In the quest for the ultimate quick comfort food dinner, a head-to-head taste test of ready-made mashed potatoes from major UK supermarkets has crowned a surprising champion. The test, conducted by a parenting editor juggling a busy family schedule, pitted popular brands against own-label rivals to find the best combination of flavour, convenience, and price.
The Comfort Food Conundrum: Homemade vs. Ready-Made
While homemade mash is the ideal, the reality of modern life often calls for a quicker solution. Ready-made mashed potato, which can be microwaved in minutes, offers a practical luxury for busy households, making it easier to assemble family favourites like fish pies, cottage pies, or a simple side for sausages. The test was sparked by the need to find a more affordable alternative to the well-known Aunt Bessie's brand, which at £3 for a 650g bag often requires buying two to feed a family of four.
The Supermarket Showdown: A Detailed Breakdown
The investigation included frozen mash from Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl, Asda, and Sainsbury's, as well as a fresh option from M&S. Each product was assessed on cost per 100g, ingredient list, cooking time, and most importantly, taste and texture.
Aunt Bessie's Mashed Potato set the benchmark at £3 (46p/100g). With a simple five-ingredient list and a three-minute cook time, it earned a top score of 5/5 for its fluffy, soft texture and great taste.
Tesco's offering came in at £1.85 for 900g (20p/100g). It cooked in three and a half minutes and was praised for its good consistency, solid texture for pie toppings, and real mash flavour, scoring a strong 4.5/5.
Morrisons Mash (£1.60 for 750g, 21p/100g) had a minimal ingredient list but disappointed. It became very smooth and shrank upon cooking, with a cloying texture that required lots of gravy, resulting in a low score of 2/5.
The standout winner was Aldi's frozen mash. Priced at just £1.19 for a 700g bag, it worked out at 17p per 100g, making it the cheapest option tested. After four minutes in the microwave, it delivered a flavour-packed mash with a nice, bitable consistency. It matched Aunt Bessie's top score of 5/5.
M&S's fresh mash was the most expensive own-brand at 28p/100g (£1.25 for 450g). Initially creamy and well-seasoned, it became sickly over time, scoring 3/5.
Asda's mash (£2.05 for 900g, 20p/100g) was noted for being a great size for a family cottage pie. It cooked smooth, was flavourful without being sickly, and earned a 4/5 rating.
The Verdict: A New Champion for Value and Flavour
The overall conclusion was clear. While Aunt Bessie's remains a excellent product, the Aldi frozen mashed potato was judged to be just as good for a fraction of the price, coming in 29p cheaper per 100g. The test found it packed with flavour and possessing an ideal consistency.
The only noted drawback for the Aldi winner was the bag size. At 700g, one bag is insufficient for a family of four, while two bags (1.4kg) is too much, potentially leaving leftovers in the freezer. Despite this minor packaging quibble, for those seeking top-tier taste on a tight budget, Aldi's mash is the new comfort food champion.
