Porridge gets a cosy comeback in Britain
'Comfort in a bowl': porridge hotter than ever as fibremaxxers get their oats
Saturday, 24 October 2026
Photo by Charles Chen on Unsplash
Warm-up
- What do you usually eat for breakfast?
- How do you keep warm on a cold morning?
- Do you follow any food trends? Which ones?
Vocabulary
- porridge
- a hot breakfast made by cooking oats in water or milk
- oats
- a grain often used for porridge and granola
- fibre
- parts of plant food that help your digestion
- topping
- food put on top of a dish to add flavour
- recipe
- instructions that tell you how to cook a dish
- bakery
- a shop or place that makes and sells baked goods
- cholesterol
- a type of fat in the blood that can affect health
- trend
- a fashion or idea that becomes popular
Reading
Listen to this story
British EnglishPorridge is back in fashion in the UK. The trend is driven by health and nostalgia. On social media, new recipes add rich toppings. At 26 Grains in London, a five-grain porridge comes with fig, red grape jam and whipped cream. At Oatis in west London, toppings include caramelised banana with tahini.
Fans point to fibre. The NHS says adults should eat 30g of fibre a day. The British Dietetic Association says the average is 18g. Oats contain soluble fibre that supports gut health and may reduce cholesterol. At Ocado, searches for organic jumbo oats are up 98%. White's jumbo oats sales are up 56%.
Porridge also invites personal taste. Hedié Rhodes runs the bakery Husk & Honey and sells porridge blends. She says people enjoy choosing flavours. On the Isle of Skye, Café Cùil soaks pinhead oats and finishes with seasonal toppings. Its founder Clare Coghill judged 86 bowls at the porridge championship in the Scottish Highlands.
Comprehension
- What two forces are driving porridge’s comeback?
- Name one creative topping mentioned in the article.
- How much fibre should adults eat per day, according to the NHS?
- Which supermarket saw searches for organic jumbo oats rise 98%?
- Where did Clare Coghill judge 86 bowls of porridge?
Grammar focus
Should / ought to
Use should/ought to to give advice or recommendations. Form: should/ought to + base verb (eat, choose). (Example 2 constructed.)
- The NHS says adults should eat 30g of fibre a day.
- People ought to choose high-fibre oats.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with should/ought to + the verb in brackets.
- Shoppers (read) ___ labels when buying oats.
- At cafés, you (try) ___ new porridge flavours.
- People (reduce) ___ sugar in sweet toppings.
- Fans (not/add) ___ too much whipped cream.
- Beginners (start) ___ with plain oats first.
Discussion
- Do you eat porridge? How do you like to make it?
- Which topping would you choose and why?
- Should cafés offer more fibre-rich options? Why or why not?
- Do you prefer cooking at home or trying new café recipes?
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