Chicken nuggets: The working parent's answer to a speedy and fuss-free meal for their youngsters to enjoy. There's no doubt many of us looked forward to coming home from school to tuck into these golden treats with a side of beans and potato waffles - and even less doubt still that many still enjoy them in adulthood.
The freezer food has always been a go-to staple across the UK, renowned for its cheapness but an ability to still hold a decent flavour - with some supermarkets selling them for as little as 85p a bag.
And while they may not be the most extravagant of food items, they still pack a punch for their price point - with many preferring them over more expensive big name brands and freshly made products.
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But how do store bought 'nugs' compete with those you would get in your local McDonald's or KFC? Can the classic freezer option keep up in terms of texture and taste with those that you might find while eating out?
We headed to a number of different supermarkets to find out for ourselves, comparing price, taste and total value in our opinion. Here's what we found out.
Sainsbury's - £1.65
The cheapest chicken nuggets I tried on this list were none other than Sainsbury's own. Those on a tighter budget will have no doubt traditionally tried these through their infancy and they are pretty similar to most leading supermarket's own brand chicken products.
In totality, they are probably the smallest nugget on this list - but far from the worst in terms of taste and texture.
They're bread crumbed rather than battered like that of a McDonald's nugget which some may not like, however, I prefer this method of coating as it gives it that extra crunch rather than some soggy own brand products you might come across.
Taste wise, they're relatively fresh and have some flavour to them, but they are quite dry - so condiments are desperately needed unless you like the feeling of the Sahara in your mouth.
Score: A bang average 2.5/5
Lidl - £1.69
Although I'd never had chance to try them for myself, I had read a couple of rave reviews on these £1.69 nuggets, with many news outlets and YouTubers comparing them to the OG that McDonald's cook up - so I just had to buy a box and see if the hype was real.
Packaging wise, they look legit. The white and purple box matches that of the packaging from the Golden Arches, and they even come complete with sweet chilli and curry dips.
Upon opening the box also, they looked pretty similar in their frozen form - everything checked out apart from their price point of £3.30 less.
And it's safe to say that once out of the air fryer and into my mouth, the taste too was completely bang on. It has everything you could possibly want from a high-end chicken nugget - the fresh flavour, the crunchy coating and the filling feeling.
Absolutely ingenious from Lidl on this one - not only mimicking a product in appearance but also nailing down the taste too.
Score: Top marks - 5/5
Heron - £1.99
Similar to the Lidl product, many people have uploaded rave reviews of Heron's Xsell chicken range - swearing on oath that the flavours and texture of the nuggets alone are identical of the McDonalds nugget.
On first glance, I would never ever buy these due to packaging alone - if you didn't know the price point was £1.99 you would expect to find these in a bargain bin for 65p a pop. Loosely packaged in a plastic tray and sealed in a bag, they're not the most visually enticing products in the freezer section of Heron's.
And as far as tasting identical to that of a Maccies nug, I regret to announce that my experience of them was nothing alike whatsoever. Sure, the size of the products themselves are large and they look like an absolute steal when cooked golden brown, but the taste and filling of them simply doesn't match up to the tales I had heard.
Bang average, and pretty stale - I definitely wouldn't try them again, and definitely wouldn't believe everything you've heard online about them.
Score: 1/5
Iceland - £2.00
Iceland are the self-proclaimed king of freezer foods, so you would expect that they would have a decent own-brand chicken nugget on offer. However, in reality, they're a little bit hit and miss.
I would say that although battered and not bread crumbed, they're pretty similar to that of the Sainsburys own-brand product - just a littler larger in proportion. Although a reasonable size, they're nothing much to look at when out of the oven, as the batter turns a bit of a burnt colour rather than the ideal gold you would expect.
And although the chicken inside is rather succulent, it has that tinge of cheap processed meat as opposed to the fresh from the farm taste you're searching for. All in all, I would say that they're alright for £2 a bag, but they're very run of the mill and a tad disappointing.
Score: 2/5
Birdseye - £3.20
When you think of frozen chicken nuggets, chances are that you'll automatically picture the Birdseye range. Perfectly shaped and beautifully brown, they really do take you back to tea time in year 4, sitting round the table with your family telling tales of what you'd learned in history class.
There's not a great deal to say about Birdseye's chicken nuggets, or any Birdseye product for that matter - they are simply a household classic.
Sure, they're not as moreish and desirable as the ones you'll get at your local fast food chain - but they are very savoury and filling. Other retailers could learn from how they use fine bread crumbs to evenly coat the tender 100 per cent chicken breast, while not leaving your mouth as dry as a bright summer's day.
All in all, a real reliable product which you can always depend on to fill you up without any complaints.
Score: 3/5
What's your favourite chicken nugget brand? Let us know in the comments section.
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