Your Christmas day dinner sorted!
42% are worried about getting everything ready on time but Safefood is on hand with all the advice you need this year.
04 December 2025: Christmas Day dinner is always a highlight of the year, and turkey is the centrepiece for almost 90% of home cooks in Ireland this year according to Safefood’s annual survey¹. While fresh turkey is the overwhelming favourite among 76% of home cooks, getting everything ready on time is the top concern for 42% of people, while a further 1 in 5 of us are worried about the price of food this year. The survey also revealed that a turkey crown (33%) and whole turkey (32%) were the most popular varieties among survey respondents followed by boned and rolled turkey (17%).
With just under half (45%) of respondents to our survey indicating they will be cooking for between 5 and 8 people this Christmas Day, that’s a lot of food to get ready on time. Our very helpful Turkey Cooking Time Calculator couldn’t be easier to use and can help with getting your day off running smoothly.
- Trish Twohig, Director of Food Safety, Safefood
This year, Safefood has the ideal tools to help make it a safe and tasty turkey for home cooks on Christmas Day. It’s Turkey Cooking Time Calculator helps get everything ready on time. Simply enter the time you want to eat dinner, answer a couple of simple questions about the turkey weight and your oven type, and it will calculate what time you need to start cooking.
With 1 in 5 (21%) cooks concerned about the price of food this Christmas, Safefood’s Christmas Dinner Food Planner can help with how much food you need for your guests and help with preventing food waste at this time of the year. Safefood also recommend using a meat thermometer which takes all the guesswork out of knowing when your turkey is safely cooked to 75ºC.
How to use a meat thermometer
- Take your turkey out of the oven and insert a clean thermometer probe into the thickest part of the bird. In a whole turkey, the thickest part is between the breast and the leg.
- If you are cooking a turkey crown or a boned and rolled turkey, the thickest part is at the centre of the joint.
- You can use an analogue dial or digital meat thermometer.
- The turkey is fully cooked when the temperature reaches 75ºC.
- Always make sure you wash the meat thermometer thoroughly afterwards.
If you do not own a meat thermometer, cut into the thickest part of the meat and check that there’s no pink meat, the juices run clear, and that the meat is piping hot.
Commenting on the research, Trish Twohig, Director of Food Safety, Safefood said,
“With just under half (45%) of respondents to our survey indicating they will be cooking for between 5 and 8 people this Christmas Day, that’s a lot of food to get ready on time. Our very helpful Turkey Cooking Time Calculator couldn’t be easier to use and can help with getting your day off running smoothly. I would also recommend that people use a meat thermometer this year to check the thickest part of the turkey has reached 75º Celsius. This is the fool proof way of knowing it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.”
The Safefood survey also found that 49% prefer a turkey, stuffing and cranberry sandwich as their favourite way to use leftovers. You can also find lots of turkey leftover recipes on https://www.safefood.net/christmas
ENDS
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Wilson Hartnell:
Deirbhile Brennan
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 086 457 6093
Or
Heidi Morgan
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 087 297 2046
Safefood:
Dermot Moriarty
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 086 381 1034
Or
Hayley Linehan
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 087 406 9110
Reference:
¹Safefood online survey of 2,363 respondents, November 2025
Safefood’s Top Tips for Cooking the Perfect Christmas Dinner
Get your fridge festive ready: Ahead of the festive rush give your fridge a good clean with warm soapy water and re-arrange the shelves to make space for your turkey – you should store it on the bottom shelf.
How much turkey do you need?: Consider how many people you’re cooking for (children eat less than adults) and whether you want any leftovers. Here’s a guide to the size of turkey you'll need depending on the size of your party.
• 4-6 people: a 3-4 kg turkey
• 6-8 people: a 4-5 kg turkey
• 8-10 people: a 5-6 kg turkey
Don’t wash your turkey: Do not wash your turkey as this can spread harmful bacteria to your sink and kitchen surfaces - proper cooking will kill any bacteria. Handle your turkey as little as possible and remember to wash your hands and any surfaces/utensils with hot, soapy water before you handle anything else.
How long to cook your turkey? For cooking times to suit your turkey, Safefood have a handy turkey cooking time calculator on their website at www.safefood.net/Christmas/turkey-cooking-calculator
How to check it’s safely cooked? To check your turkey is safely cooked, take it out of the oven and pop a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat between the breast and the leg; when it reads 75 degrees Celsius, it's safely cooked. If you don't own a meat thermometer, pierce the thickest part with a clean skewer or fork and check that it is piping hot, with no pink meat left and the juices run clear.
Using leftovers: Always cover any leftovers and place in the fridge within two hours of cooking. Ensure any meat is cooled as quickly as possible – cutting it into pieces will help with this. Once in the fridge, any leftovers should be eaten within three days. When re-heating food, ensure it is piping hot all the way throughout and only re-heated once. Check out www.safefood.net/christmas for some inspiration on leftover recipes.
