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Is the Sunday roast tradition dying?

(90 Posts)
Imperfect27 Sun 22-Oct-17 07:36:18

When I was feeding a 'household' we nearly always had a Sunday roast - even in the summer.

Now DH and I live more quietly and often it is just us on a Sunday so we don't bother with a roast then. We enjoy all sorts of different 'foods of the world' Sunday by Sunday. The roast is certainly not the be all and end all of meal choices anymore.

With so many different types of food to tempt us - and Sunday perhaps being a day when people have a little more time to cook and therefore experiment, I do wonder if the concept of Sunday roast as a 'tradition' is fading.

What do you think?

NanKate Sun 22-Oct-17 07:46:55

I only cook a roast 2 or 3 times a year now, however if we go out for Sunday lunch I usually choose a roast, beef or pork yummie ? I do like my food hot and often the roast is not quite warm enough for my liking.

When I think of the hours my mum spent in the kitchen on a Sunday preparing veg, making her own gravy. Rolling out pastry for an apple pie. The only concession to quickness she had was Bird’s custard. What a palaver but the end result was wonderful.

BlueBelle Sun 22-Oct-17 07:49:22

I haven’t had a Sunday roast for years and years living on my own and being retired it is just a normal day so anything in the fridge....or a jacket potato or pizza or anything in fact

Alima Sun 22-Oct-17 07:54:10

We always used to have a Sunday roast, not least because we all enjoy the meal. Since the DDs have left home it is a rare occasion. Coincidentally we will be having a roast dinner today, just the two of us. It is only the second time this year, thought I had better start practicing for Chr....as!

Auntieflo Sun 22-Oct-17 07:57:10

Like Imperfect27, we almost never have a roast now there are just us two to cook for. Our lovely DD sometimes does one, but their birds have also flown the nest, so she will do a curry for them and us, lovely. Today we are having Irish stew, been in the slow cooker all night, so should be good later on. Yum.
A s DH is coughing and spluttering, something good and rib sticking seemed to fit the bill.

M0nica Sun 22-Oct-17 07:59:14

Not while there are so many pubs and restaurants offering roast lunches on Sundays and are packed to the gills.

I think smaller families, all adults working in a household and the 'roast on Sunday, cold on Monday, minced on Tuesday' culture has gone, means that cooking a roast a home is less practical, but it is being replaced by going out for a roast. I recently tried to book a table for Sunday lunch on the previous Tuesday and the first four pubs I rang were all already fully booked.

With just two of us, I do not often do a roast - and then it will be a chicken or a game bird like pheasant, but I do cook something special on a Sunday. We are in Frane at the moment and I have bought to Confit of duck legs, to be roasted in the oven with potatoes and served with carrots and peas.

cornergran Sun 22-Oct-17 08:11:26

Seem to be bucking the trend. We have a roast meal most Sundays, small roast for two of us, bigger if feeding family. Must be in the genes as one of our sons says it isn't Sunday without a roast. If I was cooking just for me, no, I wouldn't do it but we enjoy the tradition together.

Hipsy Sun 22-Oct-17 08:27:49

Sunday would just be another day if we didn't have a roast.
Love everything about it, down to watching the yorkshires rising and peeling the 5 veg.
Its not just a meal, its part of my heritage.

Greyduster Sun 22-Oct-17 08:28:22

Not in this house. I cook a roast dinner at least every other Sunday. This weekend, it will be both days; chicken yesterday, pork today.

Pittcity Sun 22-Oct-17 08:40:44

Sunday is always roast day in this house. If I'm alone it's a chop or a chicken piece roasted in with the potatoes and veg. and I will use frozen yorkshires and instant gravy. When DH and DS are home we go all out from scratch, sometimes cooking a large joint so we can have curry on Monday.
We seek roasts out when on holiday in the UK too and have had some good ones in Spain! Only on Sunday though, a Tuesday roast is just not the same.

jusnoneed Sun 22-Oct-17 08:44:13

Rarely do a full roast dinner at any time now. I may roast a chicken mid week and then make a couple meals from it, and sometimes a piece of belly pork but that's about it.
I like roast beef and yorkies but you nearly need a mortgage to buy a nice piece of beef!

Today I am making a curry, must get on and make the sauce.

