Sausage rolls, a picnic staple loved by all, are now available in a multitude of flavors. To fairly compare the offerings from various supermarkets and the Co-op, we decided to test the standard six-pack of sausage rolls. Out of their plastic packaging, they all looked quite similar, with Morrisons’ being slightly shorter and fatter than the rest. The descriptions of them all are also quite similar – ‘lightly seasoned pork’, either ‘encased’ or ‘wrapped’ in puff pastry.
While Aldi and Asda describe theirs as ‘golden puff pastry’, at the Co-op it’s ‘flaky’, Tesco’s is both ‘golden’ and ‘flaky’ and Morrisons’ is simply ‘light’. Sainsbury’s and Lidl are less descriptive, promising just ‘puff pastry’. In reality, most of them taste as similar as they look. However, there are a few minor differences that set them apart.
A couple of them – Lidl’s and Tesco’s – were described as ‘bland’ and ‘a little dry’ by our sausage roll tasters. Sainsbury’s were also a little bland, but praised for their texture and pastry to meat ratio. Others felt that Asda’s had too much pastry and not enough meat. The flavor of the meat was not popular with that one, likewise with Morrisons’.
When it came to overall texture and flavor, Aldi’s Crestwood pack and the Co-op’s offerings were the winners, with Aldi’s almost spicy pork and Co-op’s stuffing-like taste standing out. In terms of cost, Aldi offers a 360g six-pack for £1.49, while the Co-op sells a 330g pack for £2.30. However, the Co-op does have a 3 for 2 picnic offer which could save you a significant amount if you’re purchasing multiple items. But based on these factors, Aldi emerges as the victor with its 25p sausage rolls.
