IT is a well-known foodie fact that the British tastebuds are changing.

Gone are the days when egg and chips, bacon butties and meat and two veg were the staple diet of Brits from Blackburn and Burnley to Bournemouth.

Nowadays most households are more likely to enjoy pasta, curry and even Thai cuisine than good old roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.

And new research has just revealed that even pub customers want a more tantalising menu when it comes to pub snacks.

It's true, a pint of bitter and a packet of pork scratchings just won't do. And as for a packet of cheese and onion washed down with an ice cold babycham -- pass.

A survey by Whitbread Pub Partnerships has shown that just as our tastebuds enjoy more exotic foods, our taste in snacks and crisps has also moved on. Salt and vinegar and cheese and onion crisps have clung on to their position in the 'top ten titbits' table.

But they have been joined by spicy tortilla snacks, crisps flavoured with salsa and mesquite, paprika, lamb and mint and even prawn crackers. And that means flavours such as chicken, smoky bacon, ready salted and beef have all been pushed down the pecking order. Richard Ellis, Whitbread Pub Partnership's commercial and marketing director, said: "Even where we lean towards traditional choices, new variations such as thick cut and pan fried, and new flavours from chicken and stuffing to curry are starting to win through against the old standbys. This survey will certainly give our landlords something to chew on." But it isn't just pub landlords who will have to think about the type of snacks they have on offer. Any host worth his or her salt has to spice up their act and provide snacks to impress the most discerning guest.

Whether you are inviting your friends round to watch the football on telly or going the whole hog with a cocktail party, crisps, peanuts and cheese and pineapple on sticks will not do.

If you really cannot bear the thought of any cooking or preparation then serve up a choice of organic crisps, pistachio and cashew nuts and Bombay mix.

Most supermarkets now sell a massive selection of snack foods with pretzels, corn snacks, and tortilla chips with delicious dips.

For a healthy snack option why not serve up crudites and dips -- chopped raw vegetables such as cucumber, carrot, cauliflower and celery are ideal.

These can be served with houmous, taramasalata, salsa, cream cheese and yogurt and cucumber dips.

For a more sophisticated gathering you may have to spend a bit more time in the kitchen.

If you are having a dinner party or even a modern version of that 1980's staple -- the cheese and wine party, then it may be worth splashing out a little on arrival drinks and snacks.

A bottle of champagne or sparkling wine with snacks to serve you guests as they arrive is always a nice touch.

The snacks can be as simple as bite-sized pieces of toast with the crusts removed topped with a selection of smoked salmon, cream cheese sprinkled with chives, creamed mushrooms, cheese with bacon bits, and even prawns topped with a small dollop of caviar.