Stuff the turkey! Why Stores and Shoppers Go Crazy for Pigs in Blankets

It could be a stuffed turkey, a side of salmon or a nut roast in the center of your table on Christmas Day. But this year, retailers are throwing all at those little bacon-wrapped sausages that usually sit on the sidelines, hoping to claw back some much-needed revenue.

The food industry went crazy for pigs in blankets, offering dozens of new varieties plus derivatives such as gravy, pizza, milkshakes and even dog treats.

Neil Nugent of food consultant BullDogFish, says the new products help attract customers. "Everyone is trying to get you in the mood," he said. "It's like a drink before the theater."

The Pizza Punks chain has pigs in blankets pizza that "treats," and the Five Guys burger chain even tried a pigs in blankets milkshake, consisting of three slices whipped into a vanilla shake with added crispy bacon. in Blankets” – a meatless lookalike made with pea protein; Asda and Marks & Spencer have one foot versions; and Pets at Home offers pig-in-blanket treats.

Some say it was Delia Smith who first put pig-in-blanket treats on the menu. parties in the 1990s when they appeared in her Christmas Cookbook, then supermarkets started selling ready-made versions. Today, chef Yotam Ottolenghi suggests home cooks try his pomegranate and pistachio sticky pigs in blankets. prune and, with budgets under pressure this year, they would rather save on the turkey than this one.

Supermarket sales have risen by almost a fifth in four years, from £26.4m in December 2018 to £31.2m this year.

On the big day, they work to prepare the meal, Nugent says. “Turkey needs all the help it can get. Salted and smoked bacon and well-seasoned sausages, as well as stuffing and other bits, really come in handy."