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diet and nutrition

Teatime Treasures: Beloved British Treats Facing Extinction

  • EXPLORE FURTHER: Some traditional British dinners might vanish within half a decade.

They are some of the tastiest snacks ever enjoyed during tea time in Britain.

However, iconic treats like the Victoria sponge, iced bun, custard slice, and even the renowned scone might soon become obsolete.

Experts from British Lion Eggs polled 2,000 British adults to examine shifts in our tea-drinking habits.

Classic treats now viewed as 'unhealthy and outdated' encompass chocolate cake, Victoria sponge, iced buns, cream buns, custard slices, and sugary tea.

Rather than traditional choices, adults are opting for healthier alternatives during their tea breaks, like Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and carrot sticks paired with hummus.

And fitness advocates on social networking sites such as TikTok could be accountable for the change.

As evidenced by the research, health-aware Brits aim to shake up their snacking habits," stated a spokesperson for British Lion Eggs.

'Britons aim to boost their daily protein intake to remain satiated for extended periods, control their weight, and maintain strength.'

Experts from British Lion Eggs polled 2,000 British individuals aged 18 to 40—categorized as members of Generation Z and Millennial groups.

They were queried about which of the subsequent sugary treats they wouldn’t contemplate consuming during tea time or elevenses due to their unhealthiness.

Surprisingly, 31 percent stated they would refuse chocolate cake, rendering it the least favored among all traditional desserts.

Overall, 30 percent stated they would not consume Victoria sponge, 30 percent were against having iced buns, and 29 percent would decline cream buns.

A staple from traditional British bakeries, the iced bun comprises a finger-shaped or round bread roll topped with either white or pink icing.

In contrast, the cream bun tends to be a favorite in upscale tearooms, consisting of soft milk bread with vanilla whipped cream piped into the center.

Following that was the custard slice – rejected by 27 percent – featuring jiggly yellow custard enclosed within sheets of flaky pastry.

Furthermore, 25 percent would absolutely refrain from drinking tea with both milk and sugar — indicating that the traditional "tea with milk and two sugars" might become obsolete within a generation.

Afternoon tea favorites that younger Brits think are old-fashioned and not good for their health.

  1. Chocolate cake – 31%
  2. Victoria sponge – 30%
  3. Iced bun – 30%
  4. Cream bun – 29%
  5. Custard slice – 27%
  6. A cup of tea with cow’s milk and sugar – 25%
  7. Scone served with cream and jam – 23%
  8. Chocolate biscuit – 16%
  9. Toasted teacake – 15%
  10. Flapjack – 13%

Completing the list were scones served with cream and jam (rejected by 23 percent), chocolate biscuits (shunned by 16 percent), toasted teacakes (dismissed by 15 percent), and flapjacks (spurned by 13 percent).

The survey revealed that Greeks' preferred teatime snack is actually Greek yogurt, chosen by 35 percent of those surveyed.

Boiled eggs were preferred by 32 percent of people, followed by protein bars (26 percent), avocados (24 percent), and protein shakes (21 percent).

Overall, 20 percent prefer salmon, 19 percent opt for a handful of nuts, and 16 percent select carrots with hummus.

Finally, 14 percent would opt for a hard-boiled egg with spinach, while 12 percent would choose slices of ham or chicken instead.

The reasons British people choose protein-rich snacks are because they keep you feeling full for extended periods (55 percent), aid in muscle construction and recovery (30 percent), and assist in maintaining a healthy weight (23 percent).

It may not be surprising that 49 percent of the surveyed individuals aged 18 to 30 consider themselves health-conscious, whereas 48 percent mentioned they try their best to steer clear of cakes and biscuits at work.

TikTok and Instagram Reels are brimming with swift and nutritious recipe suggestions, potentially driving their widespread appeal.

Among all participants, 27 percent mentioned that they frequently share pictures of their nutritious snacks on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. They use various hashtags such as #healthy (33 percent), #healthysnacking (19 percent), and #protein (16 percent).

This follows comparable research released last month by kitchen appliances manufacturer Ninja, which revealed that dishes such as pan haggerty, Glamorgan sausages, and even the classic shepherd's pie might soon become rare choices for dinners.

In the meantime, British desserts facing potential disappearance include Chelsea buns, rock cakes, gypsy tart, scones, and rhubarb crumble, as Ninja discovered – supporting certain recent findings from British Lion Eggs.

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