Most popular lunches REVEALED - but variety is NOT a common ingredient

One in three of us are creatures of habit eating the same midday meal every day, according to a new study.

As many as 70 per cent of worker admit they are stuck in a lunch rut, with the humble ham sandwich the most likely flavour on repeat.

Cheese sandwiches came second in the dreary lunch stakes, while tuna came third and egg mayo came in fourth place.

Pasta and jacket potatoes are also among the lunchtime staples.

In fact, four in 10 workers admit they are jealous of colleagues who have interesting and varied lunches, however 16 per cent can not be bothered to be more adventurous.

Dr Becky Spelman, a food psychologist, said people who picked the same thing every day were at risk of not getting a wide enough array of nutrients.

“Most of us wouldn’t want to always go on holidays to the same place, so why keep eating the same meal, day after day?” she said.

“Making small changes, such as trying something new for our lunch time meal, can – in a small way – help to open our mind to new experiences in other areas of life too.”

A quarter of all workers eat at their desk with just 14 per cent venturing outside if the weather is nice.

And a solitary one in 20 eat their lunch in their car every day, the poll of 1,500 employees found.

Dan Warne, managing director of food delivery group Deliveroo, which commissioned the survey, said: “This research highlights how many of the British workforce eat really boring, unimaginative meals for lunch on repeat.

“We’re launching our Lame Lunch Amnesty today to inspire people to upgrade their lunches from soggy sandwiches to delicious restaurant food.

“We spend so much of our time sat at our desks, it’s good to mix things up and have something to look forward to at lunchtime.

“You really don’t have to go to much effort in order to have a delicious lunch.”

Nearly three in 10 respondents said what colleagues eat for lunch is a topic of conversation in the workplace for around 13 minutes a day.

And it does not take much longer – 17 minutes – to actually eat the meal.

The typical weekly menu has only three lunches on rotation and one in five of the people polled admitted their workmates tease them for about their dull meals.

Buttered toast, egg sandwiches and sausage rolls are also among the lunches eaten most frequently.

TOP 25 MOST POPULAR LUNCHES

1. Ham sandwich

2. Cheese sandwich

3. Tuna mayo sandwich

4. Egg mayo sandwich

5. Superfood salad

6. Spicy chicken wrap

7. Jacket potato with filling

8. Fish and chips

9. Leftover pasta dish

10. Caesar salad