Europe



Ireland’s culinary tastes may have undergone something of a sea change over the past decade, but when it comes to dinner, the traditional meal of bacon and cabbage is still the nation’s favourite dish. Research by the Food Board (Bord Bia) showed that 64% believe that you can’t beat the age-old combination of meat and veg.

Irish people love their bacon and cabbage

Irish people love their bacon and cabbage Image by LWYang / CC BY 2.0

The Irish Times reports that it is so engrained in Irish people’s DNA that even when abroad, three out of ten people have cravings for the dish. And this St Patrick’s Day, every second household will serve up bacon and cabbage for the main meal on its national holiday.

The board’s consumer and trade marketing manager, Teresa Brophy, said the online poll undertaken last month also revealed that Irish families spend almost €200 million a year on bacon with virtually every household buying bacon on a regular basis.

However chef Catherine Fulvio encouraged consumer to be imaginative when cooking cabbage and said every dish didn’t have to be the same as mammy used to make.

Recently, The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said Irish people have become much more aware as consumers of the need to report poor hygiene standards when purchasing.

Shoppers now look at used-by-dates and ingredients because they have become more food conscious, a spokesman said.