Comfort foods: The big pull during heatwaves

In hot weather, our dining destination is often dependent on hearing the words: “Yes, we have air con”. So naturally, you might think our food choices would revolve around ice pops, ice and salad with a side of ice—the more ice, the better, basically. Or, at the very least, cold, lighter food choices that don’t require us to step within a metre of an oven.

Data does support this assumption, too. According to 2026 research by IGD ShopperVista, 82% of consumers say they seek out lighter meals, with shoppers gravitating towards options that are easier to prepare and avoid the heat.

However, despite record heatwaves this summer, Waitrose reported in July that they were triggering a surprise spike in winter comfort foods. The national retailer’s cottage pie sales were up by 110%, with searches for spaghetti bolognese, toad in the hole and mac ‘n’ cheese all rising 91%, 67% and 57%, respectively.

So, what’s happening? Is it that rather than turning consumers against hot, comforting foods, prolonged heat actually makes them tired of buying the usual summer staples?

Heatwaves ‘should’ make us eat differently—but do they?

Hot weather equals cold, lighter food choices, right? We’re reaching for iced coffees and ice creams instead of their hot counterparts, sure. Reduced appetite and reluctance to cook in the heat were cited in IGD ShopperVista’s data as the main reasons for switching from hot to cold foods by 69% and 67% of respondents, respectively.

But consumers aren’t giving up comfort food​.

“Consumers turning to warm, comforting dishes during periods of heat is a remarkable reaction—made more so considering this year’s unrelenting summer weather,” Tom Gatehouse from Egg Soldiers told Speciality Food.

“But as supermarket data is showing, as the longer hot, dry weather persists, it seems the greater the potential for consumers to tire of stereotypically summery eating and return to familiar, comforting favourites,” Tom said.

Despite our general tendency not to want hot foods in hot weather, in 2026, shoppers aren’t exclusively avoiding these warm options during summer heatwaves. Stews and casseroles are appealing to consumers.

Familiar favourites tap into nostalgia

Rather than replacing cold foods with hot though, consumers are doing both. According to IGD, 71% of shoppers changed their usual choices this summer, many opting for lighter meals too.

“Comfort and light eating are happening side by side, not instead of one another,” Vhari Russell, Founder of Food Marketing Experts, told Speciality Food.
When the weather gets hot for prolonged periods, fatigue sets in, and as consumers, we turn towards familiarity and nostalgia—a nod towards reminders of autumnal temperatures. Slow-cooked, nostalgic classics are leading the charge: cottage pies, casseroles, gratins and roast dinner staples, alongside red wine rather than the rosé you’d expect.

“There’s also a global comfort angle emerging,” said Vhari. Malaysian and Korean-style dishes and indulgent loaded desserts are popular, “showing that comfort isn’t about temperature; it’s about emotional payoff”, Vhari shared.

Tastewise’s UK panel data shows that “comfort” as a consumer need is up 73% year-on-year, one of the fastest-growing trends they’re tracking. Warm, comforting foods like cottage pies, casseroles and roast dinners evoke memories and a sense of familiarity. It can be a useful addition to retailers’ product ranges too when consumers are tired of the expected “summer food” formula.

As for what’s driving the push towards warm, comforting, nostalgia-informed dishes, Vhari attributes this to three main reasons.

1. Psychological: prolonged heat is stressful and exhausting, and familiar food is one of our most reliable forms of self-soothing.
2. Values-driven: Consumers will pay more for food that feels nostalgic or “earned”.
3. Practical: Ready-meals and heat-and-eat formats mean consumers can access comfort-food options without spending an hour cooking over the oven.

Comfort isn’t just about heat

“Sometimes, our choice of food and drink reflects the desire to cool ourselves,” said Charles Spence, a Professor at the University of Oxford. A hot cup of tea may induce sweating to facilitate cooling, for instance, longstanding research has found. 

Based on his research, Charles also indicated that researchers have suggested that the popularity of chile-based dishes in hot countries might have a similar explanation, with the chemesthetic heat associated with capsaicin consumption inducing sweating and thus cooling.

Interestingly, cravings for hot and cold foods may well be more down to perceptions than we may first think. Researchers and food companies have explored how consumer food behaviours change depending on environmental cues—even when these changes are simulated rather than real.

In one study, researchers immersed their participants in either a beach setting or a sushi restaurant while they evaluated the consumption of, and preference for, sushi, popsicles and iced tea. In another, older study in France, researchers placed participants in different virtual reality (VR)- based environments to explore how changes in decorations and videos presented in a mock-up bar affected participants’ drink choices.

Despite the perceived changes in temperature, the thermal conditions remained unchanged in both instances. “Indeed, one of the challenges for the research scientist is that there are relatively few climate-controlled chambers available for such academic research, meaning that specific thermal conditions can only be evoked visually and/or auditorily,” said Charles.

In addition to food types, research demonstrates that people’s preferences for different aromas change with the seasons. Warm, cinnamon-like, close aromas are preferred in the winter compared to the summer, for instance.

Consumers don’t experience food purely through physical temperature. Instead, food and drinks are experienced through sensory cues, emotions, associations and expectations.

Is it a trend?

While it is certainly striking for consumers to head for warm, comforting pies and casseroles as the hot weather intensifies, endless BBQs and salads are a part of British shoppers’ purchasing habits. “The longer a summer without respite or rainfall, the longer many consumers will go without their classic, cooler weather comforts— and one can only go for so long,” said Tom.

But before brands count their chickens, Tom offered a word of warning: “I would, however, be extremely cautious about branding this instance of behaviour as a meaningful trend to be capitalised on in years to come.”

Seasons change as do trends. And so, observing how shoppers reach for warm, comforting foods may well be an effective strategy, but only part of one, rather than telling the whole story. “It feels incredibly risky from a summer development perspective, and with no precedent, I would certainly wait to see if this flash in the pan turns into repeatable, seasonal activity,” Tom added.

Looking beyond food types to incorporate other relevant trends, such as consumers’ broader comfort and convenience needs, suggests a more effective sales and product strategy that meets multiple consumer demands.

How can retailers respond?

Retailers and brands can, though, tap into consumers’ love of familiar favourites. To capture consumers’ calls for warm, comforting foods in future heatwaves, Vhari recommended retailers “lean into permission-giving messaging”. Marketing that focuses on ‘yes, it’s hot, but you deserve this’ rather than ignoring the weather.

Premium heat-and-eat formats are perfectly positioned to solve the practical cooking block while still delivering comfort. “And don’t treat this as a one-summer quirk: comfort and convenience blending together, regardless of season, looks like a lasting shift worth building for,” said Vhari.