As prices continue to rise for pretty much everything, we've been testing whether 'value' supermarket essential items are really any different to the more expensive brands.
Cereal is something many shoppers buy consistently, especially for those who have kids in the house. It's a staple grocery item we all need, but some cereals can end up costing upwards of £2.
Depending on the size of your family, cereal is an item that some people get through really quickly. Picking up a couple of boxes of cereal could set shoppers back quite a bit, depending on the brand.
READ MORE: We tried cheap milk from Sainsbury's, Morrisons & Iceland
We decided to try supermarkets' own brand cereal from Aldi, Morrisons and Asda to see if there's really any point in splashing out extra cash on big name brands. Or does it all just taste the same?
There's nothing like saving a bit of money on your weekly shop. Even if it ends up being a couple of quid saved, every little helps when we're in the midst of a cost of living crisis. Here's what we found:
Aldi Harvest Moon Crisp Rice
I'm not much of a cereal person, or a breakfast person really - unless it involves going to a restaurant. Most days I don't have much time to eat breakfast, so I've gotten into the habit of grabbing things to eat on the go.
That means when I do take the time to eat cereal I like to make sure I've picked one I love and know I'll enjoy. This week, we decided to try budget cereal from our local supermarkets, however, and I opted to nip into Aldi to see what I could find.
The shelves were stocked to the brim with Aldi's own brand cereals, so much so that it made it hard to choose. After spending a good five minutes panicking over which one to try, I settled on Aldi's Harvest Moon Crisp Rice - with a dupe of Rice Krispies you can't go wrong, right?
Wrong. While the box of cereal was large and would no doubt last a while, the cereal proved disappointing when it came to taste and texture.
The cereal did a subtle snap, crackle and pop when I added milk - though nothing like the real thing - and quickly became a soggy mess. Things only got worse when I tasted the product and there was just nothing to it. It was like eating tiny pieces of mushy cardboard.
Price: 75p
Where to buy: Your local Aldi store
Rating: 1/5
Asda Bran Flakes Cereal
I love cereal, I eat it like it's practically a dessert. Though I rarely have time to indulge in a proper breakfast of a morning, it hasn't lessened my passion for the sweet treat.
I'm quite an obsessive person and will usually pick the same brand and type of cereal for weeks and weeks on end, before growing tired of it and moving on to a new favourite. Currently, I'm on a Strawberry Crisp phase - it comes in a disappointingly small box and doesn't last long in my house - so I was keen to try a more cost-effective cereal offering.
I ventured to my local Asda store to peruse the shelves, on the hunt for something tasty yet reasonably priced. The retailer's Smartprice range was seriously depleted, so I opted for a large box of Asda's own Bran Flakes, which cost £1.20 for 1KG. Though more expensive than its Smartprice offerings, I still thought this was excellent value.
I know Bran Flakes are a controversial cereal, with many people lamenting they taste like cardboard but I wholeheartedly disagree. They're sweet, they're crunchy and they're filling - that's a cereal win in my book.
Asda's own Bran Flakes are completely delicious. They taste just as good as more expensive brands and the generous box size means they'll last a long time, too.
They taste high quality and don't dissolve into a soggy mess when doused in oat milk (oat milk on cereal is the future, trust me). I will absolutely be making a permanent switch to Asda's own Bran Flakes and will swerve any pricier brands now!
Price: £1.20
Where to buy: Asda stores or online
Rating: 5/5
Morrisons Wheat Biscuits
I'm a huge cereal lover and eat it every day without fail. My usual go-to is Weetabix's Chocolate Chip Crispy Minis, but I decided to switch it up and try a more affordable alternative. I was really impressed with the selection of own brand cereals at my local store, with plenty of purse-friendly dupes for popular big name brands.
Although I couldn't find an own-brand version of my beloved everyday breakfast, as a Weetabix fan I was intrigued by Morrisons' Wheat Biscuits. A box of 24 costs £1.79, making it great value. For comparison, a 24-pack of Weetabix currently costs £3.25 at Morrisons.
I was impressed by the cereal and couldn't believe how much it tasted like my usual branded favourite. The only real difference is in the price, as the Morrisons option tasted just as good as the household name brand. I would definitely buy it again and would choose it over the more expensive option.
Price: £1.79
Where to buy: Morrisons stores or online.
Rating: 4/5
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