What people around the world eat for Christmas dinner - mapped

When it comes to winter holidays like Christmas, getting together with loved ones to chow down on scrumptious meals comes with the territory.

Food traditions are an integral part of festivities all over the globe, even if they slightly differ from the countries that celebrate the occasion (customs can vary too).

Depending on where you grew up and where you are now, the delicacies that make it to the table could be sweet, savoury, or anywhere in between.

From turkey roasts to fruit salads, below is a list of 16 countries’ Christmas dinners, according to a map designed by Country Products.

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USA

Food on major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas always consists of a protein like a turkey, chicken or beef, squash, roasted root vegetables, and mashed potatoes.

Mexico

Mexico makes their traditional dish of salted cod with a salad that has beets, nuts, lettuce and an array of fruits.

Peru

Similar to Thanksgiving in the US, Peru at Christmas loves a good turkey dish with fresh fruit as a garnish.

Argentina

Argentina loves to bring spice and protein to the table at Christmas. This includes ninos envueltos, or cabbage and meat stuffed rolls, steak, hardboiled eggs, onions and spices.

Brazil

Brazil combines the power of savoury and sweet this time of year with turkey, fish or pork with rice, fruit salad, or Brazil nuts.

Spain

Spain is all about the seafood dishes at Christmas so you may see the rice-based dish shrimp paella gracing dinner tables there.

France

France adds versatility to Christmas dinner with dishes like fish stuffed with chestnuts.

United Kingdom

The UK knows a thing or two about a good roast. So it comes as no surprise that a roast made its way onto Christmas dinner tables in the nation. The Christmas meal consists of roast turkey, cranberry sauce and roast potatoes.

Poland

Christmas dinners in Poland, particularly dinners on the eve exclude meat. As a result, the meals main dish meal consists of different fish dishes like carp or pike, starches such as potatoes and hardcooked eggs.

You will also see dinner spreads of twelve distinct dishes to honour the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ.

Germany

Saurkraut is not just a hotdog topping - it’s also a Christmas side dish. You’ll also see roasted goose, potatoes and braised greens on the menu.

Italy

Just like any other Italian dish, there has to be some type of pasta on the menu.

The meal also includes roasted meat, antipasti, or appetizer plater with things like olives and cured meats. As for drinks, a sparkling wine is the added touch.

Ghana

Christmas in Ghana generally begins with church service, where people dress in colourful traditional garb.

Afterwards, young children get candies like chocolate or cookies or new clothes before heading home to eat okra soup and tfufu, which is a dough-like food made of plantains, cassava or yams.

China

Christmas in China is similar to Valentine’s Day as young people hang out with friends and exchange small gifts. But it’s also a time to feast on roast barbecue pork, chicken and soup.

Russia

In Russia, the main Christmas dish is all about the birds. Many people will enjoy a four-bird roast which includes a goose, guinea fowl (duck), pheasant, partridge or quail.

Phillippines

The Phillippines has taken a sweet approach to Christmas with coloured steamed rice nestled in a bamboo tube and flavoured with coconut and brown sugar.

Australia

There’s nothing like a barbecue in the Australian outback event at Christmas. Some of the food that’ll hit the grill during that time are BBQ prawns, chicken, pork, lamb and beef.

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