Peas in the United Kingdom: One of the Nation’s Favorite Vegetables

Fact! The British eat a lot of peas—eagerly and wholeheartedly! Peas are not just a traditional vegetable with a centuries-old history—they hold a special place at the British table. Peas and pea-based dishes are constantly being adapted to modern life and the preferences of the local population, suiting the tastes of everyone from the youngest to the elderly.

Want to learn more about peas in Britain? Then stay with us. After analyzing supermarkets, small shops, online stores, and local markets, here’s the information I’ve prepared for you about pea consumption in the UK.

Fresh peas

1. Fresh peas are not consumed very much. Mostly, the British eat them directly in pods (price from £1.20 per 150 grams). Yes, right in pods. This type of pea is called “mangetout.” It can be picked and eaten at any stage of vegetation; there’s no need to wait for the formation of seeds in the pod. Rinse and you can enjoy the taste. The main thing – no waste. The British grow this type of pea themselves as well as import it from Peru. In taste, the pods resemble the peas themselves – tasty and juicy. It feels a bit unusual to eat the pods; your hands instinctively want to take out the peas and throw the rest in the trash.
2. Pea shoots or microgreens are very rarely seen compared to the Ukrainian market, where microgreens decorate most dishes in restaurants and cafes. Overall, there is no microgreens market here as such.
3. Fresh peas are added to salad mixes. They are diverse, adapted to different tastes and customer preferences: for example, a mix of fresh carrot and peas, peas and broccoli, peas with cucumber, cucumber-tomato-peas, and others.
4. Green peas are especially popular in vegan and vegetarian directions. The price for such mixes varies greatly, but all products that can be eaten “on the go” and fall under the category of “fast food” cost from £3 per portion of 150 to 250 grams, because this is considered a dish that has undergone preparation and is ready to eat.

Frozen peas

Frozen peas can be bought in almost every store; it is considered a staple product. It stores for a long time in the freezer, always at hand daily.

Usually, the British simply put frozen peas into boiling water to thaw them and boil for a few minutes. They use them to garnish dishes, addition to salads, or just eat as a side dish.

Canned green peas

Types of canned peas in the UK. I won’t dwell long on the canned green peas we all know – they exist in large quantities.

Mushy peas are a favorite dish of the British, especially young children. In popularity, “mushy peas” are comparable to our mashed potatoes. Mushy peas are made from dried peas (sold in stores, about 50 UAH per kilogram) that are first soaked overnight in water with baking soda, then rinsed in fresh water, placed in a pot, covered with water, brought to a boil, and simmered until soft.

Puree can be made from cooked or canned peas, but it’s easiest to buy ready-made puree in a jar. The taste of this puree is like boiled peas mashed into a pulp. Buy it, open it, eat it – this is the modern British approach to food. Cheaper, easier, faster.

Pea puree soups

One could talk about soups in the UK for a long time, which I plan to do in future reviews. In this review, I will write about pea soups. I have encountered so many kinds! You can pay from £1 for a metal can of soup weighing 400 grams. The highest price for a 500–600 ml can of soup I have seen is £3.

There are all kinds of soups! Pea soup with basil and lemon, peas and ham, peas and leek, pea soup with cream and spinach, coconut-corn-pea soup.

What surprised and shocked me the most was the combination of pea soup with mint. YES! Pea soup with mint – the taste is strange, unusual, I couldn’t finish even half, and the children, after trying it, categorically refused to eat more. Everyone has their own tastes and preferences!