By . Aaron Sharp . PUBLISHED: . 00:56 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:33 EST, 27 November 2013 . The popularity of programmes such as Masterchef and The Great British Bake Off may be soaring but many Brits watch top cooks at work while eating a bowl of cereal or beans on toast for dinner, according to a survey. While we may admire the work of Michel Roux Jnr and Mary Berry, their shows don't seem to inspire viewers to cook. A study of 1,000 adults in the UK found that cooking programmes rank among our favourite to watch, but one in four people still eat cereal for their dinner at least once a week. Interest: Shows such as Masterchef, above, have soared in popularity but many home cooks do not take inspiration from Michel Roux Jnr, centre . More than a third of adults now describe . themselves as a ‘foodie’, but despite that claim, almost half have just . a handful of meals that they cook during the working week. Many regularly resorting to basic pasta for their dinner. The survey, conducted by frozen fod company Birdseye, found that Brits watch an average of 121 hours of food programmes on TV every year and own an average of nine recipe books. However, despite this interest in all things to do with food, 33 per cent of those polled admitted to eating the same dinner at least twice a week half said they only have a handful of ‘go-to’ meals that they cook week after week. Researchers found 36 per cent of respondents now consider themselves a 'foodie' . Not time to bake: Respondents in the survey said they simply had no time to follow complex recipes, the likes of which are shown by Mary Berry onthe Great British Bake Off . But 40 per cent of Brits are still too tired to think about cooking a proper meal at the end of the day. According to the findings, the average Brit has a repertoire of six midweek meals. The study identified these as dishes they prepare and serve in less than 30 minutes. Pasta was the most popular 'go-to' dinner, followed by a jacket potato, stir-fry and beans on toast. The glamorous dishes which are shown on screens may have inspired culinary ambition, with half saying they wished they could serve up more exciting meals for their family. But, when asked what was the reason behind their lack of adventure in the kitchen, long working hours and never having the right ingredients to hand were popular responses. Helen Martin, general marketing manager at Birds Eye, said: 'Foodie programmes and celebrity cook books are a national obsession, but many of us simply don’t have the time to try our hand at recreating delicious meals for ourselves at the end of a long working day. 'As our lives are becoming increasingly busy and time is such a precious commodity, it is clear to see from the research that we’re reaching for products we can trust to create great tasting enjoyable nutritious meals quickly and easily. 'It’s all too easy to get stuck in a recipe rut and find yourself eating the same meal several times in a fortnight simply out of a sense of routine.' Staple: Beans on toast remains a favourite of those who have a limited repertoire of home-cooked meals .
Research into British cooking soaring interest in dining programmes .
But despite wanting to watch chefs in action, viewers don't cook regularly .
One in four people eat cereal for their dinner at least once a week .
By . Aaron Sharp . PUBLISHED: . 00:56 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:33 EST, 27 November 2013 . The popularity of programmes such as Masterchef and The Great British Bake Off may be soaring but many Brits watch top cooks at work while eating a bowl of cereal or beans on toast for dinner, according to a survey. While we may admire the work of Michel Roux Jnr and Mary Berry, their shows don't seem to inspire viewers to cook. A study of 1,000 adults in the UK found that cooking programmes rank among our favourite to watch, but one in four people still eat cereal for their dinner at least once a week. Interest: Shows such as Masterchef, above, have soared in popularity but many home cooks do not take inspiration from Michel Roux Jnr, centre . More than a third of adults now describe . themselves as a ‘foodie’, but despite that claim, almost half have just . a handful of meals that they cook during the working week. Many regularly resorting to basic pasta for their dinner. The survey, conducted by frozen fod company Birdseye, found that Brits watch an average of 121 hours of food programmes on TV every year and own an average of nine recipe books. However, despite this interest in all things to do with food, 33 per cent of those polled admitted to eating the same dinner at least twice a week half said they only have a handful of ‘go-to’ meals that they cook week after week. Researchers found 36 per cent of respondents now consider themselves a 'foodie' . Not time to bake: Respondents in the survey said they simply had no time to follow complex recipes, the likes of which are shown by Mary Berry onthe Great British Bake Off . But 40 per cent of Brits are still too tired to think about cooking a proper meal at the end of the day. According to the findings, the average Brit has a repertoire of six midweek meals. The study identified these as dishes they prepare and serve in less than 30 minutes. Pasta was the most popular 'go-to' dinner, followed by a jacket potato, stir-fry and beans on toast. The glamorous dishes which are shown on screens may have inspired culinary ambition, with half saying they wished they could serve up more exciting meals for their family. But, when asked what was the reason behind their lack of adventure in the kitchen, long working hours and never having the right ingredients to hand were popular responses. Helen Martin, general marketing manager at Birds Eye, said: 'Foodie programmes and celebrity cook books are a national obsession, but many of us simply don’t have the time to try our hand at recreating delicious meals for ourselves at the end of a long working day. 'As our lives are becoming increasingly busy and time is such a precious commodity, it is clear to see from the research that we’re reaching for products we can trust to create great tasting enjoyable nutritious meals quickly and easily. 'It’s all too easy to get stuck in a recipe rut and find yourself eating the same meal several times in a fortnight simply out of a sense of routine.' Staple: Beans on toast remains a favourite of those who have a limited repertoire of home-cooked meals .
to watch, but one in four people still eat cereal for their dinner at least once a week. Interest: