Megan Geall
I am a huge, huge foodie. Call me a weirdo but food shopping is one of my favourite things and taking me to a supermarket or food hall is like taking a kid to a sweet shop. I love to spend money on trying new products, both food and drink; savoury and sweet (much to my parents dismay when they see my bank account, sorry!). Luckily for you, I’m here to review all the best new food products in the shops and advise which are the ones worth trying— and, of course, which to avoid…
My Foodie Week
I didn’t have the most exciting week in terms of foodie-supermarket adventures as I was lucky enough to spend two days in London this week, treating myself to a beautiful three-course Italian feast as well as an incredible waffle-based brunch!
This meant that this week my only new discoveries were in short trips to my closest supermarkets, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Though I did have one exciting surprise at my local petrol station shop as I stumbled across a product that I’ve been searching for for a while now. I know you guys will be excited about this one—keep reading to find out what you need to get your hands on!
Red Pickled Slaw
The flavour is fab and so versatile that it really would make a great addition to your weekly summer food shop.
Found in the fresh, chilled food section—alongside products such as coleslaw and potato salad—this pot of pickled slaw is a new addition to Sainsbury’s and I’ve quickly become a big fan. While it doesn’t particular sound appealing, the pot contains a mixture of cabbage, carrot, and spring onion, in a vinegar and chilli dressing.
Although it has a ‘hot’ label on the packaging, I really was pleasantly surprised at how good the kick of chilli was. Throughout the week, I used the product as a side dish to Asian meals, in both ham and chicken sandwiches and with BBQ meats. The flavour is fab and so versatile that it really would make a great addition to your weekly summer food shop. Spicy and crunchy, it ticks a lot of boxes.
Rating: 8/10.
You can buy it in store at Sainsbury’s or online here.
Mini Cheddar ‘Nibblies’: Cheddar and Smoked Paprika
On a quick trip into Tesco, I was tempted into an end-of-the-aisle purchase when I spotted this new Mini Cheddar product by Jacob’s! Coming in Cheddar and Smoked Paprika as well as Double Gloucester and Chive, I opted for the cheddar and paprika and hoped that the spice would not be disappointing.
The same size as other Mini Cheddar products, the pack is smaller than your average sized bag of crisps, meaning there aren’t many per pack. However, the packaging boasts that these products have 30% less fat than other baked cheese products and also come in at 76 calories per pack.
“They have a lovely smokey and spicy hint to them…”
I was very intrigued to try these and compare them to previous Mini Cheddar products and the main difference was the texture. Mini Cheddar Nibblies are softer and more crumbly but that it isn’t necessary a negative thing as I surprisingly liked this change. Thankfully, the paprika flavour did not fail me! They have a lovely smoky and spicy hint which doesn’t overpower the cheddar taste. Overall, I loved these as a quick snack but I wouldn’t pick these up as a replacement for a good bag of crisps as there just aren’t enough in a pack!
Rating: 7/10.
Buy these in store at Tesco or online here.
Hot and Spicy Cocktail Sausages
Picnic season is upon us! And wow, have Tesco got a winner with this new summer product. A twist on an ultimate picnic classic, these cocktail sausages will take your picnic feast to a new level if you’re a spice-lover like me.
Simply, these are pork sausages seasoned with smoked paprika and crushed chilli that actually gives them great heat in every bite. You can definitely feel the spice in your throat without it being too hot that you need a drink with them! There isn’t much more to say about these than: YUM.
Rating: 10/10.
Buy them in store at Tesco or online here.
White Chocolate Smarties
Yes, this is the big one. I have been searching for these for weeks! Ever since their release, I have been desperate to get my hands on these new Smarties. They combine my two favourites: white chocolate and smarties (I still have no idea how they make them so addictive?!).
One of my biggest questions was: why didn’t they make these sooner? It is such a simple swap and it definitely got me excited to try them as a white chocolate lover.
“…I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you these were different to normal smarties.”
Sadly, I was kind of disappointed and I realised why they didn’t make these sooner—because they don’t really taste any different. They have a slightly creamier taste when you focus on the taste of the white chocolate. However, if it was a blind taste-test, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you these were different to normal smarties. As a product that I was super excited to try, it ended my foodie week on a sour note. While they were still as tasty and addictive as normal smarties, as a new white chocolate product, these were disappointing
Rating: 4/10.
I actually found these in my local shop, however you can buy them in Asda. Try them and make your own judgement!
Featured image courtesy of Jojo Yuen (sharemyfoodd) on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.
Megan Geall
Megan is a 23-year-old recent English and American Literature graduate and aspiring journalist. Her interests include food, fitness, lifestyle writing and dance!
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