Potato salad is a picnic staple, but which supermarket own-brand option is the best? A taste test evaluated four products from Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks and Spencer, and Waitrose based on flavour, potato-to-dressing ratio, and potato cooking.
Tesco's Potato Salad: A Sloppy Mess
Tesco's potato salad, priced at £1.25 for 300g, scored the lowest with 3/10. It had the worst potato-to-mayo ratio, with an overwhelming amount of mayonnaise and sour cream. The packaging claimed it included onions, chives and lemon, but the flavour was undetectable. The mayonnaise was thin and the potato lumps were small and disintegrated easily. The reviewer described it as 'a drowning, sloppy mess with more sauce than spuds'.
Waitrose: Underdone Potatoes
Waitrose's potato salad, at £1.30 for 300g, scored 5/10. It had significantly more potatoes than Tesco, but the potatoes were slightly underdone and hard. The small cubes had little potato flavour, and the mayonnaise dressing had a subtle onion taste but was too mellow. The mayo was thick, and the generous amount of potato in each bite was a positive, but it fell short of Sainsbury's and M&S.
Sainsbury's: The Flavour Champion
Sainsbury's potato salad, also £1.30 for 300g, scored 9/10 and was the clear winner. The dressing had visible flecks of herbs, and the chives and onions were clearly tasted, giving the 'punchiest' mayonnaise dressing among the four. It had a generous potato-to-mayo ratio, so it didn't feel drowned in sauce. According to the reviewer, 'If I had to choose which supermarket potato salad boasted the best flavour, Sainsbury's would win every time.'
M&S: Rich and Chunky
Marks and Spencer's Baby Potato Salad, at £2.80 for 300g, scored 8/10. It promised a 'rich and creamy' experience, with an almost whipped mayo that didn't slide off the potatoes. The potatoes were large chunks with skin on, cooked to perfection, making them the centre of attention. However, the flavour was more subtle compared to Sainsbury's. The reviewer noted, 'If you want a rich subtlety, M&S is the answer... if you're after a flavour bomb, it's Sainsbury's all day, every day.'
