Over half of Brits have tried to make favourite holiday meal at home

Pasta and pizza dishes eaten abroad were voted the best dishes to cook for themselves, while Greek salads, tapas, and Thai curries also proved to be popular.

And plantain, paella rice, and snails were the top items Brits are eager to find on home soil.

While olives, feta cheese, and rice noodles are also among the most common ingredients added to the shopping trolley after being inspired by a holiday.

The research, commissioned by Ocado, also found 48 percent of those with a family said their loved ones have “begged” them to add a meal eaten abroad to the weekly menu.

And over half (51 percent) have tried to impress family and friends with their “exotic” cooking once returning from a holiday.

But despite the urge to reinvent international dishes, just over two-thirds (68 percent) admitted their first attempt was a complete flop.

Lisa McDowell, for Ocado Retail, said: “Food is central to many people’s holidays, with friends and family coming together to indulge in delicious meals in scenic settings.

“Once we return home, those meals are often one of the things we miss most, and so recreating these dishes helps us to reminisce and keep that holiday spirit alive.”

Having no food in the house was the biggest worry for 21 percent of travellers once returning home – with 41 percent doing a food shop from the comfort of their sunbed to stock the fridge for their return.

One in five holidaymakers (21 percent) have chosen a destination purely based on the food, with 49 percent claiming to be passionate about expanding their food horizons.

And 49 percent enjoy learning new things about food, such as how it’s prepared and where it comes from, according to the OnePoll study.

Nearly half (46 percent) are more adventurous with their cooking now than they were three years ago – with 54 percent visiting specialist food stores for ingredients they wouldn’t be able to find in a “normal” supermarket.

But 42 percent have struggled to find something in UK shops which they wanted to include in an international dish.

Lisa McDowell added: “It seems many of us are becoming more adventurous in the kitchen – with travel playing a big part in this.

“It can be frustrating when you struggle to find the specialist ingredients you’ve enjoyed on holiday after returning home, but luckily we can help.”

TOP 20 HOLIDAY DISHES BRITS HAVE TRIED TO RECREATE AT HOME:

1. Pasta
2. Pizza
3. Greek salad
4. Spanish tapas
5. Paella
6. Thai green or red curry
7. African jollof
8. Tacos
9. Peri-peri chicken
10. Pad Thai
11. Mexican burritos
12. French-style cheese board
13. Jamaican jerk chicken
14. Moroccan tagine
15. Biryani
16. Korean chicken
17. Greek gyros
18. Sushi
19. Vindaloo curry
20. Greek mezze