It's almost Easter, and with the cost of living crisis putting a dampener on many things in life, supermarket deals and discounts is something many of us are taking advantage of.
So when Marks & Spencer brought back its Easter Family Dine In deal, I just had to see if it was something worth spending money on this bank holiday weekend.
M&S claims the deal offers you "restaurant quality" food for just £20, serving four people, working out £5 per person, which is incredibly reasonable for an Easter feast.
The deal cost the same in both 2022 and 2021, so I was pleased that they kept the price the same – but then I realised you don't get a dessert anymore.
Instead, you can choose one main and three sides from a range of 15 dishes, which means you'll be spoiled for choice when it comes to menu combinations – but you won't be getting a sweet treat to end it on.
Even so, I was impressed by all the different dishes, and if anything found it really hard to commit. For the mains, you could pick, among others, a British Rump of Beef, British Pork Rib Roast, or Stuffed Scottish Salmon – but in the end, I went for the Bone-In Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder – an Easter classic.
For the sides, I went for Emperor Carrots & Red Onion with lemon and herb butter, Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes, and Beef Dripping Yorkshire puddings. The lamb also came with gravy, so I didn't need to worry about that.
Altogether this cost £20 as expected, and I was pleased to see I'd saved a respectable £7.65 in the deal. But in addition to the money-saving aspect, one of the biggest selling points with the Dine In deals for me is the minimal amount of effort they take.
The three items fitted perfectly in my oven, with the lamb taking an hour, and the others being put in at various times.
Now for the true test – can it really feed a family of four, as M&S claims?
I was slightly concerned when I unpacked the lamb, despite saying on it that it feeds for, as it looked quite small, and as I watched it shrink in the oven my worries just grew.
We were three adults, but after separating the joint into four, I wasn't sure it would be enough for us. That being said, there were lots of carrots, and I was confident about the number of roast potatoes.
The verdict
Comparing it to the promotional pictures, I'm certain it doesn't look as big – especially the meat.
However, when it came to tasting the food, there's no doubting it – this is restaurant quality. During the meal, I did a happy food dance, and it got a thumbs-up from the rest of the taste testers too.
In fact, it was so good we couldn't stop eating. We devoured the whole thing, all portions of meat, and potatoes – the only thing that was left were a few carrots.
I think we would have struggled if there was an extra person – unless it was a child.
It probably would have been more than enough to feed two adults and two children – but certainly not four adults who are hoping to indulge in an Easter feast.
That being said, we were left wondering if the food was just so good we couldn't stop because we were really full by the end of it. We could have left enough sides for another person but ended up finishing them just because they were so good.
I'm sure if you're looking at your daily recommended food intake, this meal is more than enough – but at Easter, I usually like to indulge.
However, I refuse to believe there was enough gravy for four people – especially when you have Yorkshire Puddings.
I was also disappointed by there not being a dessert, as that's just what I fancied after having such a delicious meal. That would have topped it all off.
We have contacted M&S to find out why they were taken off the deal.
What's included in M&S Easter Dine In deal?
You can choose one of these mains:
- Full on Flavour British Roast Chicken - £9.50
- Trimmed Rib of British Pork - £15
- British Rump of Beef (GF) - £15
- Bone in Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder (GF) - £15
- Boneless Middle Eastern Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder (GF) - £15
- Stuffed Scottish Salmon - £13
- Plant Kitchen Roast Butternut Squash & Spinach Pie (Ve) - £7
And three of these sides:
- Stuffing Pigs in Blankets (GF) - £4.50
- Emperor Carrots & Red Onion (V) £4
- Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes - £2.75
- 4 Beef Dripping Yorkshire Puddings - £2
- Cheesy Green Vegetable Bake (V) - £4.50
- Smashed Potatoes with Salsa Verde (Ve) - £4
- Spring Greens, Cavolo Nero & Peas (V) - £3
- Carrots, Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Fine Beans (Ve) £3
The M&S Easter Family Dine In launched on Wednesday April 5, and is available until April 10 at M&S.
Do you have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk
