Dates of introduction of various foodstuffs and methods to Britain

Prehistory (before 43 AD)

• bread from mixed grains: around 3700 BC
• oats: around 1000 BC
• wheat: around 500 BC
• rabbit: late Iron Age/early Roman

Roman era (43 to 410)

• apple, asparagus, celery, chives, coriander, cucumber, marjoram, marrow, onion, parsnip, pea, pheasant, rosemary, spearmint, turnip, wine

Middle ages to the discovery of the New World (410 to 1492)

• kipper: 9th century (from Denmark or Norway)
• rye bread: Viking era,around 500 AD
• peach (imported): Anglo-Saxon
• orange: 1290
• sugar cane: 14th century
• carrot: 15th century

1492 to 1914

• turkey: 1524
• cayenne pepper, parsley: 1548
• refined sugar: 1540s
• lemon: 1577 (first recorded cultivation)
• peach (cultivated): 16th century
• potato: 1586
• horseradish: 16th century
• tea: 1610 or later
• banana (from Bermuda): 1633
• coffee: 1650
• chocolate: 1650s
• broccoli: before 1724
• tomato (as food): 1750s
• sandwich: named in 18th century
• curry: 1809 (first Indian restaurant)
• rhubarb (as food): early 1800s
• three-course meal: about 1850 (developed from service à la Russe)
• fish and chips: 1858 or 1863
• Marmite: 1902
• ice cream: 1913

After 1914

• sugar beet: 1914-1918
• sliced bread: 1930
• Chinese restaurant: 1950 (first to open in Soho)