Brits are enjoying the spice of life - by tucking into exotic foreign dishes like curries, Chinese and stir-fries up to three times a week, it emerged yesterday.
Researchers found nearly half of families regularly eat international meals like sushi and fajitas for their evening meal, with nearly half claiming British dishes are 'dull'.
The poll conducted by the Food Network UK, to coincide with their Asian Food month which runs until the end of January, found UK adults are more likely to dish-up curry than casserole at tea time.
Surprisingly, the study also found families are more likely to tuck in to a Thai green curry than pork chops.
And one in five respondents said they eat stir-fry weekly basis, compared to a mere seven per cent of families who have more traditional meals such as pie and mash.
Nick Thorogood, Managing Director of Food Network UK said: ''Whilst many Brits grew up on traditional British dishes, our research has shown that British palettes have changed and we now have a penchant for exotic tastes across the globe.
''It would have been unheard of for a typical family to tuck in to regular evening meals originating from Thailand or Japan a decade or so ago, but now it is considered normal to be swapping a Cottage Pie for a Thai Green Curry
''It is interesting to see nine out of the top ten international meals Brits regularly eat are Asian dishes.
''It shows what were once considered exotic dishes are now considered everyday cuisine and we are becoming masters of the wok.
''Variety really does seem to be the spice of life and it is encouraging to hear that children are experimenting with food from different cultures from an early age and are not afraid to experiment with different flavours.''
Nearly half of those polled said they believed in years to come we'll be eating more foreign food meals than British ones and one third felt that time has already come.
It also emerged more than two thirds of adults said they think Britons are becoming more adventurous with their food.
One third said their children also enjoying eating exotic foods.
In fact 38 per cent of those polled said their children were more open to trying international dishes than they were.
On the other hand, grandparents were less likely to indulge in foreign dishes - with a quarter of people claiming elderly relatives insist on sticking to traditional grub.
But it's not just home cooking we are becoming more adventurous with - when dining out with friends nearly a quarter of respondents will visit an Indian restaurant while one in ten will opt for a Mexican.
One in five will go to Chinese eateries and one in twenty will frequent Japanese establishments.
Twenty per cent said they eat much more Asian cuisine than they did 10 years ago with stir-fry being named as the most popular dish to cook.
Two thirds felt stir-fries were quick and easier to prepare than a classic British dishes.
The poll revealed 40 per cent of respondents consider themselves to have an exotic palette with a fearless 28 per cent saying they have a 'high tolerance' to spicy foods.
Around one in three per cent of foodies said they prefer cooking international dishes to British ones.
* Throughout January Food Network UK will feature a range of programmes to help expand Brit's cooking repertoire of Asian dishes.
Shows such as Easy Chinese: San Francisco and Bobby Chinn Cooks Asia are part of the channel's Asian Food Month.
TOP INTERNATIONAL MEALS
- Stir fry
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Thai green curry
- King Prawns
- Beef choi mein
- Lemon chicken
- Thai red curry
- Szechuan noodles
- Peking duck
