Cooking causes quarrels for 37.6M Brits

– Making a mess while cooking is the number one reason for brawls

– Nearly half of couples cook steak and chips to liven up their love life

– Salad is named the number one dish Brits can make from scratch

The kitchen is said to be the heart of the home, however new research from Haywards Pickled Vegetables reveals it can also be at the heart of havoc, as three quarters of Brits admit (77 per cent) to clashing over the cooking.

The research reveals much of the unrest is the result of a battle between the sexes as two thirds of women (63 per cent) believe they are the head of the household, while a third of men (37 per cent) deem themselves kings of the kitchen.

Making a mess in the kitchen was named the number one reason for cooking quarrels with a third of women (32 per cent) admitting it is their top pet peeve, compared to just a quarter of men (25 per cent ). The research also revealed nearly a third of women (31 per cent) get themselves in a tizz over what to cook for dinner compared to a quarter of men (26 per cent). One in ten chefs (10 per cent) get frustrated when someone takes over the cooking, while a further 11 per cent bicker about how long a meal takes to cook.

When it comes to making a meal from scratch, women are keen to keep it quick and healthy with over three quarters (76 per cent) whipping up a salad, while nearly two thirds of men (61 per cent) spend time preparing a hearty meal of burger and chips. Women fly the flag at family mealtimes with more than half (55 per cent) making the effort and slaving over the perfect roast dinner compared to a third of men (32 per cent). Women are also the most keen to liven up mealtimes as one in 20 (four per cent) often experiment with different dishes compared to just two per cent of men.

Steak and chips is voted the top dish cooked to help liven up love lives, with two in five Brits (40 per cent) choosing it as their special meal to make for a loved one. On the other hand, a third of singletons (33 per cent) ranked omelettes their preferred meal of choice.

TOP TEN DISHES BRITS CAN COOK FROM SCRATCH

    1. Salad
    2. Roast dinners
    3. Steak and chips
    4. Bangers and mash
    5. Burger and chips
    6. Omelette
    7. Spaghetti Bolognese
    8. Cottage Pie
    9. Meat stew
    10. Pizza

Kate Charman, Haywards Brand Manager, comments: “From what to cook to how long it takes to serve up a meal, it’s clear from the research that people can get themselves into a pickle over cooking dinner, so sticking to something quick and simple could help ease the tension. It’s great to see Brits embracing a summery salad as their number one dish to make from scratch, so why not try add some colour to your plate by incorporating a handful of tasty Hayward’s beetroots to give your salad an extra kick and help liven up your evening meal.”

 

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For further details please contact:
Cally Sheard or Ruth Bennett at Eulogy!
Email: haywards@eulogy.co.uk
Telephone: 020 3077 2000

Notes to Editor

Survey of 1,000 adults by One Poll on behalf of Haywards between 29th May – 2nd June 2014.
*50.1m (UK adult population) X 77% (UK population that argue over cooking) = 37,575,000