MOST of us love a pig in blanket at Christmas… but which ones are the best value for money?
The Sun has tested the traditional treats from major supermarkets Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Lidl – and compared them with ones from posh supermarket Waitrose.
This year, for the first time, we’ve also included Amazon’s new “by Amazon” range in the tests.
We cooked the pigs in blankets according to their packet instructions and gave them a score out of ten for taste.
We also rated them out of ten for value, based on their price per 100g.
Here’s how the pigs in blankets scored out of 20 overall:
We were pleased to see Tesco has brought back its standard fresh pigs in blankets this year, which were about mid-range in price, at £1.13 per 100g.
These were decent cocktail sausages which came wrapped in a smoky, crispy bacon. Although they were a bit salty, they were very moreish.
For half the price of the Waitrose version, these would be perfect for a festive feast.
We were expecting Waitrose’s pigs in blankets to be top-notch, as they were more than twice the price of other supermarket brands – but we weren’t hugely impressed.
The meat looked pink and pale, which wasn’t appetising. And the sausage had a mushy texture and tasted unusually sweet. Although the bacon was thick and meaty, it tasted more like gammon than traditional crispy bacon.
We didn’t think these were worth the extra cost.
The Asda pigs in blankets were disappointing. The sausage was mushy and very cheap tasting, while the bacon was tasteless – and left a greasy feeling in the mouth after eating.
These were some of the cheaper ones we tried, at £1.08 per 100g, but it would be worth spending a few pennies more on another supermarket version.
These Morrisons pigs in blankets crisped up nicely in the oven and had a decent texture but didn’t have a strong taste. Both the sausage and bacon tasted similar – it was hard to tell the difference between them – so the whole thing was quite bland. It was also very salty.
We also weren’t impressed by how little meat you get for your money. This was the smallest version we tried, with a pack size of just 210g. It cost more as a result, at £1.31 per 100g.
These pigs in blankets from Sainsbury’s were one of the best ones we tasted. The sausage had a herby, sage taste, just like traditional sausage. And the bacon was very thin so crisped up nicely – although it also burnt easily.
At £1.25 per 100g, these were cheaper than fancier brands but just as good.
Aldi’s pigs in blankets looked a bit odd as the sausages were long and thin, with a small bit of bacon wrapped around the middle like a napkin ring.
The bacon was crispy and had a rich, smoky bacon taste – but unfortunately, the sausage was bland and lacking in seasoning.
At just 90p per 100g, these were the cheapest fresh pigs in blankets we tried. They weren’t amazing but they were pretty good for the price.
This year, Lidl hasn’t yet released any standard range fresh pigs in blankets – so we tested its frozen Party Time version. Although these were the cheapest we tried, at just 83p per 100g, they were disappointing.
The bacon was unpeeled from the sausages during cooking, so they fell apart. The bacon tasted a bit like plastic, while the sausages were bland and cardboard-like in taste. We wouldn’t recommend these.
Amazon’s pigs in blankets had really great sausages, which were packed with meaty flavour and traditional herbs like sage.
But the bacon was a disappointment – we could barely taste it, so it acted more like a crispy skin on the sausage than an extra layer of taste.
These were also more expensive than the supermarket brands, at £1.59 per 100g.
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
