As the hangover from the Christmas season begins to subside, it's no surprise the nation's focus is back to wellbeing, with more than half of Brits (54%) planning to eat more healthily in 2016.
Last year saw Brits embrace a number of health food trends, from spiralizing to sprouting, juicing to fermenting. However in 2016 it's all about 'souping', according to research by Knorr.
Souping, a trend made popular in the US by Gwyneth Paltrow, has invigorated the soup category making soup the trendiest meal of the season, and inspired an entirely new breed of soup.
A new survey by Knorr shows that whilst classic soup varieties such as mixed vegetable (20%) and potato and leek (10%) are still firm favourites, soup eaters are becoming increasingly adventurous as they experiment with new ingredients including nettles (15%), avocado (18%), flaxseeds (15%), chia seeds (13%), and even fruit (29%).
Over 200,000 Brits eat homemade soup every day and although traditionally seen as a warming dish, over a third (36%) of Brits would consider eating their soup cold. Knorr has revealed that those in the South-East are the most image conscious with a whopping 36% choosing a soup recipe based on how picture worthy it's likely to look, whilst time-poor Londoners are most likely to be found slurping soup for breakfast (10%).
With its many colours and textures, from a bright purple red cabbage soup to a vibrant green detox soup, Knorr has found that a third of Brits (33%) claim they will choose a soup recipe based on how 'instagrammable' it is likely to be.
The most popular source of inspiration for homemade soup recipes is cook books (42%), followed by food websites and blogs (33%) and family and friends (27%), with Facebook being the most popular social media channel to find recipe inspiration (11%).
Whilst the majority (80%) of 'soupers' will enjoy their soup at lunch, over three million Brits say they would consider eating soup for breakfast. With many soup fans having it as their main meal of the day, research shows that they now take inspiration from classic dishes to include Mushroom Risotto soup (3%), Chicken Pot Pie soup (2%) and Chilli Con Carne soup (2%).
Top 10 soups the nation likes to slurp:
Mixed veg soup
- Mixed Vegetable (20%)
- Potato and Leek (10%)
- Chicken (7%)
- Butternut Squash (6%)
- Lentil (6%)
- Tomato (6%)
- Mushroom (3%)
- Chicken Noodle (3%)
- Minestrone (2%)
- Broccoli (2%)
Location can also impact people's soup preferences, with the majority of Glaswegians opting for a traditional, hearty soup (46%), those in Aberystwyth a creamy broth (67%) and people in Wrexham more likely to opt for a satisfying warming soup (53%). People in the North East are the most weight-conscious, with a quarter (24%) admitting they eat soup to try and stay fit and healthy.
Different parts of the UK also have a number of eccentric habits and preferences when it comes to soup. One in six Scots enjoy their soup in the bedroom, with almost one quarter (24%) of Londoners liking it spicy. Whilst almost 60% of the UK find soup satisfying, 5% of those from Wolverhampton agree that soup is arousing.
With celebrity fans such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Deliciously Ella, why is soup proving so popular? Research shows that wellbeing has had a significant impact, with 87% of Brits admitting that homemade soup helps them to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Veganuary is the latest food trend to emerge as people look to ditch meat in favour of vegetables, and Knorr has revealed that one in five Brits (20%) have decided to remove certain foods from their diet to improve their health and wellbeing after Christmas.
January is a time to tighten those purse strings after an indulgent month, with 39% of Brits making soup as a means to use up leftovers and 35% admitting to making soup to save money. Women are most likely to be found scoffing soup in front of the TV (54%), whilst men admit that they make homemade soup because it is the only thing they know how to make (17%).
Says Vanni Cataldi, Knorr Senior Brand Manager "The research shows there has definitely been a shift in the way people are consuming soup. Previously perceived as a potentially bland dish that was enjoyed as a snack or starter, many people are now enjoying soup as their main meal of the day. It's great to see the passion and creativity people are putting in to their soup recipes and understand why 'souping' is so on trend."
The majority of Brits will use stock when making soup at home (89%), and there are a multitude of delicious soup recipes that you can create using Knorr stock cubes, from hearty rustic vegetable to a lighter miso soup. For more recipe inspiration and ideas visit www.knorr.co.uk.
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