There’s no shame in swapping fresh, homemade dinner items for frozen alternatives, especially at Christmas.
While some people will argue there’s nothing better than glass-like roasties made from scratch, those short on time or yet to master the perfect recipe can always rely on supermarket products.
Frozen roasties offer a convenient, cost-effective and high-quality alternative to those made from raw spuds at home, but which ones are the best?
A new taste test by Which? has revealed the most delicious roasties in the frozen aisle. The test compares major potato brands McCain and Aunt Bessie with their supermarket own-brand rivals.
Family favourite McCain scored poorly on the panel of 65 taste-testers, ranking the McCain Triple Cooked Roasts last. But which roast potatoes won?
Best frozen supermarket roast potatoes
1. Aldi and Marks and Spencer
Two supermarkets shared the top spot but Aldi had a slight edge with a Which? ‘Best Buy’ award for its “great value” frozen roasties.
Aldi’s Specially Selected Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes (£2.49 for 1kg) and M&S Maris Piper Roast Potatoes (£3 for 800g) scored 74 percent out of 100 for their aesthetic look, crispy exterior, and “hit-the-spot texture”.
The flavour of each was generally well-received, too, though a stronger taste would’ve made these potatoes even more popular.
Unsurprisingly the M&S spuds are more expensive than Aldi’s offering, but come in about average price of all potatoes on test.
2. Aunt Bessie’s
The iconic brand scored 72 percent for the Duck Fat Roast Potatoes (£4.50 for 700g) but stunned 80 percent of taste-testers with their appetising colour.
According to Which?, the crunchy outside and good inside consistency were popular with most, but the flavour was less enjoyable than the top picks. Nearly half of the panel liked it, but a third said it was too weak, and 42 percent said the insides were dry.
Aunt Bessie uses duck fat, unlike all the other potatoes on the test, which use beef fat. They’re also the priciest on the test and are best on special offer.
3. Morrisons
The Best Beef Fat Roast Potatoes (£2.75 for 800g) scored 71 percent on the test, with top marks for the texture of the insides. Half of the panel deemed the crispy outside just right but a crunchier bite and a stronger flavour would’ve upped the score of these potatoes.
4. Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Maris Piper Roast Potatoes with Beef Dripping, Taste the Difference (£2.95 for 1kg) scored 71 percent in the taste test, remarked as “nice-looking potatoes with a generally liked texture, inside and out”. Some claimed the spuds lacked flavour, however,
5. Tesco
Tesco’s Finest Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes (£3 for 800g) match M&S in weight and price but scored lower at 71 percent. Described as a good all-rounder, the beef dripping roasties lacked flavour, though the texture was well-liked by reviewers.
6. Co-op
Co-op Irresistible Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes (£3.40 for 750g) are more expensive than M&S but lack crunch. Though well-reviewed for their look and centre texture, only half of the panel liked the crispiness.
7. Waitrose
The upmarket retailer scored just 70 percent for its Frozen Roast Potatoes in Beef Fat (£2.75 for 800g). Two-thirds liked the look of these spuds and enjoyed the texture of the inside, but the outside was less popular, with calls for a crispier texture and stronger flavour.
8. Asda
Asda’s Extra Special Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes (£2.75 for 800g) were deemed lacklustre compared with other potatoes on test. While the inside texture was enjoyed by more than half of the panel, a similar proportion found the outsides lacked crispiness, and nearly half wanted a stronger flavour.
9. McCain
The renowned family brand scored 60 percent for its costly Triple Cooked Roasts (£3 for 700g). Described as unappetizingly pale with a too-weak flavour, they lost marks for their lack of crispiness.
