Celebrity MasterChef star's 'precious' cooking tradition as top 30 British dishes revealed
Angellica Bell has opened up about her own family traditions as Brits reveal the top recipes that have been passed down from generations.
A recent survey of 2,000 adults has revealed the top 30 nostalgic dishes still whipped up in UK homes, including liver and onions, bread and butter pudding, and Welsh rarebit. Most home cooks said that these recipes served to their loved ones have been handed down through generations – either from their parents or grandparents – highlighting their continued importance at family meal times.
In an effort to put these traditional dishes to the test, children's TV icon Angellica Bell partnered with Red Tractor for an intergenerational cooking showdown, featuring a variety of family recipes passed down over the years.
Three families joined the Celebrity MasterChef champ and former CBBC host to recreate their favourite nostalgic dishes and delve into why they hold such significance.
The menu included spaghetti and meatballs prepared by Nessie and her two daughters, Coco and Zaza, along with her son, Kaspar.
A comforting rhubarb crumble was whipped up by Colette and her daughters, Amy and Chloe, while a tasty Chinese-style chicken noodle dish was cooked up by Tony and his son, Benjamin.
The cook-along was organised by the food assurance scheme to mark its 25th anniversary, celebrating the dedication of British farmers and growers in maintaining high standards that guarantee the safety and traceability of UK-produced food.
Angellica said: "I have great memories of cooking with my grandmother when I was a little girl and that's why I believe spending quality time with loved ones in the kitchen is precious.
"It was fantastic to meet some amazing families and discuss the nostalgic dishes that have been handed down through generations in their households, hearing how important it is to them to keep those traditions alive."
She added: "Creating recipes with ingredients that I know are safe, traceable, and British, was the perfect way to remind people about the importance of keeping this front of mind when shopping in supermarkets."
Richard Cattell, spokesperson for Red Tractor, which has also launched an interactive AI recipe generator tool to inspire budding chefs to create nostalgic recipes for their families, said: "To mark this milestone anniversary we wanted to explore how nostalgia and cooking can really bring families together.
"It was fascinating to find out which traditional British dishes have stood the test of time, as well as seeing the unique and personal touches families bring to those recipes in the modern day.
"Angellica was the perfect host for the event – as well as it being 25 years since she first started as a children's TV presenter, she is also passionate about cooking and encouraging children to get involved too.
"We hope to inspire others to get together with loved ones and prepare their own nostalgic dishes."
The research revealed that a significant 68 per cent of adults are actively employing specific strategies to keep traditional recipes from fading into obscurity.
These methods include whipping up their favourite dishes at large family gatherings, jotting down recipes in notebooks or cookbooks, and passing on the culinary baton by teaching their children how to recreate nostalgic meals.
A whopping 87 per cent concurred that preserving traditional British recipes is crucial. It appears they're staying true to their word, with 35 per cent regularly cooking classic dishes several times each week.
This commitment could be influenced by the value placed on purchasing British produce and backing British farmers – a sentiment echoed by 75 per cent of respondents when shopping for their families.
Richard Cattell added: "Nostalgic dishes may not be considered as trendy as they once were, but it doesn't mean we should let important aspects of our heritage fade from the kitchen completely.
"It's heartwarming and reassuring to see that so many families agree – and are keeping our nation's favourite classic dishes alive by sharing recipes through the generations and creating lasting memories together in the kitchen.
"With a dash of nostalgia and a big dollop of comfort – we can keep homegrown produce and dishes at the heart of our family homes, ensuring the safety and traceability of ingredients while supporting British farmers."
TOP 30 CLASSIC DISHES STILL BEING SERVED UP AT HOME:
- Roast dinner (67%)
- Spaghetti Bolognese (63%)
- Bangers and mash (59%)
- Fish and Chips (58%)
- Cottage Pie (55%)
- Shepherd’s Pie (52%)
- Victoria Sponge Cake (45%)
- Toad in the Hole (39%)
- Bread and Butter Pudding (33%)
- Corned Beef Hash (32%)
- Ploughman’s Lunch (32%)
- Rhubarb Crumble (32%)
- Lemon Drizzle Cake (30%)
- Bubble and Squeak (30%)
- Liver and Onions (28%)
- Welsh Rarebit (26%)
- Scotch Eggs (24%)
- Steak and Kidney Pie (21%)
- Suet Dumplings (20%)
- Eton Mess (19%)
- Lancashire Hotpot (19%)
- Treacle Sponge Pudding (17%)
- Biryani (16%)
- Jam Roly-Poly (16%)
- Coronation Chicken (15%)
- Cornish Pasty (traditional recipe) (15%)
- Jollof rice (14%)
- Pork pies (11%)
- Spotted Dick (11%)
- Oxtail Stew (10%)