A new study has revealed the traditional Scottish dishes “most at risk of extinction”.
Scotland is home to many culinary delights, both new and old. As reported by the Daily Record, there are many delicious Scots delicacies that you might have never even heard of.
New research conducted by Ninja surveyed 2,000 people and studied search trends for popular Scottish dishes to uncover which meals are still loved and which are at risk of being forgotten. Topping the list is scones, with the experts revealing the baked good could go “extinct” by 2028.
According to Ninja’s research, scones‘ predicted date of extinction is January 30, 2028. While the experts found 106,656 total recipes and online webpages dedicate to scones, searches for them are reportedly declining by 0.61 per cent weekly.
Following behind as the second most likely dish in Scotland to go extinct is clapshot. This savoury plate, consisting of mashed swede and potato, could disappear entirely by 2030.
According to the experts, clapshot’s predicted date of extinction is June 9, 2030. There are reportedly only 202 recipes for it online, while search interest is falling 0.35 per cent per week.
Rounding out the three Scottish dishes that are most at risk of disappearing are clootie dumplings. A clootie dumpling is an iconic Scottish pudding made with flour, breadcrumbs, dried fruit, suet, sugar, and spices.
The experts state that clootie dumplings are in danger of going extinct in just over five years, with a predicted extinction date of October 20, 2030. There are currently 388 recipes for the dessert online according to Ninja, while interest is falling 0.33 per cent week-on-week.
Other Scottish dishes that are “endangered” according to Ninja are fish pie and stovies. Completing the top 10 are Dundee cake, oatcakes, shortbread, tablet, and cranachan.
On the other hand, there are some traditional Scottish dishes that are still proving as popular as ever. According to Ninja, four plates in particular are especially safe from extinction.
Selkirk Bannock remains a staple on tables for the foreseeable future, with searches for the plate seeing a steady 0.56 per cent increase each week. A Selkirk Bannock is a rich bread made with dried fruit and sometimes spices that dates back more than 100 years.
Cock-a-leekie soup is holding its ground as well, with searches up 0.03 per cent weekly. Scotch broth and Cullen Skink are also safe, with searches rising 0.11 per cent and 0.09 per cent respectively.
To put together the list, Ninja UK commissioned a nationally representative survey of 2,000 people in December 2024 to establish the nation’s view of classically British cuisine. The experts identified a number of traditional foods, and using five years’ worth of data calculated the trend and found when these dishes would become extinct.
See below for the full list of the Scottish dishes that are most at risk of “extinction” according to Ninja.
The top 10 ‘endangered’ Scottish dishes
- Scones — facing extinction
- Clapshot — facing extinction
- Clootie dumpling — facing extinction
- Fish pie — endangered
- Stovies — endangered
- Dundee cake — endangered
- Oatcakes — endangered
- Shortbread — endangered
- Tablet — endangered
- Cranachan — endangered