There's nothing like a bit of mayo to dunk your chunky chips into, but sometimes, the big brands can come at a cost.
Take Hellmann's for example, a big 800g jar of that from Ocado will set you back £3 which is pretty expensive for a condiment. As part of our cost of living series, we're taking a look at 'value' products from different supermarkets to see if they're any different to the big branded products.
We've already tried teabags, coffee, beans and cheese to name a few, and now it's time to try out a staple condiment that we've all got tucked away in our cupboards. As consumers we are often drawn to 'extra special' branding, forking out more money for items that may taste exactly the same as a budget version.
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Is it really worth it? Or are 'value' brands just as good as the more expensive brands? This week, we purchased 'value' mayonnaise from Aldi, Asda and Sainsbury's to see if there was any real difference in terms of taste and value.
Asda Smart Price Mayonnaise
Asda's cheapest mayonnaise comes in at a purse friendly 49p for a 500g bottle. In comparison, its next level up own brand mayo is 75p and a similar sized bottle of 'Heinz Seriously Good Mayonnaise' will set you back £2.29 at Asda.
As expected the packaging is fairly basic, with a white label featuring a picture of two eggs and some blue writing. But I'm happy to save on fancy packaging if the flavour is good. I tried a blob before putting it on a sandwich, to see how it tasted and I have to admit it was quite vinegary. In fact, it reminded me more of salad cream.
When it was squeezed and spread onto a ham sandwich it didn't taste quite so vinegary, but it didn't really taste like much at all. It had quite a thin creamy consistency, but the flavour just got completely lost. My children, who don't even like mayonnaise, tried some and said they couldn't taste it either. Sadly it won't be a switch for me.
Price: 49p
Rating: 2/5
Where to buy: Asda stores or online
Aldi 'Bramwell' Mayonnaise
I'm a big lover of mayo, usually I'm not too fussy and opt for an Asda 'light mayonnaise' which is a step up from the above mentioned Asda Smart Price mayonnaise. I tend to have mayonniase with a lot of meals, even ones you wouldn't imagine would go well with it, but it always seems to work!
I've got to say, I was really impressed with the Aldi's own brand mayonnaise. To me, it tasted just like Hellmann's, if not better, because it was really creamy. The first initial taste I'd say was quite eggy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, then the creaminess came through and it tasted so good.
I paired my mayo with (of course) some chips, and it tasted spot on. It was quite a strong flavour, but that's exactly what I love about mayo. For 69p, it's such a bargain considering it tastes so much like the real deal. I'll definitely be swapping to this one, no doubt about it.
Price: 69p
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Your local Aldi store or online.
Sainsbury's Real Mayo
I always have to have a bottle of mayonnaise in my house, as I enjoy the sauce with many things, whether it's a crispy salad or to dunk my chunky chips into. I've enjoyed Aldi's Bramwell mayo for years, and so I'm used to not having Hellmann's and don't miss it in the slightest.
I'd never tried Sainsbury's Real Mayo before, so I was intrigued to give it a go. Priced at £1, it's the most expensive mayonnaise we've reviewed, but it was the cheapest available at the store. I decided to have the mayonnaise with some chunky chips that had been lightly salted and drizzled with vinegar.
The mayo is a thick, creamy consistency and had a nice flavour. However, I'd say Aldi's mayo tasted more like Hellmann's than Sainsbury's version, so I'll be sticking to Aldi's!
Price: £1
Rating: 3/5
Where to buy: Your local Sainsbury's or online.
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