Skinny, curly and crimped fries might seem all the rage - but a classic straight cut is still the chip of choice according to a new survey.
In fact the 'perfect chip' should be precisely 7cm long, 1.2cm wide, 1.2cm deep, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.
That's according to a survey of 2,000 adults carried out by the Food Advisory Board.
The Brits surveyed believe chips should have a sprinkle of salt - no pepper - with ketchup considered the best topping (49 per cent), followed closely by vinegar (47 per cent) and mayonnaise (32 per cent).
Curry sauce is crowned the winner over gravy or cheese, with one fifth of Brits not considering their chips to be perfect without it.
It also emerged 40 per cent agreed chips are their favourite food.
And a quarter admitted that they would eat them for every meal if they could.
Food Advisory Board expert Professor Robert Pickard said: “When the skin is left on, and they are prepared and cooked the right way, for example in the oven with minimal added fat, chips can be included in a healthy, balanced diet.
"When cooking up chips, it’s best to opt for thick-cut potatoes as opposed to thinly cut chips, so that you avoid absorbing too much cooking fat."
Spuds with the skin on are actually a source of potassium, fibre and thiamin. But the study, conducted via OnePoll, found just under half recognise that potatoes with the skin on are a source of fibre.
Professor Pickard added: "Potato wedges can be a healthy way to cook potatoes, by ensuring you keep the skin on, and baking them in a small amount of unsaturated oil, such as rapeseed oil it will help maintain the potatoes nutrients.
"Wedges are also very versatile, simply throw them in a tray bake with some lean meat and veggies for a healthy and balanced dinner time dish.”
* The Food Advisory Board is a recently-established group of nutrition, diet and health professionals, researchers and agricultural experts who are provide independent information and comment about a wide variety of food groups that form part of a healthy, balanced diet. The service is supported by an educational grant from statutory bodies such as the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
