Roast dinner season is now in full swing, with the nation enjoying roasted meats, nut roasts, and veggies on Sundays.

Everyone seems to have their own twist, with one in 10 people eating their roast with an egg.

Surprisingly garlic bread and tomato ketchup have also been named as a roast dinner must-haves by one in 10 people, according to a new survey.

A roast dinner is not an easy meal to prepare as it can take between two to four hours to cook which can use up a lot of electricity.

According to the study from EDF, three-quarters of the nation admit that they consider the cost of cooking a roast more now than they did five years ago, so EDF is launching its Sunday Saver challenge, which rewards those taking part with free electricity on Sundays for reducing their use during weekday peak hours.

Households that reduce their usage in peak hours by just 10 per cent will earn four hours of free electricity on Sunday, enough to cook a roast with all the trimmings. Between November and December, this could see people earn up to 144 hours of free electricity.

The idea of a perfect roast dinner varies up and down the country with gravy, vegetables, and trimmings all up for debate, but most agree that a thick gravy is best, while three-quarters (74 per cent) of northerners wouldn’t consider eating a roast without mashed potatoes.

Vegetables are a big bone of contention, as the poll revealed a split between the 36 per cent who say they should be seasonal and roasted, 31 per cent who want their veggies boiled and 31 per cent who prefer them to be steamed.

To mark the launch of the Sunday Saver challenge, EDF teamed up with roast lovers Jake and Sophie Quickenden to see if cooking with free electricity could help solve the nation’s top Sunday dinner debates.  

Reality stars Jake, 36, and Sophie Quickenden, 31, said: “As a family, taking time to come together to enjoy Sunday lunch without distractions has always been part of our routine, but we definitely don’t always agree on what a perfect roast looks like. 

“When EDF told us we weren’t alone, we jumped at the chance to test out some of the nation’s biggest dining disagreements. And, while we still can’t quite see eye to eye on whether mash belongs on a roast or not, one thing we do agree on is that after cutting back during the week, free Sunday electricity made the process a whole lot more enjoyable.” 

Rich Hughes, Director of Retail at EDF said: “As a nation, 83% of us would change how we use our electricity if we knew there would be a financial benefit. We also know that Sunday is the most special day of the week for almost half of us and most (79%) consider it the ultimate time to bond with family. That’s why we’ve created Sunday Saver, offering free electricity on Sundays - because at EDF, change is in our power.”

To find out more about EDF’s Sunday Saver challenge and how to earn free electricity on a Sunday, click here