More than a quarter of people in the UK have never boiled an egg | British News
The arrogance of us Brits really drives me crazy sometimes.
More than a third of people (35%) in the UK describe themselves as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ cooks, according to a new report from supermarket Waitrose.
Despite this, more than a quarter (27%) have never boiled an egg.
In addition, only 45% of people have ever baked a Victoria sponge cake and less than a fifth have ever made a dressing for a salad.
The latest Annual Cooking Report also found how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting the country’s cooking habits.
Four out of 10 people said they like to choose cheaper cuts of meat and ingredients to keep costs down while entertaining at home.
And 7% like the “potluck” idea and would ask friends to bring a dish or course to contribute.
Almost two-fifths (39%) wish they could spend more time in the kitchen, while one-fifth say the cost of living crisis has prompted them to spend more time at home recently.
However, they hate the term “dinner party” and 34% think the name is old-fashioned.
Microwaves top the list of kitchen appliances you couldn’t live without at 32%, while the increasingly popular air fryer lags behind at 12%.
Additionally, Waitrose said that searches for “microwave meals” on its website increased by 71% compared to the same period last year.
Martyn Lee, Waitrose chef, said: “Eating is a daily pleasure and the cost of living crisis has accelerated a shift in the way we cook.”
How to prepare a perfect boiled egg
According to BBC Good Food, here’s how to make the perfect boiled egg – make sure you pick the large eggs at the supermarket.
- Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water and bring to a boil.
- Make sure your eggs aren’t cold in the fridge. When the eggs are at room temperature, the egg is less jarring when it reaches the hot water and therefore less likely to crack. You can also use an egg prick to poke a very small hole in each egg before cooking, which will also reduce the risk of them cracking in the heat. Slowly dip the eggs into the water with a spoon.
- Set your timer for four to five minutes for runny eggs to serve with soldiers, or six to seven minutes for soft-boiled eggs for a salad. If serving in a salad, immediately after the timer is up, plunge the eggs into a bowl of cold water. This stops the cooking and allows the shells to be quickly cooled for peeling.
“We’ve looked down on microwaves for too long. You can do a lot more in it than just heat a cup of coffee. I make a great sponge in mine. I think it’s time to remember the joy we feel from the anticipation of her ping.
“If you reheat a stew or a piece of lasagne in the microwave after the flavors have developed, you’ll enjoy what’s called the sixth taste sensation, ‘kokumi’, which is less well known than the other five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami .’
Other findings from the survey include that almost half of people ignore the best before date (46%) and that 16% of people like to scrape mold off of food and use it anyway.
And 38% of people use the “five second rule” to pick up food that has fallen on the floor.
Surprisingly, 5% of people have used ChatGPT for recipe inspiration, but a third use TV programs for inspiration.
The research was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the supermarket brand, which surveyed 4,000 adults across the UK on various dates in May this year.
Even if we can’t boil boiled eggs, we Brits can at least tell the time, right? So…
Contact our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, Check out our news page.
Get the latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more you absolutely need to know
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.