The Roast Is at Risk! Over Half of Brits Plan to Deviate from Cooking Instructions This Christmas Due to Lack of Oven Space

• A house divided; more Brits than ever are cooking up double the feast, with 40% now making both vegan and meat options for Christmas Day

• Over half (53%) of households find themselves clockwatching over a roasting relay, cooking different elements of their Christmas roast one at a time

• Cognitive Behavioral, Psychodynamic & EMDR Practitioner, Dr Becky Spelman explains the important role food plays in our celebrations and how to reduce seasonal stress

LONDON, UK – 2 December, 2020 –  New research from Samsung, commissioned to celebrate its Home Appliances range, has revealed that more than a fifth of Brits (21%) say they often find Christmas Day stressful because they are too busy preparing Christmas dinner. And with 40% of households now offering guests both a veggie and meat option, temperatures are definitely rising!

Brits forced to risk the roast

Samsung’s research further reveals that over half of Brits (51%) are taking a risk with the roast by cooking different items on the same settings, despite recipes stating otherwise. But sacrificing the succulence of the sausages or scolding the stuffing is unavoidable for some households, with 47% saying they don’t have a choice but to cook on the same setting due to lack of oven space. Forty-three per cent also cite lack of time as a factor. The alternative option is cooking things one at a time, with 53% saying a roast dinner relay is the only option. But whichever method families choose, it’s clear that lack of oven space can make for a ‘stress-tive’ Christmas.

Avoid the stress and prep for success

To help deal with our seasonal stress, Samsung has partnered with renowned Cognitive Behavioural, Psychodynamic & EMDR Practitioner, Dr Becky Spelman, who explains the important role food plays in bringing people together and making memories at Christmas.

“We share food and flavours with those we love as a way of having a common experience that brings us together in mutual pleasure,” Dr Spellman says. “Also, because eating is so sensory it creates extremely vivid memories, which is why the familiar Christmas dinner has become so important. For many it brings back happy memories from years gone by. Inevitably though, this places increased pressure on the chef due to the high level of expectation. Feeling anxious about preparing Christmas dinner is totally normal. The best way to counteract the pressure it is to take steps that help you to feel organised and in control of the process. Whether that’s keeping a list of cooking timings, delegating certain tasks to others or investing in Smart home appliances such as the Samsung Dual Cook Flex™ or Samsung Family Hub™ (both of which you can control remotely via your mobile phone or tablet, via the Samsung SmartThings App).”

Fortunately, there are steps Brits can take to prep for the big day and many already have coping mechanisms in place. Forty percent do the food shopping well in advance and over a third (35%) prep the veggies ahead of time. When it comes to storing the food, over a quarter (27%) organise the fridge and one in ten clean it the day before the festive feast.

Let your appliances do the work!

“Our research has revealed that 21% say they use their kitchen appliances more at Christmas than any other time of year” says Ruth Storey, Head of Marketing, Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics UK Ltd. “Appliances play an important role in festive preparations, so it’s crucial that these products are able to support people and relieve some of the stress of food preparation, both at Christmas and throughout the year. Understanding this, Samsung has developed the Samsung Dual Cook Flex™, the Samsung Infinite product range and the Samsung Family Hub™ which have all been designed with ease of use, convenience and flexibility in mind.”

The Samsung Dual Cook Flex™ range gives ultimate flexibility in the kitchen. With the option of dividing the oven into two, the appointed chef can cook two things on totally different temperatures and settings; while the hinged Flexible Door means they can access the full oven or just the top half, without interrupting what’s cooking below. Featuring a number of Smart features, the oven also includes a Cooking Guide which recommends the optimal cooking mode for a recipe. Some models in the range connect to your mobile device via the SmartThings app^[1] and can be controlled remotely, so you’re able to turn down the turkey while opening presents in the front room. You can even get notifications straight from your oven to your QLED TV with SmartThings, so you never miss a thing.

Similarly to the Samsung Dual Cook Flex™, the Samsung Infinite line™ provides the option of dividing oven space into two, but also introduces steam cooking capability. It offers both Steam Assist and Full Steam options alongside a convection oven, meaning that the appointed Christmas cook can alternate between eight different cooking modes. If they need to steam a salmon while roasting the Yorkshires, it’s all possible with the Samsung Infinite line™. What’s more, all products in the range work with SmartThings so can be controlled with ease from a mobile phone device^[2].

The Samsung Family Hub™ fridge freezer is the perfect addition to any kitchen all year round as it includes a range of useful Smart features. Innovative technology from Whisk can adjust recipes based on the number of people eating and build a smart shopping list, perfect for Christmas dinner prep. The ‘View Inside’ function will also ensure that no ingredient is forgotten about. It works by connecting to a user’s smartphone^[3] where you can use the SmartThings app to look inside your fridge via inbuilt cameras. Not only this but the inbuilt calendar means the whole family can keep track of all festive engagements too.

Whatever your plans for Christmas – let Samsung help to take the stress out of the seasonal celebrations with its range of appliances!

[1] The Samsung Dual Cook Flex™** is now available online and at selected retailers (RRP £699).

[2] The Samsung Infinite Oven*** is now available online and at selected retailers (RRP £1,299).

[3] The Samsung Family Hub™**** is now available online and at selected retailers (RRP £2,999).