Top 19 comfort foods and drinks people look forward to during the winter - from chocolate to chips

It’s that time of year again, when the nights are drawing in, the temperature is dropping, the weather is miserable and we just want to be cosy at home. It’s also therefore the time of year when we look to comfort food to lift our spirits.

The 19 comfort foods and drinks people enjoy the most during the winter have been revealed in a new study, with a bar of chocolate, cup of tea and bacon sarnie topping the list. The study of 2,000 adults revealed toast with melted butter, shepherd’s pie and apple crumble also featured high in the ranking.

Other popular winter warmers included biscuits, a roast dinner and, perhaps more bizarrely for the time of year, ice cream. Exactly three in 10 of those asked agreed that fish and chips make for the perfect comfort food companion, while 23 percent said a steaming mug of hot chocolate instantly perks them up during the chills of winter. When it came to less traditional winter foods, burgers, pizzas and scones with cream and jam were voted in the top five favourites for this time of year.

Favourite comfort food and drink revealed

Here are the top comfort foods and drinks we reach for, according to the survey:

1. Bar of chocolate

2. Cup of tea

3. Bacon sandwich

4. Fish and chips

5. Full roast dinner

6. Biscuits

7. Ice cream

8. Cheese on toast

9. Hot chocolate

10. Apple crumble

11. Cookies

12. Toast with melted butter

13. Chips (without cheese)

14. Sausages and mashed potato

15. Lasagne

16. Shepherd’s pie

17. Sausage roll

18. Beans on toast

19. Pie, mash and gravy

Here are the top non-traditional comfort foods and drinks, according to the survey:

1. Pizza

2. Chocolate brownie

3. Curry

4. Scone with cream and jam

5. Glass of wine

6. Burger

7. Garlic bread

8. Victoria sponge

9. Mince pie

‘Food is a huge help for people during the colder months’

A spokesperson for bakery brand Baker Street, which commissioned the survey, said: “Besides a cosy blanket and flickering candles, food is a huge help for people during the colder months - with 90 percent of Brits agreeing that food can be a comfort. 

They added: “There are always going to be a list of traditional meals we enjoy eating from November through to February. However, it’s good to know these lists are modernising with less obvious dishes like burgers and hot dogs offering a hearty, comforting meal.”

Nearly seven in 10 (69 per cent) of those who said they find food comforting said this is because it lifts your mood, with 55 per cent seeking solace in food more during the winter than in the summer. More than four in 10 (41 percent) turn to these types of food when it’s cold, 36 per cent blame the dark evenings, and 41 percent eat comforting foods after a stressful day.

The OnePoll study even found more people turn to food for comfort (40 percent) rather than to their other half (34 percent). Comfort eating is best done at home according to 68 percent, with four in 10 preferring to enjoy it alone - which may explain why most apparently don’t seek support from their partner as if they did they’d have to share their favourite dishes.

Nearly two thirds (64 percent) say there is no particular day when they are most likely to enjoy comforting eating, but 56 per cent prefer to do it after 6pm. When it comes to what we eat, 36 percent have a collection of go-to recipes for when they are feeling low.

Almost a quarter (24 percent) spend more on food during winter months, with 52 percent doing so because they eat more when it’s cold. Meanwhile, 46 percent won’t eat out as much when the weather changes, and three in 10 spend extra on their favourite winter supplies.