Favorite store chain wins blind taste test of hot cross buns, beating Aldi and Lidl
A tough supermarket chain has beaten Aldi and Lidl to top spot in a blind taste test involving hot cross buns.
Yet both discounters ended up cheaper than the winner in the test by consumer group Which?.
Which? asked 73 shoppers to blind-taste luxury hot cross buns from nine supermarkets’ own brand lines to see how they compare.
Upmarket retailer M&S came out on top with its luxury fruit four-pack scoring a total of 76%.
Panelists noted that the rolls had a strong aroma, contained a generous amount of dried fruit and were sweet and moist.
However, at £2.10, or 53p per sandwich, they were the most expensive of all nine supermarket varieties.
Aldi finished in second place, with a score of 73% for the specially selected luxurious, fruity hot cross buns.
The £1.25 pack of four was renowned for its value for money, and the sandwiches for their appearance, aroma, taste and texture.
Their sweetness, moistness and texture were highly rated by 70% of panelists, while 60% said the spice had the right balance.
Which? said Aldi’s hot cross buns are a “delicious, cheap option”.
In third place was Asda’s Extra Special Extra Fruit Rolls, which cost £1.40 per pack and scored a 72% overall.
The amount of dried fruit in the sandwiches, the overall sweetness and texture were all highly rated by shoppers.
Nearly two-thirds said they had the right sweetness, although a third said they could have used more spice.
In joint third place were Sainsbury’s’ Taste The Difference fruity hot cross buns with a score of 72%.
The sandwiches, priced at £1.50 for a pack of four, were known for their fruit content, sweetness and texture.
About 50% said they liked the spice content, but 44% said they were too dry.
In fifth place were Tesco’s Finest hot cross buns, scoring a total of 71%, followed by Lidl and Morrisons in joint sixth place with 70%.
Co-op came eighth with a score of 69%, while Iceland scored poorly, with an overall score of 62%.
Which? also noted that sandwich sizes vary between brands, with Asda, Tesco and M&S’ being fat, while Aldi’s sandwiches were the lightest.
Waitrose hot cross buns were not included due to availability issues.
How can I save on my supermarket shopping?
There are plenty of ways to save money at your grocery store.
You can look for yellow or red stickers on products, which indicate when they are discounted.
If the food is fresh, eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money because you’ll be less likely to make hasty purchases when you go to the grocery store.
Choosing your own brand can be an easy way to save hundreds of dollars a year on your food bill, too.
This means ditching the ‘best’ or ‘luxury’ products and instead opting for ‘own’ or value-for-money lines.
Many supermarkets have shaky fruit and vegetable programs where you can get cheap prices if they are misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering 5kg boxes of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you could potentially get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers, which you can also use at the supermarket.
In addition, many municipalities offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
Natalie Hitchins, from Which?, said: “Nothing says Easter more than a hot cross bun.
“Whether you eat yours plain, roasted or generously buttered, they are a real seasonal favourite.
“The Luxury Fruited Hot Cross Buns from M&S wowed our panel with their sweet taste, mixed with a spicy twist.
“However, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, Aldi was a worthy second and offered excellent value for money.”
The Sun asked Aldi and Lidl for comment.
In other news: Which one? panel members conducted a blind taste test on caterpillar cakes, with Aldi coming out on top.
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