The 1990s has been named Britain's most nostalgic food decade, according to a new survey of 2,000 adults, with sticky toffee pudding emerging as the top dish that transports people back to childhood.
The research, commissioned by Lyle's Golden Syrup, found that the 90s era delivered the most memorable food, though it was closely followed by the pre-1950s period, known for staples like Shepherd's pie, bread and butter pudding, and bubble and squeak. In contrast, only 12% of respondents believe food from this century ranks among the most memorable.
Top Nostalgic Dishes Revealed
Sticky toffee pudding was crowned the most nostalgic dish, followed by toad in the hole, trifle, and jam roly-poly. Rice pudding and Arctic roll also secured spots in the top 20, alongside syrup sponge pudding, scampi and chips, prawn cocktail, and treacle tart.
The full top 20 list includes sticky toffee pudding, toad in the hole, trifle, jam roly-poly, rice pudding, Arctic roll, syrup sponge pudding, angel delight, scampi and chips, prawn cocktail, treacle tart, bubble and squeak, corned beef hash, crispy pancakes, ginger beer, liver and onions, potato smiles, jelly, ice cream floats, and vol-au-vents.
Nostalgia and Social Dining Trends
The study also found that seven in 10 adults have recreated nostalgic dishes from their childhood to relive old memories and introduce their children to these meals. Almost six in 10 (59%) pine for the comfort and familiarity that childhood foods provide, while 57% find them attractive because of the memories they trigger.
This comes as supper clubs stage a comeback, with a quarter of respondents (24%) saying supper clubs inspire them to sample a retro dish they've never tried before. Gen Z is also embracing the trend, with 15% of 18-24-year-olds recreating retro dishes from before they were born to serve at dinner parties.
To celebrate the social dining resurgence, Lyle's Golden Syrup has partnered with several supper clubs around the UK to bring communities together and encourage more people to try retro dishes and different cuisines.
Contemporary Twists and Future Appeal
One partner, Zoey Phoon, co-founder of Jiran Supper Club in London with Sareef (Lip) Naknan, said: "Supper clubs bring people offline, around a shared table, over food that actually has a story to tell. With the pressures that modern life brings, I think this is the reason we have seen them grow in popularity recently. We're all keen to evoke a sense of togetherness whenever we can."
Jiran started as intimate dinners for friends in their backyard, with six people at a time, sharing Southeast Asian dishes cooked from memory. Now, they host 30 people who arrive as strangers and leave as friends.
The study, carried out by OnePoll, also revealed that while Brits have a clear appetite for nostalgia, they aren't necessarily wanting to simply recreate the past, with 65% keen to see old classics given a contemporary twist. That includes 25% who would experiment with a combination of golden syrup and chilli.
For 40% of all adults, curiosity could tempt them into trying a retro dish they'd never previously sampled, while 61% would order a classic meal in a restaurant if it appeared on the menu.
Olivia Haley, from Lyle's Golden Syrup, said: "There's something special about the foods we grew up with. They can instantly bring back happy memories of family meals; childhood treats and time spent together around the table. But nostalgia doesn't have to mean simply recreating the past. As people explore their own food rituals and styles, we're seeing a renewed love for the dishes we grew up with."
She added: "Whether that's giving childhood favourites like potato smiles a gourmet makeover, trying an unexpected flavour combination or a younger generation discovering retro classics for the first time, it's all about having fun with food and making these dishes our own. Personally, we think Syrup Sponge Pudding is particularly underrated."
