See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy DAILY MAIL REPORTER Published: 00:05 BST, 2 June 2026 | Updated: 00:05 BST, 2 June 2026
For many, quiche, potato salad, coleslaw and egg mayo are the taste of summer – an easy spread to eat cold when it is too hot for a cooked meal.But the staples that were once dished up when no one could stand the heat in the kitchen are being replaced by some rather more sophisticated options.When the temperature rises nowadays, Britons are more likely to reach for Spanish ham, olives and whipped feta, a survey reveals.It also suggests that, in June, the oven is turned off and hot evening meals are swapped for 'picky bits' at least three times a week. But classics such as corned beef, crisps and cocktail sausages have become outdated, and 83 per cent say the traditional British 'picky tea' has acquired a Mediterranean makeover.And as the evenings get warmer, 62 per cent of Gen Z – born between 1997 and 2012 – are eating later, as is common in Spain, Greece and Italy. Supermarket shelves are now filled with continental deli options that would have been unheard of 20 years ago, and 79 per cent of those polled say that picky bits have evolved significantly from the processed foods they used to be. Instead, food such as Serrano ham (22 per cent), falafel (20 per cent) and frittata (17 per cent) have become favourites for a summer spread. As the weather gets hotter, a survey has revealed Brits are turning away from classics like quiche in favour of Spanish ham, olives and whipped feta
