Written by Ethan M. Stone
From Yorkshires to Yakisoba, the new British dinner table is revealed, as pasta, curries and Raman replace childhood favourites.
Traditional British grub is undergoing a dramatic transformation, with fish and chips, shepherd's pie and roast dinners increasingly giving way to pasta, curries and international flavours.
New research from SimplyCook, based on a nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults, reveals how Britain's eating habits have shifted across generations, reflecting a nation embracing global cuisine at home.
More than half of Brits (52%) remember roast dinner being a regular meal growing up, making it the most common childhood dish, ahead of fish and chips (41%), shepherd's pie (34%) and cottage pie (34%).
But today, the picture looks very different. Pasta is now the nation's most commonly eaten meal of those surveyed, with 43% expecting to eat it this week. Curry (27%) and stir-fry (23%) have become weekly staples too, while shepherd's pie has fallen to just 14% and cottage pie to 17%.
Even Britain's iconic Sunday roast appears to be losing ground. While more than half (52%) remember eating it growing up weekly, now only a quarter (25%) expecting to eat one this week.
Pasta, meanwhile, has travelled in the opposite direction, rising from almost a third (29%) of childhood diets to become Britain's modern comfort meal.
Women appear to be leading the break-up with the traditional British dinner, as meat-and-two-veg increasingly gives way to pasta, stir-fries and the more informal style of eating epitomised by the rise of the “picky bits” tea.
Almost six in ten women (59%) remember eating roast dinners growing up, compared with 44% of men. Today, just 24% expect to eat one this week. Instead, almost half (49%) are likely to eat pasta, compared with 36% of men, while women are also more likely to opt for a stir-fry (25% vs 20%).
Men remain slightly more loyal to old-school favourites, including fish and chips (31% vs 26% of women) and cottage pie (19% vs 15%).
The biggest changes can be seen among younger generations. For 18 to 24-year-olds, ramen and Korean noodles are now more likely to appear on the weekly menu than either cottage pie or shepherd's pie. Some 16% say they'll eat ramen this week and 15% Korean noodles, compared with just 10% choosing cottage pie and 9% shepherd's pie.
One in five Gen Z adults also expect to eat burritos or tacos this week, highlighting how international dishes have become part of everyday life.
The contrast with older generations is also significant as ramen is more than five times as popular among Gen Z as it is with over-55s, while older consumers remain the most likely to keep roast dinners on the menu.
The research also suggests Britain's growing appetite for global food is being fuelled by recreating takeaway favourites at home. Pizza tops the nation's favourite fakeaway, followed by burgers, Italian dishes such as pasta, and Chinese food, while one in five households regularly recreate Indian dishes.
For many people, pasta has also become the default midweek meal, with a quarter naming it as the easy dinner they return to time and again.
Despite growing confidence in trying new cuisines, many home cooks still feel uncertain when it comes to unfamiliar ingredients. Almost a third (32%) admit avoiding gochujang because they don't know how to use it, while nearly 3 in 5 (29%) say the same about kimchi and a quarter of people admit to avoiding miso. More than a third (38%) also confess to buying herbs, spices or seasonings for one recipe before leaving them unused in the cupboard.
Vicki Christie from SimplyCook spokesperson said: "The British dinner table has changed enormously. Dishes that once felt adventurous or were reserved for takeaways are now part of many households' weekly routine."
"We haven't fallen out of love with comfort food, instead our definition of it has simply evolved. Pasta, curries, noodles and tacos now sit alongside the roast dinner as everyday favourites."
"Younger generations have grown up with flavours from around the world, so it's no surprise that ramen or Korean noodles feel just as familiar as cottage pie."
"At the same time, many people still lack confidence using unfamiliar ingredients. SimplyCook helps bridge that gap by making it easy to cook authentic global dishes at home without buying lots of specialist ingredients that may only get used once."
The changing British dinner table
| Dish | Growing up | This week | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roast dinner | 52% | 25% | −27 |
| Fish and chips | 41% | 28% | −13 |
| Shepherd’s pie | 34% | 14% | −20 |
| Cottage pie | 34% | 17% | −17 |
| Pasta | 29% | 43% | +14 |
| Curry | 20% | 27% | +7 |
| Stir-fry | 14% | 23% | +9 |
