The nation is fed up with boring midweek meals, according to new research released by McCain, which reveals as many as three in five people (60%) eat exactly the same dinner up to four times each week.
Half of Brits (51%) also say they are lacking inspiration when it comes to midweek meals, with 32% frequently ending up with what they describe as a boring dinner, largely due to being tired (44%) or a lack of planning (39%).
The new research is released today as McCain announces it has teamed up with singer and presenter Sophie Ellis-Bextor to celebrate the arrival of their brand-new mealtime innovation “Baby Hasselbacks”, a product aimed at bringing some much-needed wow-factor to the nation’s midweek dinnertimes.
McCain’s new campaign sees Sophie bringing her signature kitchen sparkle to a series of captivating images, in which she saves couples from this newly-revealed lack of mealtime inspiration with the help of her trusty bowl of Baby Hasselbacks! Dazzling in daring outfits and swinging atop a giant disco ball, Sophie can be seen adding a new dimension of excitement to several couples’ previously mundane meals.
McCain Baby Hasselbacks are simply skin-on, whole baby potatoes that are pre-sliced for a feel good wow factor then slow baked for flavour and crispiness, presenting the perfect solution to those struggling with the monotony of boring midweek meals. Baby Hasselbacks are bursting with flavour thanks to their delicious sea salt and cracked black pepper seasoning, and can be oven-cooked in just 20 minutes, making them the ideal tasty side-solution to any occasion.
A highly versatile side partnering brilliantly with all manner of dishes including chicken, salmon traybakes or steak, new Baby Hasselbacks are gluten free, vegan and also score all green on the nutritional traffic lights system.
“If you’re anything like me, midweek meals can get a bit boring and repetitive. That’s why I’m so excited to be partnering with McCain to launch delicious Baby Hasselbacks. McCain’s research showed that sometimes we all find thinking of tasty and wholesome things to cook midweek challenging, and I’ve experienced first-hand just how easy Baby Hasselbacks are to prepare so that you can add that little extra sparkle to dinnertime.”
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
More than half (51%) of people also wish they were more inspired in the kitchen, whilst a third claim that – despite frequently watching cooking videos on social media – they rarely try creating anything new themselves. 58% claim cooking up something new from scratch is too much effort during the week, while 44% claim they don’t have time.
In what is seen is a recurring theme, the research also showed that almost half of all under 35s (47%) don’t usually know what they’re having for dinner until after they get home from work and check their cupboards and fridge, whilst 38% of Gen Z wait until they’re in the supermarket after work to decide what they’re having for dinner.
Trying to achieve the balance between nutrition and taste also contributed to people’s uninspired midweek meal choices, with 57% stating they find this balance tricky whilst 20% of people subsequently resort to a midweek takeaway – despite 21% feeling guilty about the nutritional value of fast food after eating it.
Over half (56%) of those who do stick to the same meals attribute this to convenience, 44% to tiredness, and 39% to a lack of planning, proving the nation is in desperate need of dinnertime inspiration.
Mark Hodge, Vice President, Marketing at McCain Foods UK&I adds, “At McCain, we’re thrilled to introduce our latest innovation, Baby Hasselbacks. We developed this product in response to insight revealing that people are often lacking inspiration for midweek meals that hit the spot whilst also being wholesome. We’ve loved partnering with Sophie to dramatise how Baby Hasselbacks can add that wow-factor to otherwise boring dinners, and hope that this latest product innovation encourages people to add some sparkle and excitement to their own dinnertimes.”
McCain Baby Hasselbacks are available now at Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, Iceland and Co-Op with an RRP of £3.69.
