Great British food survey 2012 results

Here's what you told us about your cooking and eating habits.

The tradition of eating a cooked meal at home with family and friends on a Sunday is a dying one, according to the results of our Great British food survey.

We asked lovefood readers a series of questions on your food habits, with each of you taking a survey based on the region of the UK you live in. Over 2,300 of you responded.

Nationally, we like to cook on weekday evenings, but when it comes to the weekend many of us eat something else, particularly people living in the north of England and Scotland.

Over half of southerners who responded to the survey claimed they cook a meal every day. Meanwhile, half of people in the North East are eating ready meals and takeaways up to six times a week.

When it comes to cooking, the majority of people are influenced by cookery books and TV programmes. Jamie Oliver is the most influential celebrity chef, followed by James Martin and Gordon Ramsay.

Most of us still do our shopping at a supermarket, with Tesco and Sainsbury's the most popular destinations.

Where do you eat your Sunday lunch?

With so few of us apparently cooking on a Sunday, we're intrigued to know what you have for Sunday lunch. Cast your vote in our poll below:

The regional results

And here are the regional headlines from the survey.

South West

More than half said they cook a meal every day and never eat a ready meal or a takeaway. The famous tastes of Cheddar cheese and clotted cream were voted the favourite local delicacies.

South East

Again, over half of the people who took our survey said they cook a meal every day and never eat a takeaway or ready meal. Fish, cheese, strawberries and potatoes were voted the most popular local foods.

London

Busy Londoners don’t have time to cook every day but still squeeze in a weekly visit to the supermarket. Less than a third cook a meal every day, with over half saying they eat up to three takeaways a week. Fish and chips won most votes as Londoners’ favourite local food, but many people also commented on how the city’s rich ethnic mix meant a whole range of fabulous ingredients are available on their doorsteps.

Wales

People in Wales spend the least on food shopping, but they love to cook for family and friends and make eating a real social occasion round the dining table. Welsh lamb, laverbread, cockles and Welsh cakes were voted the national favourites.

West Midlands

While they don’t go in for takeaways, West Midlanders are still couch potatoes when it comes to food. Nearly half said they regularly eat meals in front of the TV. Cheese, oatcakes, faggots and peas were the most popular local foods.

East Midlands

Almost half of the people who took our survey said they cook a meal every day and over half said they never eat a takeaway or ready meal. Unsurprisingly, the famous tastes of Melton Mowbray pork pies, Lincolnshire sausages and Stilton cheese were voted the local favourites.

East Anglia

East Anglians shun both ready meals and takeaways, with six in ten people saying they never eat them. Local strawberries and potatoes were voted the top regional delicacies.

Yorkshire and the Humber

Well over half of the people who took our survey said they cook a meal every day and never eat a ready meal. But they do also like a takeaway, particularly at weekends. Yorkshire pudding, Wensleydale cheese and rhubarb are the most popular foods from the region.

North West

People in the north west love eating in front of the TV and a weekend takeaway. Lancashire and Cheshire cheese and black pudding were people’s favourite local delicacies.

North East

People in the north east eat more ready meals and takeaways than any other part of the UK and love to eat in front of the TV. Stotties, pease pudding and Craster kippers got the most nominations for top local food.

Scotland

Scottish people like to cook in the week and then kick back with a ready meal or takeaway at the weekend. Aberdeen Angus beef, haggis and Scottish seafood were voted national favourites.