When did we stop serving Spam? Why don't we still use bread bowls? Who decided instant mashed potato was off the menu? These much-loved ingredients – and many more besides – used to be kitchen staples, but now they've fallen out of fashion. But we think plenty of them deserve a second chance. Here, we reveal the bygone food essentials worthy of a comeback, counting down to the one we most want to see return.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the retro ingredients due a revival. How many of these do you still cook with?

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each food item at the time of launch and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.

Retro ingredients we wish would make a comeback