A SCOTCH egg is the perfect addition to any summer picnic – or an ideal savoury snack at home when hunger strikes.
Despite the name, they’re not Scottish.
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Fortnum and Mason, the posh department store in London, claims to have created them in 1738 as a meal for travellers heading west from Piccadilly.
You can still buy a box of four from the fancy shop for £19.95.
These days, all of the supermarkets do their own versions, but which one is the tastiest and best value for money?
Natasha Harding tried six and rated them out of 30.
Tesco
- 2 scotch eggs, £1.09
- 54.5p per egg
- Per egg: calories, 280 fat, 17.8g sugar, 1.0g salt .72g
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A great price by Tesco for a nicely sized egg that was full of flavour – I liked the blend of onion and pepper in these.
They were as delicious when eaten cold or warmed making them good to take out, or have at home.
The reusable packaging is useful too and means that they stay fresh in the fridge.
- Taste: 9/10
- Value: 10/10
- Overall rating: 9/10
- Out of 30: 28
Sainsbury’s
- 2 scotch eggs, £1.25
- 62.5p per egg
- Per egg: calories, 281 fat, 18.2g sugar, 0.9g salt .77g
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A super tasty egg from Sainsbury’s that was nicely seasoned without being overpowering.
They were in the mid-priced range, but tasted more expensive – and looked very appealing.
The egg was particularly good and had a perfectly yellow yolk – and was well-covered with sausage meat and breadcrumbs.
I’d buy these again for sure.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
- Overall rating: 8/10
- Out of 30: 24
M&S
- 2 scotch eggs, £1.45
- 72.5p per egg
- Per egg: calories, 247 fat, 15.2g sugar, 0.3g salt .75g
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Full of flavour and I particularly loved the coating which was super crunchy and plentiful.
The egg was on the smaller size which wasn’t an issue as I enjoyed the ‘scotch’ part of the egg so much.
This one was particularly delicious when warmed and eaten with a salad as a light lunch.
However, you’re paying a premium price.
- Taste: 9/10
- Value: 6/10
- Overall rating: 7/10
- Out of 30: 22
Waitrose
- 2 scotch eggs, £1.50
- 75p per egg
- Per egg: calories, 294 fat, 18.9g sugar, 0.6g salt .69g
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The most expensive egg that I tried was also the biggest of the bunch.
The sausage meat was deliciously spiced, with ingredients including pepper, sage, nutmeg and paprika.
The egg was a good size too, but there were other options that were just as tasty without the hefty price tag.
I wouldn’t choose this one over some of the others due to the cost difference.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 6/10
- Overall rating: 7/10
- Out of 30: 21
Aldi
- 2 scotch eggs, £1.09
- 54.5 per egg
- Per 100g: calories, 260 fat, 8g sugar, 4.6g salt .75g
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A bit smaller than the others and also paler in colour.
Overall it was a bit bland – the sausage meat wasn’t as flavoursome and it didn’t have the oomph that some of the other eggs had.
However, these might be a good option for children or those who don’t like a strong taste.
They warmed through nicely and for the price are a good picnic staple.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 6/10
- Overall rating: 6/10
- Out of 30: 18
Asda
- 2 scotch eggs, £1.60
- 80p per egg
- Per 100g: calories, 260 fat, 8g sugar, 4.6g salt .75g
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Hmm, not impressed with these at all.
The coating fell apart when I tried to cut into them and there wasn’t much sausage meat inside – and what there was, was dry.
There was a strong taste of pepper which was a little overpowering.
The egg was a bit small too – and the whole thing was a bit of a disappointment – especially as they were the most expensive of the eggs I tried.
Not my favourite.
- Taste: 3/10
- Value: 3/10
- Overall rating: 3/10
- Out of 30: 9
How to save money on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