Welshwife Sun 22-Oct-17 08:50:04

We are staying with DGD and partner today - both in their 20s and she is cooking roast lamb today. They both come from homes where roast on Sunday was normal and often do it just for themselves.
In France - go back tomorrow unless ferry cancelled - I do cook them but usually invite a friend or two. They do the same.

kittylester Sun 22-Oct-17 08:54:10

We have a roast if we are at home on a Sunday and really enjoy having it cold with fried potatoes, pickles etc on Monday. DH will have anything left in sandwiches.

We have spare rib of pork or a chicken often but today we are having rib of beef. We love roast lamb but don't like it cold.

Our children rarely do a roast and don't really enjoy that sort of meal now.

nightowl Sun 22-Oct-17 09:01:12

Not very often here, but I love a vegetarian roast dinner. DD, also vegetarian, does one every Sunday and enjoys finding different things to substitute for the meat. It’s comfort food somehow, takes me back to childhood (when I did eat meat but spent most of the mealtime crying over it)

whitewave Sun 22-Oct-17 09:05:24

Having hake today grin so no roast, but usually have a joint at some time in the week. As we are retired Sunday has become simply part of our week so roast as a day of choice. We eat all varieties, and I try to vary it as much as possible.

DD still does a roast, but DS is so busy holidaying all of the time they rarely have a roast I think.

Welshwife Sun 22-Oct-17 09:12:04

kitty like you I love roast lamb but don't like it cold. I always try to buy a joint big enough for everyone to have enough but small enough to have none left for cold!!
I once went for a buffet meal at a celebration do at a friends. I forgot she loved cold lamb and thought it was beef - luckily had only taken a small piece!

merlotgran Sun 22-Oct-17 09:15:23

Sunday without a roast? Unthinkable!!

DH prepares all the veg and I see to the meat. The roasties are par boiled in the morning and left steaming under a tea towel until it's time for them to go in the oven. We don't eat until 2pm so there's plenty of time to other Sunday things like having a lazy morning.

It's the only day of the week we have pudding so if we're on our own it's something simple like a small portion of ice cream or something I've dug out of the freezer.

I don't bother with Yorkies in the summer and we often just have pork chops or chicken portions but with heaps of home grown veg it still feels like a traditional roast.

All left overs are used on Monday for a glorious 'modge up' grin

annsixty Sun 22-Oct-17 09:33:38

19 weeks out of 20 in this home.
Tonight is week 20 as I forgot to take the meat out of the freezer. I can't shop regularly now so buy fresh when I can and freeze it.
I currently have lamb, chicken and pork joints plus chops ,steak and mince tucked away.
I have taken M&S meatballs out which I will cook with a cream sauce a la Hairy Biker's recipe, with mash and veg.

Oldwoman70 Sun 22-Oct-17 09:42:12

I now live alone but still do a Sunday roast. However, these days I don't buy a joint. Today I am having chicken breast (which I will slice open, insert cheese and wrap in bacon), roast potatoes, beans, broccoli and babycorn. I don't usually eat until around 6.00 in the evening, so have a traditional English breakfast which lasts me the whole day. I love Sunday!!!!

ninathenana Sun 22-Oct-17 10:09:04

Up until about 5 yrs ago I cooked a roast every Sunday, except for the occasional salad on a hot day in summer.
Now we have it about once a month as it's H's favourite. I have cut down from 2 veg to one as we don't have the appitite now and I no longer cook yorkshires due to our now healthy eating.
We don't eat dessert except on special occasions.

eazybee Sun 22-Oct-17 10:40:28

Not in my house; we have a roast most Sundays throughout the winter.

maryhoffman37 Sun 22-Oct-17 10:50:37

As a vegetarian, I find this thread a mystery.

Chewbacca Sun 22-Oct-17 10:51:13

I only do a roast when DS and family are coming to join me. The last time they came, I'd decided to do a casserole instead of a roast dinner. DGD actually burst in to tears she was so disappointed! grin Roast dinners from now on then!

grannysue05 Sun 22-Oct-17 10:53:45

Always do a roast Sunday meal (eaten at 5.0 ish).
Both sons and their families turn up (why wouldn't they!) some time mid afternoon.
I do all the prep in the morning and enjoy the tradition.
DIL helps with last minute gravy and seeing to the pudding (a must).
Actually, today, we are off to DS and DIL as THEY are cooking the Sunday roast today. Yummy!

Smithy Sun 22-Oct-17 11:03:41

I'm a vegetarian living on my own.
What's a Sunday roast?