To ask about your hidden gems at the supermarket?

[CathTurnbull]

Just a bit of fun. I always end up buying similar food items in my weekly shop. Occasionally I’ll try something new and it’s really nice and I’ll continue to buy it. For example last week I bought some balsamic chutney from Morrison’s- it was so good I’ve added it to most sandwich fillings yum 😋

Have you bought anything new recently which you’ve been really impressed with?

This Thai curry paste is amazing. It’s a dry thick paste, (No water or fillers) made in Thailand and really hot! Also available in green version. Asda sell it

Oh my God, this is without a doubt the best thread I have ever read. Am literally going to go through post by post and write a shopping list. My contribution is Ben and Jerry’s non-dairy coconutterly caramel’d ice cream ( Vegan but totally delicious). Sainsbury’s own jasmine rice in a microwave packet is really nice if you like sticky rice. Tesco’s finest double chocolate muffins in the fresh bakery section I am told by my family are much better than any other muffin they have ever had.

@Honeyhoneyy

The absolute best thing I’ve found in recent years is the Danish pastries, pain au chocolates & croissants in the frozen aisle. Pop them in the oven for 20 minutes for a little breakfast/brunch treat. They smell amazing as they cook and taste delicious 😋

I discovered these last week too - frozen almond croissants and cinnamon whirls - delicious!

It's not particularly fancy although the price is but I got some plum and damson soft set jam in M&S last year that is beyond lush. I don't shop there often at all because there's not one near me but I was in one and thought I'd give the jam ago. I've bought it a few times since and it's definitely the best shop bought jam I've ever had.

Tesco ‘Love Beets’ no vinegar pouch. Resealable bag of ready to eat whole beetroots but without the vinegar. Delicious with sliced avocado sprinkled with black pepper. Sent my partner for uncooked ones but he came back with these by mistake. So glad he did.

Aldi Titan bars - their copy of Mars and far superior.

Aldi are horrors for discontinuing though. So far they've stopped 3-fruit marmalade and white chocolate cookies which were divine. If you find something you like, stock up!

I used to like Aldi "milky ways" they were nice

Sinclair Smokey Naga Sauce.

I'm addicted. Just picked it up on a whim in a big Morrisons years ago and love. It's slightly smokey, and very hot so you only need a little bit but not in an unpleasant way.

Then they just seemed to disappear. They were out of stock in store, online, everywhere! I'd been searching for about four years before DH managed to find some. Happiest girl in the world that day

Waitrose No.1 Malaysian Coconut & Lime Ice Cream
Manchego from the deli counter - expensive but worth it. Puts all other supermarket manchegos in the shade. 10x the flavour than say Aldi's

@Jedstre the Panang curry is to die for too

My Thai relatives all cook with ready made curry pastes, then add tamarind/fish sauce/palm sugar to get the sweet/salty/sour balance just right

For restaurant style Thai curry, you fry the paste in oil then add the coconut milk little by little, adding it slowly means the sauce gets that nice creamy thickness

Polish mustard from Sainsbury’s

Co-op do a lovely mulled wine

Cheddar and cracked black pepper muffins from Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference range. Utterly yummy toasted with butter.

Balsamic glaze. Used to get it from Aldi but they stopped doing it but bought a bottle in y and it’s transformed my salads 👌

*In sainsburys!

Accidentally picked up jars of Tesco own brand Aubergine Bruschetta & Mediterranean Vegetable Bruschetta just before lockdown. Delicious on crackers and rice cakes as a quick snack.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Prawn Linguine A ready meal I must confess to adoring!

@Ravenesque

It's not particularly fancy although the price is but I got some plum and damson soft set jam in M&S last year that is beyond lush. I don't shop there often at all because there's not one near me but I was in one and thought I'd give the jam ago. I've bought it a few times since and it's definitely the best shop bought jam I've ever had.

Ooh I’ve spotted that one but never tried it! I love their British Summer Berry Jam (I think it’s called). One time I went in and it was all but gone, just a few jars tucked at the back. Panicked and hoarded them all...it was back in stock the following week.

Durrer's Ginger Jam. B and M Bargains.

@Lifeisabeach09

Winiary brand Mayo

^^Yes, all my Polish friends swear by this brand.

Co-op Chardonnay Vinegar and Sea Salt crisps. Pricey at 1.70 for a large bag but are the best S&V crisps ever!!!! (As recommended on this site many moons ago.)

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Oh this thread 💕

M&S
I love their tortilla wraps, by far the nicest tasting wraps ever and so soft.

Little pots of sliced pink lady apples for dd who is 9, she loves them in her packed lunch.

Wasabi peas for ds. They come in a little tub and are a good snack.

Fried onion brioche burger buns, absolutely gorgeous.

Salted caramel rice cakes

Free range eggs with white shells just because.

I love food shopping, meal planning and prepping and of course eating it!

I second frozen croissants, they're amazing!

Morrison's sausage rolls and pork pies
ASDA mint chocolate bars, and their sweet chili crisps

I love cheese and red onion fresh batches from Morrisons.

Koka spicy noodles around 22p in home and bargains.

Veetee sticky rice in Asda, not a big fan of rice but I love the taste.

Northern dough pizza dough - found recently in aldi and it tasted so good. Not seen it since.

Crispy Shredded Chinese chicken - Iceland sell a huge bag made by Crown and it tastes similar to a Chinese takeaway!

Iceland - hot and spicy chicken strips and the fish bites are good.

Mayflower sweet and sour sauce from farmfoods/b&m for £1

I love fruity curry sauce from the chippy so bought a huge crate from amazon, have it quite often. Its made by Batchelors.

Squig sausage squares from morrisons/Iceland, fry with no oil for 3 mins each side, very tasty.

Frozen Paratha's from morrisons and asda, they go great with a curry or make a good kebab.

So many great things on this thread! I'll add: 7 Days Garlic Bake Rolls in the Polish section in Tesco and sometimes Home Bargains, thin crispy slices of garlicky bagel. Home Bargains is great for finding random gems cheaply, like the big tubs of crispy onions mentioned upthread, and is the only place around here I can get Henderson's Relish instead of Lea & Perrins. And Mr Toms @Swallowzandamazons ! Aldi chicken liver parfait, posh tasting and comes in one of those double packets so you can pace yourself without it drying out in the fridge. Another vote for Geeta's mango chutney, only wish it came in a bigger jar as it seems to last about one meal in this house. They used to do a lovely Lime and Chili chutney (sweeter than lime pickle) but not seen that in a while.

I try to avoid too much dairy, so like almond milk for cereal or smoothies. Usually buy alpro but had to get Morrison’s own brand the other day.. tastes just as nice and half the price

My find is beetroot pesto, earthy and smoky garlicky, lovely.

I noticed this in my local deli shop. Sounds delish. Do you just stir it into pasta?

This thread is fabulous!

I'm a hopeless cook and stick to the same boring things but I've been encouraged to add a few extras to my shopping list this week. Result!
Thank you to all posters on here