A new survey has revealed the UK’s favourite ways to eat potatoes, with the results proving the nation truly does love the humble spud – but it’s not just about taste
The humble potato, a staple comfort food in homes across the UK, inspires loyalty with its endless varieties. From the creamy delight of mashed potatoes to the crispy indulgence of chip-shop chips, Brits certainly take their spuds seriously. A recent survey involving 2,000 dedicated potato lovers has unveiled the nation’s favourite ways to cook the potato – and it’s not just about the flavour.
For many, potatoes stir up treasured memories of family dinners, Sunday roasts, or the unmistakable scent of chips on a seaside walk. While more fashionable choices like loaded fries or sophisticated dauphinoise potatoes didn’t make the top 10, the list is full with classics that have endured through the years.
Thick-cut chips, and jacket potatoes heaped with a mix of classic and inventive toppings, have secured their spots within the top 15. The much-loved hash browns also claimed a high position in the ranks.
Simple yet satisfying, new potatoes served with a generous bit of butter managed to maintain their popularity alongside their boiled potatoes. But the peak of potato greatness? The beloved roast potato.
Hailed as a key component of traditional Sunday roasts and Christmas gatherings, the golden, crunchy roast potatoes have clinched the title, with a whopping 65% of people crowning them as the best way to enjoy them.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who commissioned the research, to mark his new food range, agreed: “I love the fact that the one thing most of us Brits can get behind is a good roast potato!” he said. “It’s got to be up there as one of my all-time favourites – the ultimate roastie is hard to beat.”
Despite the roast potato’s dominance, in Yorkshire, mashed potatoes were named as the top comfort food, beloved by 55%. Meanwhile, residents of the West Midlands remained loyal to the allure of chip-shop chips. Over in the East of England, almost half (49%) stated a preference for a well-dressed jacket potato.
But the beloved spud isn’t immune to kitchen blunders. Common potato-oriented disasters include overboiling them until they disintegrate into mush (33%) and the perennial problem of lumpy mash (24%).
Unsurprisingly, undercooked spuds (20%) topped the list of culinary pet peeves, followed by soggy chips (12%) and the often-dreaded act of peeling them (11%).
A whopping 39% of fans have had a go at growing their own spuds, with South West green fingers topping the chart at a mighty 54%. While 56% of respondents in the East of England prefer the colloquial term “spud”, 53% of Scots hold onto the affectionate “tattie.” Meanwhile, a cosmopolitan 20% of Londoners opt to refer to potatoes as “tubers.”
As Jamie Oliver puts it, “Each to their own, which is why I’ve given you lots of options in my frozen potato range.”
TOP 15 FAVOURITE POTATO-BASED FOODS:
- Roast potatoes
- Mashed potatoes
- Chip-shop chips
- Jacket potato with toppings
- Thick-cut chips
- Baked potatoes
- Standard French fries (thin chips)
- New potatoes with butter
- Hash browns
- Boiled potatoes
- Potato salad
- Dauphinoise potatoes
- Loaded fries (with cheese, bacon, etc.)
- Bubble and squeak
- Potato croquettes
