The humble bacon sandwich is the ultimate winter comfort food for Brits – followed by warm apple crumble, and a roast chicken dinner.
Cheese toasties, lasagne, and sausages and mash with onion gravy are also among the most popular dishes Brits turn to as the temperatures drop.
And doughy treats also provide a pick-me-up – with buttered toast, beans on toast, and crumpets with butter also making the top 20 list.
A poll of 2,000 adults found that nearly three-quarters (72%) said that comfort foods were one of their favourite things about the colder seasons, tucking into one of the hearty dishes four times a week.
And almost half (46%) will turn to them when they are in need of a pick-me-up, while for one in three, a bad day at work is the perfect excuse.
Jonathan Warburton, chairman of Warburtons, which commissioned the research, said: “As the temperatures drop outside, our habits change – including what we eat.
“Comfort foods do what they say on the tin – provide a bit of comfort – and that’s exactly what we all need right now.”
The study also found 35% typically eat comfort foods when they’re feeling cold – but 56% will even cook them during the summer months.
When quizzed on the recipes they use, 35% inherited them from their mum, while a quarter said they have all been self-taught.
And more than half (52%) still cook the meals they used to eat as a child.
The most likely times that people will turn to these wholesome meals include after a bad day at work (29%), birthdays (21%), and when receiving sad family news (20%).
And as the cold mornings hit, 41% seek comfort from a cup of tea, while more than a fifth (21%) like to munch on a crumpet.
The study, commissioned via OnePoll to mark National Crumpet week, found butter was the winning topping for these doughy winter warmers.
But jam, honey, and even marmite also feature high on the list.
And it seems Brits aren’t afraid of mixing things up with their crumpet toppings – as baked beans, macaroni cheese, and even chilli con carne, made the top 10 list of unusual flavours.
More than half (51%) prefer their crumpets crispy on the edges, but soft on the inside, while 37% like them crispy all over – with three to four minutes being the optimum toasting time for 41%.
And the more butter the better for 52%, who like to fill the holes to the brim – but 42% only like a small amount.
Jonathan Warburton added: “It was heart-warming to see that so many people associate comfort foods with childhood or home cooking – which, to me, means family.
“We know crumpets are favourites for many people across the UK, whether that’s for breakfast or a midnight snack, so it was a no-brainer for us to launch a week dedicated to them.”
BRITS TOP 20 COMFORT FOODS...
- Bacon sandwich
- Apple crumble
- Roast chicken dinner
- Toast with butter
- Cheese toastie
- Hot chocolate
- Roast beef dinner
- Lasagne
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Sausage and mash with onion gravy
- Beans on toast
- Crumpets with butter
- Cheesecake
- Macaroni cheese
- Shepherd's pie
- Roast lamb dinner
- Jacket potato with cheese
- Tomato soup
- Steak pie and mash
- Sticky toffee pudding
