Sheffield has been identified as the UK city where residents are least adventurous with their evening meals, with more than half of locals saying their dinners lack creativity and excitement.
A survey of 2,000 adults across 12 major cities found that 52% of people in Sheffield feel their meals lack adventure and invention. Spaghetti Bolognese, jacket potatoes and curry were among the most commonly cooked evening meals, while 33% said they usually stuck to what they knew.
Meal habits and barriers
Some 46% of respondents admitted they were stuck in a rut when deciding what to cook for dinner, and 22% described their meals as not very flavourful or not flavourful at all.
The findings suggest a gap between wanting to try new flavours and experimenting with them at home. While 43% were more adventurous with their food choices when eating out, only 8% actively experimented with new flavours and ingredients at home.
Lack of time (38%), the cost of ingredients (31%) and lack of inspiration (22%) were cited as barriers to making evening meals more exciting, while 21% said they lacked confidence in the kitchen.
Willingness to try new foods
Despite the rut, 28% said they were willing to try jerk chicken from the Caribbean for the first time, and 22% were open to trying jollof rice from West Africa. Additionally, 31% would try unfamiliar fruits and vegetables such as jackfruit, while 26% were open to trying seafood they had never eaten before.
When asked which meal they would choose if they could eat only one for the rest of their lives, respondents named roast dinner, fish and chips, and pizza as their top choices.
Seasoning habits and brand research
The research was commissioned by world food brand Tropical Sun Foods to mark its 30th anniversary. Emma Macorison, from the brand, said: "We Brits have a reputation for bland food, and the poll suggests many of us are playing it safe, relying on the same meals and ingredients on rotation."
Salt (80%) and pepper (73%) were the most popular seasonings in people's cupboards, followed by paprika (63%). Chinese five spice (30%), jerk seasoning (15%) and harissa (15%) were less common.
The research, carried out via OnePoll.com, also discovered 37% felt they were more adventurous with food than when they were younger. Meanwhile, 30% said they cooked a meal from a cuisine they had not eaten as children a few times a month, showing how dinners have evolved over the past 30 years.
Macorison added: "I remember trying spaghetti Bolognese for the first time in the 1990s. Now it's one of the dinners people cook most often. As the brand celebrates 30 years, we want to keep that sense of discovery alive, whether that means cooking jollof rice for the first time or trying a new seasoning in an old favourite."
