It's a pig deal- Bacon tops the list of Britain's 100 Favourite Foods

Bacon has been hailed as Britain's favourite food, with the traditional breakfast staple beating a host of other dinner table regulars, delicacies and delights including chicken, chocolate and steak to claim the accolade.

Bacon also conquered the likes of duck, lobster and scallops in the comprehensive study carried out among 2,000 adults.

Other foods to make the top ten include beef, lamb, bread and bananas, while baked beans and apples also squeezed in.

The findings emerged from a study which asked the panel to select their favourite food from a list of the 150 most common dishes.

More exotic foods to make it in the top 100 were pomegranate, chorizo and goose according to the poll by The Food Network.

Food Network UK chef and spokesperson Andy Bates said:

"Whether it’s a home-made bacon buttie or a traditional fry-up in a greasy spoon, bacon gets us Brits started for the day.

"It’s British food at its best – simple, affordable and versatile, so it’s little surprise to me that it’s been crowned the nation’s number one ingredient.

I’d love to see us using bacon even more, it may be simple but it packs a punch alongside scallops, pasta or even ice-cream.

''One of the key things to come out of the study is that as a nation we tend to be quite traditional and safe with our tastes - leaning towards ingredients that would be considered staples rather than more unusual, luxury ingredients.

''It highlights that we definitely favour foods we're more familiar with but also those that are affordable, simple and versatile.''

The study also found more than one in ten of those polled said they eat their favourite food every day, while  more than one third said they have it 'a few times a week'.

A loyal 35% said they could eat their much-loved food every day and never get sick of it, but half said they would soon go off their favourite dish if they were to eat it more than twice a week.

Meat featured heavily in the top ten with Lamb making it in sixth place followed by daily staple bread.

The first fruit to make in the list was banana which was placed as Britain's eighth favourite food.

Completing the top ten were tinned baked beans and apples.

The poll also found the average person enjoyed their favourite food from the tender age of thirteen.

More than half of adults said their most preferred food was a simple staple, but a more extravagant 7% said theirs was a real delicacy that they rarely get the chance to eat.

Despite this, nearly half said they are more open to exotic dishes like lobster and sushi than they were ten years ago.

Good old sausages made it in the poll in 21st place and eggs close behind in 23rd.

Number 50 in the poll was the super food broccoli with honey completing the top 100.

Nick Thorogood, Managing Director of Food Network EMEA, said:

''2012 is a year of British events, and this has been reflected in the resurgence of British ingredients, including asparagus and black pudding - along with many others that made it into the Top 100 Index.

''It will be interesting to see how this list evolves in the next few years.''

BRITAINS 100 FAVOURITE FOODS

1.            Bacon

2.            Chicken

3.            Chocolate

4.            Steak

5.            Beef

6.            Lamb

7.            Bread

8.            Banana

9.            Baked beans

10.          Apples

11.          Strawberries

12.          Avocado

13.          Pasta

14.          Asparagus

15.          Salmon

16.          Duck

17.          Prawns

18.          Apricots

19.          Artichokes

20.          Blue Cheese

21.          Sausage

22.          Chilli

23.          Eggs

24.          Anchovies

25.          Cashew nuts

26.          Cherries

27.          Ice Cream

28.          Lobster

29.          Scallops

30.          Almonds

31.          Aubergine

32.          Mushrooms

33.          Blueberries

34.          Garlic

35.          Marmite

36.          Black pudding

37.          Pork

38.          Tuna

39.          Chorizo

40.          Cod

41.          Haddock

42.          Mango

43.          Raspberries

44.          Tomatoes

45.          Turkey

46.          Yogurt

47.          Cereal

48.          Rice

49.          Venison

50.          Broccoli

51.          Grapes

52.          Beetroot

53.          Mussels

54.          Pineapple

55.          Coconut

56.          Mackerel

57.          Sea Bass

58.          Sushi

59.          Corned beef

60.          Crumpets

61.          Hummus

62.          Peach

63.          Porridge

64.          Rhubarb

65.          Trout

66.          Blackcurrants

67.          Custard

68.          Halibut

69.          Oranges

70.          Sweets

71.          Brussels sprouts

72.          Butternut squash

73.          Carrots

74.          Golden Syrup

75.          Noodles

76.          Sweet potato

77.          Watermelon

78.          Cauliflower

79.          Cucumber

80.          Gravy

81.          Kippers

82.          Lentils

83.          Sole

84.          Melon

85.          Onions

86.          Pate

87.          Peanuts

88.          Cabbage

89.          Pomegranate

90.          Popcorn

91.          Mayonnaise

92.          Spam

93.          Pesto

94.          Ketchup

95.          Couscous

96.          Cranberries

97.          Ginger

98.          Goose

99.          Ham

100.        Honey

Image: © Creativestock | Stock Free Images &Dreamstime Stock Photos