More than 15 million Brits say their go-to meals are bland, with nearly a quarter eating underwhelming dishes multiple times a week.

According to a poll of 2,000 adults, plain pasta, boiled rice and rice cakes are the blandest foods Brits eat, despite being so popular. Tofu, couscous and boiled potatoes, also featured in the top 10 list, as did the classic jacket potato.

Some 54% said they wanted their everyday meals to feel more exciting, and 31% admitted they want to be bolder with flavour but don't know where to start. As for 69%, having a new or exciting meal to look forward improves their mood.

The research was commissioned by Lurpak which found 66% of Gen Z spend more time watching food content than any other generation, yet they save recipes from social media but never make them - with 45% admitting they don't know where to start.

There's a clear appetite for culinary inspiration among Gen Z, with 70% said they find trying new flavours inspiring and 72% consider themselves experimental when it comes to cooking, the highest of any age group.

Lurpak has partnered with food scientist Natalie Alibrandi to identify 'bland' as a sixth flavour state in its own right, sitting alongside sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami.

Natalie Alibrandi said: "Bland food is not always food with no taste, often, it is food where there is no flavour strong enough to take the lead.

"A lot of everyday meals are perfectly good starting points, they may just need one flavour moment to bring them to life, for example, that could be aroma, heat or texture.

"Flavour is functional - it helps to tell the brain what has been eaten, signals that a meal is complete, and triggers the reward response that makes food feel satisfying.

"Bland' is more than just boring - it's a real flavour experience when food is low on the things that make eating enjoyable like aroma, richness, texture and depth.

"That means meals can leave people feeling less rewarded and less satisfied."

The research also found 28% are less excited about eating when dishes are repetitive or bland. Instead, 67% of Brits said flavour-packed meals create stronger or more vivid memories.

In addition, 56% said satisfying tasty food reduces cravings and makes the experience more memorable.

Catriona Mantle, a spokesperson for Lurpak, which has marked the launch of its new Chilli & Garlic flavoured butter with the 'Haus of Flavour', an immersive experience in Kingsland Road on the 27th May, said: "Let's face it, everyday meals are often built around the same familiar favourites.

"There is nothing wrong with that - but sometimes the food we rely on most could do with a little more flavour.

"The answer to bland food is not always more effort, sometimes it is about choosing one ingredient that can do more of the heavy lifting.

"With the launch of our new butter, we want to help people bring more richness, heat and savoury depth to the meals they already make, without needing to completely rethink how they cook.

"Because everyday food should not just fill you up, it should be something you really look forward to eating."

1. Plain pasta

2. Boiled rice

3. Rice cakes

4. Plain oats

5. Plain tofu

6. Plain couscous

7. Boiled potatoes

8. Jacket potato (no butter or filling)

9. Boiled lentils

10. Plain quinoa