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?

My favourite thread in ages. I have been taking notes. All I have to add is Geeta's premium mango chutney. It puts all other mango chutney on the shade. We end up having it with lots of stuff and could go through a jar in a week no problem.
@Cherrypi I'm planning how I'm going to cycle to Asda specially for the Advocaat chocolate bar, sounds right up my street, likewise @GellerYeller a trip to Sainsbury's specially for the chocolate cherries in liqueur.
@Rebelwithallthecause DH discovered Waitrose nduja paste just a few weeks before lockdown and then it was never in stock for approx 5 months at our local store, and only just reappearred two weeks ago. An nduja paste drought round here.
*@Readandwalk MS tinned steak has gone on our camping food list.

Lidl low GI bread from the bakery section.

Jamie Oliver's black dhal in a pouch. I've been having half a pouch with roasted veg for lunch. Really tasty.

Belazu Rose Harrissa.

Goes with meat, chicken, fish, veg. Or add to mayonnaise or sour cream. Or marinade chicken thighs or lamb chops in it overnight and then grill or roast. Or roast veg.

Have tried lots of cheaper rose harrissa, but this one is the best, but expensive, so buy it when on offer. I think most supermarkets sell it now.

www.belazu.com/shop/rose-harissa

Whole earth peanut butter, nutella, spread over a banana, then rolled into walnuts and frozen.
Its my little piece of heaven at the end of the week!!!

[quote Branleuse]osem chicken flavour stock. Ive only seen itin sainsbos.. Its accidentally vegan too if that helps anyone. my favourite stock for soups.www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/kosher/osem-chicken-soup-400g

Crucials yoghurt and mint dressing. You get this in iceland and poundland etc. Its brilliant. Its so cheap and is amazing in potato salads or on currys. Just like the ones you get in the takeaways. Its brilliant on nearly everything. Ive told loads of people about it.
groceries.asda.com/product/mayonnaise/crucials-yoghurt-mint-dressing-sauce/1000074099881

also, I feel like I almost shouldnt tell you in case it all gets bought up, but this is THE best bread ive found in the UK BAR NONE.
Amazing texture. Best toast ever. In fact do buy it so the company does really well and more supermarkets start stocking it, as so far ive only found it in larger sainsburies and waitrose. Its worth the money
www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/all-naans---meals-sides/crosta-mollica-pane-pugliese-italian-toasting-bread-400g[/quote]
I've had Crosta and mollica pizzas from Costco recently. They too are amazing and I say that as someone who is not really fussed about having Pizzas. Will have to look out for the bread in Sainsbury's

Manchego cheese from Aldi delicious grated for pasta and omelettes

Tesco jarred chipotle paste.

It’s smokey and spicy and makes food amazing. Chipotle mayo on a burger or with halloumi... add to tomato sauces for a smoky chilli kick...

It’s hands down the most flavour packed food item I’ve bought in forever.

Cheese lovers:
Montagnolo Affine, generally only in the deli counters - oh yes.

@LadyLovelyLockz

Tesco do these little nutty seedy bites. Like tiny sesame snaps with added bits & bobs, so good.

Oh yes! I love these too!!

Mine has to be the marmite peanut butter! Not so much a hidden gem but bloody addictive! One jar lasts a day with me and DH!!

Lidl's feta and cauliflower pies - so good!

I read the bond offering prospectus of Iceland some years ago (yawn) and learnt that their ambition was to become the UK's leading fishmonger (albeit frozen). With Icelandic owners, I figured that was credible, and being mostly pescatarian and often finding that frozen fish tastes "fresher" than the thawed version you find in Waitrose, I had to check this out!

Some of the best finds are:

1. 3 for £10 on packs of "natural" fish - the 4 tuna steaks and 2 seabass fillets are particularly delightful. The seabass is amazing roasted in aluminium foil parcels with ginger, salad onions and some soy sauce + basmati rice.
2. Lemon sole which you do in the oven with a squeeze of lemon over top - heaven whether served with home made oven chips or rice!
3. Frutti di Mare seafood mix which you simply pop in a frying pan with a lid for 7mins, and then serve over fresh egg pasta (it comes in a tomato/garlic sauce).

I'm sure there are loads of other tidbits too but these are the ones I keep buying again and again. They also do great value packs of staples like e.g. fish fingers but that you can also get in your regular supermarket so it's not a particular highlight, in my opinion.

Another vote for the crosta & mollica toasting bread.

Also sainsbury's world food aisle has fudco packs of just the nice stringy bits from Bombay mix! Which is fab because it saves me picking through and getting the unexpected horror of an accidental peanut.

Lidl's own brand jams 99p a Jar are yummy
Lidls freeway cola is just as nice as coke but only cost 42p
Lidl nappies and baby wipes

I love KeVita pineapple peach kombucha from sainsburys. If you haven’t had kombucha before, it’s like a probiotic sparkling iced tea. So delicious and refreshing, and good for you!
Lidl do the tastiest whole grain bread. Big thick slices. A loaf got left in a holiday cottage we stayed in as part of the ‘welcome pack’ and my mum refused to believe it was from Lidl 😂

I love Waitrose essentials. Their blackcurrant squash takes like ribena and their tea is just lovely.

Tesco 85% chocolate. Half the price of branded.

Yes I like the nutty granola.

@PolkadotsAndMoonbeams

Crispy onions, they're great sprinkled over a salad or soup, but I recently found (it was tipping it down with rain, I had wet hair, and for the sake of half an onion wasn't going to leave the house!) that if you soften them in a little oil and gently fry them, you can substitute them for an actual onion.

Where do you buy these?

Another vote for Geeta mango chutney.

Lidl stollen (at xmas, and in the weeks after buying then up)

Sainsbury’s choc chip cookie dough. A little oblong block in the fridge aisle next to the ready roll puff pastry.

Cut it into 8 pieces, Chuck in the oven for 10 mins and get the most delicious cookies.

Also side note, the Sainsbury’s own puff pastry is so much nicer than the jus roll stuff.

I second the Aldi chocolate with Prezel pieces, best chocolate around! I also love the aldi really nutty granola mixed with really nutty muesli for breakfast, also the fresh lemonade from the fridge section!

This thread was made for me!
Waitrose: own brand soya burgers, itsu vegetable bao buns, Crosta & Mollica pizza bases, Linda McCartney duck and own brand pancakes, taifun smoked tofu, Geeta’s mango chutney, Belvoir cucumber and mint presse, spice tailor Tarka daal.
Aldi: peppers in oil, vegan pizzas, peanut ice creams, vegan sausage rolls, sea salted crisps (copy kettle chips), beef flavour pea puffs (at the till), microwave grain mixes, nuts and seeds.
Morrisons: black and green olives in herbs (deli counter), Clay Oven Bakery garlic & coriander naan, Miami burgers, Bombay mix.
Tesco: Alt vegan lamb, mini veg sausage rolls, 32p garlic baguette, biscoff sandwich biscuits.
Asda: Rajah jeera ground cumin (best cumin ever).
M&S: popcorn cauliflower, sesame pretzel thins, chopped fruit mixes, vegan chicken and bacon pasta salad.
Co-Op: Gro vegan meatballs.
Sainsbury’s: jake and nayn chickpea naan, bean it veggie mince, Ugo stuffed butternut pasta, own brand three bean soup, naturli butter, hojiblanca olives, catnip treat biscuits.
I could go on...

venus22 I bought mine at Sainsbury's, but I think you can get them elsewhere. They're usually a brand called "Top Taste" and come in a plastic tub with a bright green lid.

Where do you buy these?

Ikea also sells crispy onions. 75p for 100g. They're very nice.