BLAND FOOD

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• The Scale: More than 15 million Brits eat bland, flavourless food several times a week.

• The Culprits: Almost a quarter of people surveyed described their plates as bland. Interestingly, Gen Z (under 29) were the least likely to add flavouring like garlic or herbs, despite spending the most time watching food content online.

• The Desire for Change: A third of Gen Z want to be more daring with food but don't know where to start, while half of all respondents want their everyday meals to be more exciting.

• The Science: Food scientist Natalie Alibrandi suggests "bland" should be considered a sixth taste (alongside sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami). She notes that flavour triggers a reward response in the brain, meaning bland food often leaves people feeling less satisfied.

Top Ten Bland Foods

According to the Lurpak poll of 2,000 adults, here are the top ten blandest foods ranked in order:

Rank	Food Item
1	Plain pasta
2	Boiled rice
3	Rice cakes
4	Plain oats
5	Plain tofu
6	Plain couscous
7	Boiled potatoes
8	Jacket potato
9	Boiled lentils
10	Plain quinoa