Which British comfort food hits hardest when life gets a bit rubbish?

Simple, cheap, and somehow deeply satisfying — beans on toast is the culinary equivalent of a reassuring pat on the back. Every British person has eaten this alone at 11pm and felt completely fine about it.

There's something almost spiritual about unwrapping a portion of fish and chips on a cold evening. Salt, vinegar, and the faint smell of the chippy clinging to your coat — pure bliss.

Adopted, adapted, and now utterly inseparable from British culture, a good tikka masala with fluffy naan is the hug this country truly deserves. Disputing its British status is a bold and risky move.

A toastie requires almost no skill yet delivers an unreasonable amount of emotional support. Add a bit of Branston pickle if you're feeling fancy and suddenly life has meaning again.

Warm, sticky, drenched in toffee sauce — this pudding is basically a hug in a ramekin. One spoonful and whatever was wrong with your day quietly retreats into the background.