New survey finds holiday baking brings joy and stress to most Americans

According to a new US survey commissioned by leading butter and cheese brand Kerrygold, while holiday cooking and baking is a revered tradition, the shopping, prepping and serving of festive food is also a source of stress.

Nearly 9 in 10 consumers (89%) find the work involved with holiday meals to be stressful – even more anxiety-producing than holiday decorating, sending out cards or getting their child to sit on Santa’s lap for a photo.

The new Kerrygold survey demonstrates a significant need for holiday calm, with US adults identifying multiple mealtime worries, including:

• Ensuring everything tastes delicious (44%)
• Having enough food to feed everyone (43%)
• Timing meal prep just right (42%)

Another source of stress is the need to adapt recipes or provide different options for family and friends following specific diets or eating styles, including gluten-free (21%), lactose-free (20%), vegetarian (20%) and keto (11%).

More than a quarter (29%) find it stressful to know what recipes to make. Most Americans said they tend to play it safe and stick with tried-and-true family recipes during the holidays.

Kerrygold is offering home cooks a way to disconnect from the stress of the season with a new Holiday Calm campaign that brings a bit of Ireland to US kitchens with soothing sounds and calming visuals of crashing waves off the Irish coast and cows grazing on green pastures in Ireland – along with comforting recipes using the world-famous Irish butter and all-natural cheese.

The campaign aims to help consumers relax and reset by immersing their five senses of sight, sound, taste, smell and touch.

“At Kerrygold, we believe the rich flavors of our products can make any moment a little more special,” says Alexandra Vinci, brand manager at Kerrygold. “We want to lend a hand during this busy time of year by offering stress-reducing strategies and relaxing recipes in the kitchen, as well as transporting home cooks to the tranquil serenity of Ireland.”

“We’ve curated a range of seasonal recipes that can take family favorites to the next level with an elevated taste to truly make the meal special,” Vinci adds. “Using Kerrygold butter ensures the creamy, superior taste comes through in every bite, especially if you’re balancing multiple requirements. Butter is a shortcut to flavor and Kerrygold pure Irish butter is gluten-free and low lactose.”