My first food memory is my dad telling us to eat everything on our plate. I think he thought that was good parenting. But one day, my brother didn’t really like what he was eating and was sick everywhere. He probably willed it on a bit to say, ‘Now look what you’ve done!’
My mother was a good cook. And my stepdad really did try [Sanders’ parents divorced when she was two]. He had about four dishes on rotation. But I went vegetarian aged 13 and they thought I was doing it for attention, so they were like, ‘You can make your own dinner, then.’
Growing up in Broadstairs, Kent, my friend Jules and I used to run home from school to make pasta ‘al dente’. Because we didn’t have time to cook the pasta properly. We’d just have it with tomato and cheese. Then we’d eat Instant Whip for pudding. It was so unhealthy.
Our biscuits were rationed at home. It was unbelievable, like there was a war going on. Two Bourbons a day! As a teen, when your hormones are going everywhere, you feel you need chocolate. Food is our first addiction, because it’s what you can get your hands on.
I used to love Secret bars. They had thin strands of chocolate and a mousse inside – I like a few things going on at the same time with food, a bit of a party. Oh my god, they were good. I can’t believe they don’t do them any more. It’s a crime.
Lou loves Australia for its roadside refreshments
I’m vegan and would hate to eat meat now. Someone gave me the wrong burger the other day, and I was sure it was made of meat. But the guy told me it was definitely plant-based. It was meat, and I was sick on the spot. I don’t want death inside me.
I don’t mind those fake-meat products, as long as they don’t taste too much like meat. Although some of them are ultra-processed, with over 30 ingredients. Which can’t be good at all.
I cannot believe we live in a world where people can just add raw onion to stuff without asking. It’s insane. I mean, really, why would you put this stuff on food that’s like a stink bomb, and lingers around for three days and smells of BO?
On tour I get so bored of having the same breakfast at different hotels. Hash browns, rubbish vegan sausage, beans, tomato and mushroom. I get fed up with service stations, too. I went to Australia a few years ago, and their service stations are incredible, with lots of salad and fresh juice. Ours are a rip-off and just serve a load of old muck.
Lou would end her last supper with a sticky toffee pudding
My comfort food would be vegan spaghetti bolognese. But fish still turns my head. I do miss mussels and clams. I used to miss prawns, too, although ripping off the head does seem a bit barbaric.
I always have oat milk in the fridge, and Lurpak does a good vegan spread. I’ll have non-alcoholic wine in there too. I sound like a right laugh, don’t I?
I was too obstreperous when I drank and I had to choose my career or drinking. I chose my career. But when I did drink, and was veggie, eggy bread covered in salt was my hangover dish.
I’m an intuitive cook – I don’t like recipes and prefer to make it up. The last thing I cooked was a sort-of rice noodle stir fry.
My last meal would be tapas to start then, because I could eat as much as I want, I’d have a vegan spaghetti bolognese and a vegan carbonara. Then a vegan sticky-toffee pud with ice cream.
Lou is on her No Kissing In The Bingo Hall tour (for tickets visit lousanders.com) and stars in Prime Video’s Last One Laughing
