There’s something special about British cuisine that keeps us coming back for more, even if we know it’s not always the healthiest choice. Hearty breakfasts and indulgent desserts—these dishes are comfort food at its finest. These are 18 of our favourite British foods that we know aren’t great for our waistlines, but we love them too much to care.
Full English Breakfast
BBC Good Food says the Full English Breakfast “all started with bacon and eggs on toast,” and now it’s a classic that’s hard to resist. It’s a hearty plate piled high with bacon, sausages, eggs, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and black pudding, often accompanied by fried bread or toast, and this breakfast is a weekend staple for many.
Fish and Chips
A quintessential British dish, fish and chips are perfect for a Friday night treat. They combine crispy battered fish with chunky, golden chips—a match made in heaven. Add a sprinkle of salt and a splash of vinegar, and you’re set.
Scotch Eggs
A Scotch egg is a marvellous creation consisting of a boiled egg encased in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried to perfection. It’s a popular picnic item and makes a great snack. Despite being high in fat and calories, the delicious combination of textures and flavours makes it a favourite.
Cornish Pasties
Hearty, handheld pies filled with a mixture of meat, potatoes, onions, and swede, Cornish pasties have a flaky pastry that is rich and buttery, making each bite a delight. Originating from Cornwall, these pasties were traditionally a meal for miners, providing a convenient and filling lunch.
Sausage Rolls
Sausage rolls are a popular snack in Britain, especially during the festive season. These delicious pastries consist of seasoned sausage meat wrapped in puff pastry and baked to golden perfection. They’re often enjoyed at parties, picnics, and on the go.
Yorkshire Puddings
A must-have for any traditional Sunday roast, Yorkshire puddings are puffy, golden-brown pastries made from a simple batter of flour, eggs, and milk. They’re typically served with gravy and are light and airy, but they can be quite calorie-dense when drenched in gravy.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Sticky toffee pudding is a beloved British dessert that’s hard to resist. This indulgent treat consists of a moist sponge cake made with dates, topped with a rich toffee sauce, and often served with vanilla ice cream or custard. But its high sugar and fat content make it a guilty pleasure.
Pork Pies
Often enjoyed at picnics or as part of a Ploughman’s lunch, these small, savoury pies are filled with seasoned pork and surrounded by a rich, hot water-crust pastry. They’re typically served cold and are incredibly satisfying, and despite being high in fat and calories, pork pies remain a popular choice.
Eton Mess
Eton Mess is a delightful dessert made from strawberries, broken meringue, and whipped cream. It’s a simple yet indulgent treat that’s perfect for summer. However, while it’s light and airy, the combination of sugar from the meringue and fat from the cream makes it far from a healthy option.
Black Pudding
Made from pork blood, fat, and oatmeal, black pudding has a unique, rich flavour. Although it’s high in iron, it’s also high in fat and calories, making it an indulgent treat rather than an everyday food. Yet its distinctive taste and texture make it a beloved part of British cuisine.
Bread and Butter Pudding
Bread and butter pudding is a classic British dessert made from layers of buttered bread scattered with raisins or other dried fruits and soaked in a custard mixture before being baked. This warm, comforting dessert is perfect for using up stale bread, but it’s also quite rich and calorific.
Bangers and Mash
Bangers and mash, consisting of sausages served with mashed potatoes and often accompanied by onion gravy, is a simple yet satisfying dish. It’s a comforting meal that’s easy to prepare and incredibly filling. The sausages can be high in fat and salt, though.
Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is a savoury dish made from minced lamb cooked with vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes, and baked until golden. It’s perfect for colder months, and its delicious combination of flavours and textures makes it a family favourite that’s hard to resist—despite the calories.
Toad in the Hole
Usually served with onion gravy and vegetables, toad in the hole is a traditional British dish consisting of sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding batter. This hearty meal is comforting and filling, but the combination of sausages and batter makes it quite calorific.
Steak and Kidney Pie
While it’s high in fat and calories, steak and kidney pie’s delicious, hearty flavours make it a favourite comfort food that’s hard to beat. It’s a classic British dish made from tender pieces of steak and kidney cooked in a rich gravy encased in a buttery, flaky pastry, perfect for a cold day.
Welsh Rarebit
Welsh rarebit is a traditional dish made from a savoury sauce of melted cheese, ale, and various seasonings, poured over toast and grilled until bubbly and golden. It’s a rich and indulgent treat that’s perfect for a quick lunch or snack and an irresistible option for cheese lovers.
Trifle
Made from layers of sponge cake, fruit, jelly, custard, and whipped cream, trifle is a colourful and indulgent treat that’s often enjoyed during holidays and celebrations. While it’s quite high in sugar and fat, it’s a beloved British dessert that’s hard to say no to.
Victoria Sponge Cake
Our last unhealthy food worth the sugar is the Victoria sponge cake, named after Queen Victoria. It consists of two layers of light, airy sponge cake sandwiched together with jam and whipped cream and often dusted with a sprinkle of icing sugar—a simple yet indulgent treat.
