Fish fingers remain a teatime staple, cherished by generations across Britain. Their enduring popularity has prompted every major UK supermarket to launch their own versions.
Reach's Brian Dillon put own-brand fish fingers from seven of the UK's major supermarkets to the test, alongside the well-known Birds Eye variety. To Brian's delight, after comparing them all, a 93p pack triumphed over both the household name and pricier alternatives.
Prices vary wildly, with some costing nearly £5 for just six fingers, while budget retailers offer around 10 for less than a quid.
In total, Brian gathered eight packs after visiting seven of the UK's leading grocery chains. He wanted to discover which truly stood out and, crucially, whether Birds Eye deserved its reputation for quality fish fingers.
While the household brand certainly delivered a decent product, it didn't claim the top spot in my tasting. Instead, a bargain pack emerged victorious, which came as quite a surprise, reports the Express.
Brian assessed the fish fingers on appearance and texture (each worth 5 points) and flavour (worth 10 points), scoring each one out of 20.
8. Aldi Everyday Essentials Fish Fingers 10 Pack
Price: £0.80 (10 pack)
Aldi frequently performs strongly in our taste trials, including our recent supermarket pork sausage comparison. Yet in this fish finger showdown, Aldi finished bottom of the pile. However, given they're amongst the most affordable in the range we tested, that counts for something. But the texture was far too firm, lacking any flakiness whatsoever. It left the mouth feeling somewhat dry, and the fish flavour was missing a certain depth. Though it's one of the budget-friendly choices, you can certainly tell.
- Appearance: 3.5/5
- Texture: 3/5
- Flavour: 6/10
- Final score: 12.5/20
7. Lidl Simply 10 Fish Fingers
Price: £0.80 (10 pack)
Lidl's fish fingers match Aldi's price point, and performed only marginally better. At 80p, there's not much room for complaint. Yet if we're judging purely on flavour, there's considerable room for improvement. The fish taste itself is rather pleasant, just fishy enough without going overboard. That said, the batter could pack more punch. The exterior doesn't deliver the crunch you'd hope for.
- Appearance: 3/5
- Texture: 3/5
- Flavour: 7/10
- Final score: 13/20
6. Iceland 28 (approx.) Breaded Fish Fingers
Price: £2.50 (28 pack)
With 28 fish fingers from Iceland now sitting in my freezer, Brian was banking on something truly delicious. Iceland is renowned for its frozen selection, after all, so his expectations were fairly high. These fish fingers didn't completely let the side down, though they could've been more flavoursome. The fishy taste is quite intense, perhaps excessively so. The breadcrumb coating has a decent texture, but you struggle to detect much flavour. When sliced open, the batter stretched before pulling apart, which wasn't particularly appetising.
- Appearance: 3/5
- Texture: 4/5
- Flavour: 7/10
- Final score: 14/20
5. Tesco 10 Cod Fish Fingers
Price: £1.99 (10 pack)
Tesco performed admirably in this fish finger taste test, narrowly missing out on a place in the top four. The breadcrumbs deliver a wonderful texture and great flavour, and the knife glides through effortlessly, though the fish itself could do with a slightly fresher taste. Taking both price and flavour into account, these represent decent value for money and would certainly make it into the shopping trolley again.
- Appearance: 4/5
- Texture: 4/5
- Flavour: 7/10
- Final score: 15/20
4. Waitrose Frozen Breaded Cod Fingers
Price: £4.50 (6 pack)
These were comfortably the priciest fish fingers in the entire taste test, particularly given that the box contained just six. That said, they were noticeably larger than the competition, which was a welcome bonus. The flavour hit immediately upon the first bite, though it faded rather quickly. The crunch and quality of the fish are plain to see, yet the flavour could have been a touch richer. At the steepest price point, they perhaps don't quite justify the cost.
- Appearance: 5/5
- Texture: 3.5/5
- Flavour: 8/10
- Final score: 16.5/20
3. Birds Eye 14 Breaded Fish Fingers
Price: £4 (14 pack)
Falling just short of the top two is the nation's best-known fish finger brand, Birds Eye. The texture is spot-on, and the flavour is genuinely enjoyable, though a little more fishiness wouldn't go amiss. The real highlight is the breadcrumbs — both their flavour and texture make an instant impression. At that price, there might be better alternatives out there, but there's no denying these are thoroughly tasty — and it's easy to see why the brand has earned such a loyal following over the years.
- Appearance: 4/5
- Texture: 5/5
- Flavour: 8/10
- Final score: 17/20
2. M&S 10 Fish Fingers
Price: £2.50 (10 pack)
Once again, M&S delivers the goods with its own-brand selection. These were absolutely delicious. The coating is spot-on, while the fish flavour comes through the moment you take a bite. There's also a pleasant aftertaste that lingers nicely. Crucially, it doesn't taste like it's been frozen, which is the real mark of quality here. It's no easy feat to make something from the freezer taste this fresh.
- Appearance: 3.5/5
- Texture: 5/5
- Flavour: 9/10
- Final score: 17.5/20
1. Sainsbury's 10 Breaded Omega 3 Pollock Fillet Fish Fingers
Price: 93p (10 pack)
Despite being among the most affordable options on the list, Sainsbury's fish fingers prove you needn't break the bank for decent quality and taste. The breadcrumbs pack a cracking flavour, while the fish hits just the right note of fishiness. It also boasts the finest texture of all the fish fingers tested, striking an ideal balance between a gentle crunch and smoothness, alongside beautifully flaky fish.
- Appearance: 4/5
- Texture: 5/5
- Flavour: 9/10
- Final score: 18/20
