Holiday grocery runs aren’t for the faint of heart. Aisles are even packed than usual, shopping lists stretch a mile long, and holiday stress hits a peak. Opting for grocery delivery is understandable—and, luckily for us, it gives us a glimpse of holiday spreads.

Ahead of the busy season, Instacart just dug into its archives to get an overview of shoppers’ holiday priorities. The delivery platform’s 2025 Christmas report examines the top ordering trends from last year, exploring the most popular dishes and sides ordered before the big day. This time, Instacart’s research team compiled a list of the top last-minute Christmas orders, trendiest entrees, and polarizing holiday beverages.

In contrast to holiday consumer surveys, Instacart aggregates actual purchase data from millions of customers nationwide. (Where permitted by law, of course.) This gives us an honest look at what’s actually trending — and what’s going metaphorically stale — this holiday season. Let’s dive right in.

Meaty mains rule the holiday table

Delivery is an excellent avenue to solve any last-minute snags or habitual procrastination — plus, an easy way to gauge holiday grocery orders, in Instacart’s case. (Judgements aside.) While glazed ham is often a traditional choice for winter holidays, flashier cuts seem to be leading Instacart’s charts this year.

Orders of ribeye roasts, prime rib, corn husks, and fruitcake peaked in the last two days before Christmas. Instacart also saw a huge surge in Ribeye roast orders during the final countdown to Christmas gatherings. (On the day itself, orders of the main course reached a staggering 1,687% share of all orders.)

“While every family celebrates a little differently, one thing is clear from our data: The holidays remain a deeply nostalgic time in the kitchen. In the days leading up to Christmas, rich red meats completely took over Instacart carts,” Instacart’s trends analystAlex Orellanatells Food & Wine. “These dramatic spikes show how much consumers lean into hearty, centerpiece dishes that feel timeless and celebratory.”

In 2024, orders of ribeye also increased around Easter, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Eve — solidifying it as a holiday mainstay, at least among the Instacart crowd.

Who’s still buying eggnog? people than you think

Evidently, eggnog stubbornly remains a holiday mainstay. And hey, even Starbucks has noticed the drink’s popularity among its café crowd — the coffee giant reprised the holiday favorite again this year. While homemade recipes are often our go-to, store-bought versions still make your gatherings merry and bright. (We have our favorites.)

On Instacart, the share of all eggnog orders increased by 1,244% on Christmas Eve. That trend is led by shoppers in New England, who ordered of the rich beverage than the national average. (New Hampshire leads the crowd, with Vermont, Maine, Wyoming, and Oregon close behind.) Floridians ordered the least amount of eggnog, with the Sunshine State ordering 62% less than the national average last year.

“While we can’t say for certain why, climate and local food culture both likely play a role,” Orellana explains. “A rich, spiced, warm drink may feel less appealing in warmer weather, especially during a season that doesn’t come with the same cold backdrop New Englanders associate with sipping it by the fire.”

Every holiday table looks a little different, but Instacart’s data makes one thing clear: Some traditions still dominate the cart.