Cooling down with cottage pie! Britons are reaching for winter comfort foods like stews, pies and curries despite heatwaves amid 'feta fatigue'

When temperatures soar above 25 degrees in the UK, dinner becomes a loop of salad, sushi, sandwiches, or a platter of cold picky-bits.But after experiencing a third heatwave already this summer, it appears a wave of 'feta fatigue' is sweeping Britain, with shoppers swapping light bites for the comforting warmth of hearty winter meals, topped with lashings of hot gravy.New data by Waitrose shows sales of rich meat pies, cheesy gratins and curries have surged in the last month, despite daytime peaks soaring beyond 30 degrees in parts of England and Wales.In the last four weeks, sales for cottage pie soared by 110 per cent, followed by Chicken & Ham Gratin (68 per cent), Chicken Korma & rice (67 per cent), and Waitrose No. 1 Chicken, Bacon & Leek Pie (41 per cent).Even our favourite summer habit of sipping an iced, light drink with a twist of fruit is being challenged, with South African red wine sales climbing by 68 per cent. Foodies across the UK are swapping light summer bites for the comforting warmth of hearty winter cooking - topped with lashings of hot gravy and rich tomato sauces TikTok user Meg, who goes by @megloubailey, tucked into a plate of thick vegetarian pie and peas whilst dining in a beer garden in JuneRecipe searches for winter-style meals on the supermarket chain's website have also spiked, including; Spaghetti Bolognese (91 per cent), toad in the hole (67 per cent), chilli con carne (41 per cent) and vegetable casserole (15 per cent).Stephen Parkins-Knight, Senior Innovation Chef, commented: 'Forget the thermostat, when a heatwave goes on, raw salads and chilled plates can often lose their cool fast. 'What we’re seeing is a trend in ‘reverse comfort eating’ - after spending all day drained by the heat, people crave rich, grounding staples to recharge, pivoting back toward comfort and familiarity. 'Think flaky pies, slow-simmered chilli, soul-warming soups, and a bold glass of red. Because when the weather goes extreme, appetite doesn't follow the mercury, it follows what feels real, familiar, and deeply good. 'And honestly? That's not just a trend that's instinct, with a side of gravy.' But this unprecedented trend goes beyond supermarket spending; dozens of Brits have been taking to social media to proudly show off their moreish meals as the nation continues to swelter.In June, TikTok user Meg, who goes by @megloubailey, tucked into a plate of thick vegetarian pie and peas whilst dining in a beer garden, attaching a caption that reads: 'Pie pie pie forever! Very enjoyable and the best thing to have on a hot day lol.' Another user, @the.shakychef, uploaded a cooking video of a rustic cottage pie he'd made from scratch this month. The foodie joked: 'When you think of hot weather food you definitely don't think cottage pie, but I guess the heat has made me delirious because that's what I decided to cook.' TikTok user @the.shakychef, uploaded a cooking video of a rustic cottage pie he'd made from scratch this month TikTok user @the.shakychef's take on cottage pie in the midst of soaring UK temperatures Instagram user @dolifewithnat uploaded a video of a casserole she made, adding: 'Yes I did just cook this in the heatwave!' South Wales-based baker, @lettsbake, also showed off her cooking skills during the heatwave by rustling up a home-made steak pie and fluffy mashed potato in one clip TikTok user @saarachyy wasted no time in making good use of the oven in June by fashioning up a comforting lasagneIn the comments, one follower replied, 'I made chilli. Don't know what's wrong with me,' to which the poster responded, 'Why do we do it to ourselves!' South Wales-based baker, @lettsbake, also showed off her cooking skills during the heatwave by rustling up a home-made steak pie and fluffy mashed potato in one clip.TikTok user @saarachyy wasted no time in making good use of the oven in June by fashioning up a comforting lasagne, while @dolifewithnat uploaded a video of a casserole she made, adding: 'Yes I did just cook this in the heatwave!'Why I thought this was a good idea in this heatwave made the house 100 degrees hotter.' In response to the foodie's efforts, one person commented: 'Looks banging Nat, how on earth did you not melt cooking that!'While a large portion of Brits tend to shun hot, spicy food in summer, global cultures embrace it, with Vietnam and Korea enjoying hot broths year-round and Mexico's cuisine largely made up of spicy dishes. Experts also say hot food offers a physiological benefit. You might not think that a spicy chilli, tikka masla curry and soup would be the best things to eat to cool down during the heatwave, but it turns out that having a hot meal in the evening can actually help you stay cool by the sweat you perspire evaporating into the air and cooling the body.Tucking into watermelon, turmeric and reducing the carbohydrates and protein in your diet are also good ways to beat the heat.Nutritionist Daniel O'Shaughnessy has teamed up with online delivery firm JustEat to compile a list of the best foods to eat or avoid in order to cool down. You might not think that a spicy chilli, tikka masla curry and soup would be the best things to eat to cool down during the heatwave, but it turns out that having a hot meal in the evening can actually help you stay coolTraditionally seen as a winter dish, a bowl of soup in the evening as temperatures start to drop can actually help people stay cool, Mr O'Shaughnessy explained.He said: 'It will make you perspire more, but as the sweat evaporates, the energy is absorbed into the air, therefore cooling the body.'Mr O'Shaughnessy also believes a spicy chilli is a good choice, with the capsaicin found in the food sending a signal to your brain that your body is overheated. As a result, you will sweat more to cool down. The powerful anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric also make a tikka masala curry a good option in the heat.Curcumin, which is the active ingredient in the spice, helps promote good circulation, helping to speed up your blood flow and cool your body down.But there are some foods to avoid during the heatwave, with Mr O'Shaughnessy advising Britons to cut down on carbohydrate-rich foods, such as rice and wholegrains, and foods high in protein like chicken.He said: 'It may be harder to digest a high protein food in a heat wave. Meat is quite hard to digest and the digestion process creates heat (thermogenesis) and can make you feel hotter in yourself.'Opting for plant-based dishes can be a good choice as less energy is needed to break vegetarian dishes down compared to meat.'