Prawn cocktail for starter followed by toad-in-the-hole for main and topped off with rice pudding… you could be forgiven for thinking you were back in the 1970s. 

Up until recently, nostalgic meals have been largely forgotten about in favour of more trendy dishes like avocado toast, bean burgers and kimchi roast chicken. 

But outdated British staple meals are making a comeback, all thanks to Gen Z cooks who are whipping up a storm (or trifle) on TikTok. 

There has been a huge rise in young Brits recreating retro dishes, with two thirds of Gen Zs now relying on TikTok for #cooktok (that’s cooking recipes to anyone over the age of 30).

The boom in popularity of dishes – including chicken Kiev, shepherd’s pie and pineapple upside down cake – has led influencers to share the age-old recipes with their millions of followers. 

But, unlike our ancestors who rolled up their sleeves and made the recipes from scratch, Gen Zs are bunging it in the air fryer or slow cooker to make a quicker version of the classic meal. 

A survey by baking brand Camp Coffee revealed an 84 per cent rise in retro dishes, with amateur cooks trying their hand to create everything from beef wellington to black forest gateau. 

However, 75 per cent didn’t follow the recipe exactly, giving their creation a modern twist. Some grilled instead of fried, added extra flavouring or even made their meal vegetarian.

And while many turned to TikTok (37 per cent) or Instagram (22 per cent) for advice on how to cook, it was of course their mothers that 68 per cent of participants called first.

Other dishes proving popular with modern Brits on TikTok include Trifle, Coronation Chicken, Chicken Kiev, Toad in the Hole, Apple Crumble and Rice Pudding.

Meanwhile, 88 per cent of Brits say that the way they find and look at recipes has changed over the last five years.

When it comes to printed cookbooks, 92 per cent claim they are falling out of favour because everything is online (53 per cent), they end up sitting on the side untouched (40 per cent), they’re too expensive (39 per cent) and too big to store (36 per cent).

A staggering 91 per cent of under 30s describe themselves as a ‘foodie’, with 56 per cent saying they love to cook. 88 per cent love cooking so much that they admit their ‘for you’ page on social media is filled with recipes and food images.

Meanwhile, 93 per cent say they are cooking more from scratch now compared to five years ago because their cooking skills are better (51 per cent), it’s cheaper (49 per cent), their cooking knowledge has improved (39 per cent) and they are more adventurous (38 per cent).

In fact, the British public spends six hours a week cooking up a storm, with 84 per cent spending more time in the kitchen now than five years ago.

Eight in ten (82 per cent) believe that younger generations are more passionate about food than previous generations.

Katie Atkin, Brand Manager at Camp Coffee, which commissioned the survey of 2,000 young Brits aged 18-30, said: ‘It’s great to see that the British public is discovering, and making, classic dishes that have been around for generations. 

‘Even though the way they have discovered them has changed significantly, the end result is that these iconic dishes are standing the test of time and making appearances on dinner tables through the decades.

‘Camp Coffee has been inspiring kitchen adventures since 1876. 

‘That’s nearly 150 years of watching different recipes and food trends come and go, and this experience is why we have commissioned this research – to celebrate retro dishes and showcase how you can put a modern spin on them.’