When it comes to a simple weekday lunch or dinner, is there anything more reliable and easier than a tin of spaghetti hoops?
Whether they are slapped over some hot buttered toast for a fuss-free dinner or as an accompaniment to a full weekend fry-up, it's hard to deny their versatility.
And, as we all know, that when it comes to some good old spaghetti hoops, there is one brand that dominates the market - and that would be Heinz.
Like the classic comfort dish itself, the British food brand has become iconic in its own right and can usually be found in pretty much every cupboard across the country.
From iconic products such as tomato ketchup, baked beans and tinned soup, the food brand is arguably the go-to choice for a lot of us.
But, with the rising cost of living affecting our regular shopping habits, many of us may be looking for own-brand versions of our favourite products to cut back on costs.
So, naturally, I decided to see if there was a cheaper alternative of the tinned cupboard staple that may be worth making the switch to.
While one 400g tin of Heinz spaghetti hoops comes in at around £1, some supermarket versions can be priced as low as 28p - and there's even one at 13p.
And, as my mum always says, every saving you can make is worth it.
I visited Asda, Sainsbury's, M&S and Morrisons where I managed to grab their own-branded tins of spaghetti hoops to compare against the mighty Heinz.
Armed with a few days worth of spaghetti hoops on toast, here is how I got on...
Heinz
I decided to start this taste test off - and my week of dinners - with the O.G of spaghetti hoops to set the standard that the rest needs to compete with.
Heinz has been a staple in my cupboard since I lived with my family and - as I previously mentioned - there is nothing more simple or reliable than a dinner of spaghetti hoops on toast.
And true to my childhood, Heinz once again didn't disappoint me. The sauce was rich and flavourful, and there were lots of hoops in the tin - making it worth the full £1 I spent.
Memories of my childhood and simple university day meals makes this comforting nostalgic brand hard to beat, but how do the others fare?
Price: £ 1 for 400g
Rating: 5/5
M&S Spaghetti Hoops
When it comes to excellent quality food, everyone knows that M&S is the one that is hard to beat.
Luckily, this large tin of hoops cost just 40p for the exact same size as a tin of Heinz - but what of the taste?
First things first, I will admit that there didn't appear to be a major difference between how M&S and Heinz's beans looked, though the colour was just that tad bit darker.
As for the taste itself, these hoops were just that slightly softer and the sauce was just that little bit sweeter than the richness of Heinz.
Does it make them bad? No, not by a long shot, as they were still enjoyable on a slice of hot buttered toast.
All in all, if you were looking for a cheaper alternative to Heinz, then M&S give it a good-go and are a worthy addition to your cupboard.
Price: 40p for 410g
Rating: 3/5
Morrisons Savers Spaghetti Loops
I have very rarely purchased anything from Morrisons Savers range, so I was going into this one completely blind - which is usually a good thing.
At just 13p for a 410g tin, they tied with Sainsbury's for the cheapest option out of the whole bunch. Like many supermarket own-brands, it comes in quite a basic packaging.
On first impressions, much like M&S, it didn't look like there were any immediate differences between the two brands that were sticking out to me.
However, after one bite, I did notice quite a stark difference between the supermarket and Heinz. Morrisons spaghetti loops were slightly chunkier and a little rubbery.
I did also notice that the texture of the sauce was slightly more watery and were, once again, slightly sweeter. Actually, I think these ones were sweeter than M&S - not really to my liking.
Again, if you're after a simple tin of spaghetti hoops on toast or something to accompany your fry-up, then this 13p tin is fine, but don't expect to be blown away.
Price: 13p for 410g
Rating: 2.5/5
Asda Smart Price Spaghetti Loops
When it comes to grabbing yourself some household essentials and staples for less, not many do it as well as Asda's Smart Price range.
While I am aware that the supermarket's value range is set to be replaced with their new Just Essentials range this May, I still decided to pick up a tin to see if they were worth it.
Out of all of them, this simple tin comes in what is arguably the blandest packaging - which, luckily, does not extent to the overall taste.
Now, I will be honest, I do think that Asda's sauce was overall slightly thicker and stodgier when compared to the smoothness of Heinz. That itself may or may not be to everyone's taste.
I also noticed that the tomato sauce wasn't as sweet as the previous own-branded versions and was a little more on the tomato-y side, which I personally preferred.
At just 16p for a 395g tin, I certainly wouldn't complain at the pennies you could save by making the switch.
Price: 16p for 395g
Rating: 4/5
Sainsbury's Hubbard's Foodstore Spaghetti Rings
Last, but certainly not least, was the final tin for the week which was from supermarket chain Sainsbury's.
I'll be honest, when I think of cheaper prices, Sainsbury's are not always the first option that comes to my mind, but the supermarket has been impressing me recently.
And it looks like that has been the case once again, as their budget friendly own-brand tin of spaghetti hoops definitely made the wait worthwhile.
At just 13p for a 400g tin, they tie with Morrisons for the cheapest option, but these ones certainly don't taste cheap, not at all.
The sauce was rich and less sweet than Asda's and Morrisons (finally!) meaning they were bursting with the tomato flavour that I know and love from spaghetti hoops.
Also, they get bonus points for having the largest amount of hoops to sauce ration, meaning that you weren't getting a watery mess poured over your plate.
At 87p cheaper for the same size tin, I have to admit that Sainsbury's gives Heinz a rather good run for their money for the classic comforting dish.
Price: 13p for 400g
Rating: 5/5
Overall verdict
Once it was all over and done, I think that I can honestly say that I would switch to Sainsbury's the next time I am craving some spaghetti hoops on toast.
Between the great price and full flavour, this really was an easy choice for me.
87p may not seem like a major saving, but it may help you stick to a budget over time.
While Morrisons were also priced at 13p, their spaghetti hoops couldn't match the flavour of Sainsbury's.
I couldn't sniff at M&S either, but at 40p they were the dearest of the supermarket own-brands, leading me to think that their soft and sweet spaghetti hoops came last on the list.
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