Chocolate, cake and biscuits are the comfort foods Brits reach for to boost their mood, according to research.
The poll of 2,000 adults found a fifth will have a full English fry up when in need of a little pick me up.
And while a bacon sarnie hits the spot for 21 per cent, 14 per cent will make themselves feel better with a full roast dinner.
But one in 10 turn to comfort foods daily and 74 per cent will always opt for foods that are high in sugar.
Despite this, more than half acknowledge what they consume can in fact make them feel worse – with 57 per cent feeling full of regret after eating certain foods.
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Team GB nutritionist, Nigel Mitchell has teamed up with Aldi, which commissioned the research, to champion the importance of your diet on your mood and everyday life – creating a series of recipes for the family.
Nigel said: “It’s fascinating how our bodies react to certain foods, and when our mood is low, we do tend to turn to things that give us a sense of comfort.
“While we, of course, all want to enjoy a treat from time to time, it’s important that we are aware of the link between our diets and mood to make sure that we are also selecting foods that can have a truly positive impact us.
“The recipes I’ve created with Aldi are all based on foods that I know are accessible and affordable – proving we don’t have to be an Olympian to eat like one.”
The study also found that for 31 per cent, their mood lift lasts for up to an hour, but 17 per cent said their boost only lasts a few minutes.
The most likely time people will turn to certain foods is when they are feeling sad or down (52 per cent), while 48 per cent will do it when they are feeling stressed.
And, according to the OnePoll study, more than four in 10 will use the weather as an excuse to eat away their feelings.
But despite more than half admitting their choice of comfort food is unhealthy, 69 per cent claim it’s just too expensive to eat more healthily – even though they would like to.
When it comes to what goes in their basket, 56 per cent are more likely to be guided on price than what’s good for them.
While two thirds (67 per cent) feel a healthier diet ‘comes at a price’, even though 64 per cent would like to eat more nutritious meals.
A fifth said they don’t have the time to cook healthy dishes while 24 per cent simply lack inspiration.
Julie Ashfield, managing director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “At Aldi we are committed to providing the best possible quality and value to all our customers – which is exactly what these recipes are also designed to do.
“The recipes all include ingredients that Nigel regularly feeds into the nutrition plans of Team GB athletes and can all be found in your local Aldi store – showing we don’t have to be an Olympian to eat like one.
“Alongside the recipes, our Get Set to Eat Fresh programme also aims to promote the benefits of eating fresh and healthy food.
”Working with our Team GB ambassadors, we have so far helped teach more than 2 million children about the importance of a well-balanced and nutrient-rich diet.”
Gemma Thickett, Advice and Information Service Manager at Mental Health UK said: “Eating well can help our emotional and physical wellbeing.
“Eating ‘well’ can mean we are a healthy weight and manage our weight in the long term, we eat the food necessary to keep us healthy, such as fruit and vegetables, and that eating is an enjoyable experience.”
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