Friday, December 6, 2024: As Christmas draws closer, new research from Samsung found that leftovers are a consistent headache for Christmas cooks, keeping our fridges jam-packed throughout the festive season, with one in four (80%) of households admitting to being left with surplus supplies after the main Christmas dinner or lunch.

Turkey was the main offender, with one in four households having leftovers, followed by the humble potato and the much-maligned Brussel sprout.  Gravy, carrots, and chocolates tie at 15%, while indulgent treats like Christmas cake (14%) and cheese (13%) also make the list.

The top ten ingredients most commonly leftover:

1. Turkey (25%)
2. Potatoes (20%)
3. Brussel sprouts (16%)
4. Gravy (15%)
5. Carrots (15%)
6. Chocolates (15%)
7. Christmas Cake (14%)
8. Stuffing (14%)
9. Chicken (13%)
10. Cheese (13%)

From Surplus to Scrumptious: How Samsung Food Transforms Christmas Leftovers

To solve Christmas cooking challenges, Samsung’s innovative home appliances can take the stress out of every Christmas meal, whether cooking fresh or with leftovers, leaving hosts to enjoy the day with family and friends. From smart appliances like Samsung’s Dual Cook oven that allows different dishes to be cooked at different temperatures or for different lengths of time, through to innovative AI-powered solutions that automates cooking decisions, Christmas can be prepped on autopilot.

Dan Barfield, Director of Digital Appliances at Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland, said: “If you are hosting at Christmas it can often feel like a never-ending task, with preparation for the main Christmas dinner starting days, if not weeks, beforehand. Every year we face the same challenges around the big day – striving to make the dishes we share perfect and on time, for friends and family.

“That’s why our latest features focus on how we can make our customers’ lives easier. Whether it’s leftover menu inspiration, checking the oven whilst you watch the Christmas movie, or cooking two different dishes at different temperatures in the same oven, our innovative features can take the stress out of any cooking endeavour. It’s just like having your very own sous chef!”

• Your own personal sous chef with AI Pro Cooking: Available on the latest Samsung models, it optimises cooking settings, recommends mode, temperature, and time for recognised dishes, and allows real-time monitoring via the SmartThings App’s View Inside feature.

• Dual Cook Steam Oven turns two cooking tasks into one: With two independent cooking zones, it lets you cook multiple dishes at different temperatures without flavour transfer, ideal for turkey and dessert prep. Energy-efficient features reduce usage by over 25% and preheat 52% faster^[1], saving time and streamlining holiday cooking.

• Samsung fridges deliver maximum flexibility when space is at a premium: When it comes to keeping a stocked-up fridge fresh, Samsung fridges are perfect for busy kitchens at Christmas, combining innovative features to maximise freshness and storage. Humidity Fresh crisper drawers preserve fruits and vegetables with adjustable settings, while Space Max technology offers increased capacity without increasing external size^[2]. Twin Cooling Plus ensures separate cooling for fridge and freezer, preventing flavour crossover, while Smart Conversion lets you switch the freezer to fridge mode—ideal for hosting large groups during the festive season. Select models also feature AI Vision Inside, an internal camera^[3] that can identify certain fresh food items^[4] when put in or taken out and allows you to manage a food list, helping to reduce waste.

• The Samsung Food app provides effortless menu inspiration – an AI-powered, personalised food and recipe platform available across multiple devices including your phone, tablet and TV and on Android or iOS – can help Christmas cooks plan each meal, compile ingredient lists, compare prices for shopping across popular supermarkets, and even adapt recipes to cater for different dietary requirements.

[1] 25.3% energy savings and 52% faster pre-heating based on using only the top half of the oven. Internal testing on Series 5 NV7B5675LAK, upper vs. whole compartment for small cake baking at convection 165℃  (IEC-60350)

[2] Samsung fridge freezer capacity is 84.5L larger than the market average capacity based on all other wide combi models in the market (70-83cm width) sold in major UK retailers from February 2024. UK shopping bag average of 19.1L capacity.

[3] Red light will turn on when camera is working. User’s appearance can be captured, but surroundings other than food item will be automatically blurred.

[4] As of March 2024, AI Vision Inside can recognize 33 food items. If the food is not recognisable, it may be listed as unknown item. AI Vision Inside cannot identify or list any food items in the fridge door bins or freezer. It recognises food items based on deep learning models, which may be updated periodically to improve accuracy.