Food writer Sophie Harris has compared six instant porridge pots from major supermarkets, and a 37p Aldi pot came out on top, beating Quaker's £1.30 version. The results varied widely, with scores ranging from 2/10 to 8/10.
Sophie usually makes porridge with milk, so she prepared each pot following the packet instructions using boiling water instead. She rated them on flavour, texture, creaminess, consistency and overall enjoyment.
Aldi's budget pot takes first place
Aldi's Original Porridge Pot scored 8/10, making it the most enjoyable of all the pots tried. Despite not looking like anything special on first impressions, the porridge had a pleasing texture and enough flavour to be enjoyed without added sweeteners. It had a subtle creaminess and came closest to replicating the porridge Sophie would typically make at home with milk.
Tesco's Instant Oats Original porridge pot scored 6/10. Sophie said the consistency was good — reasonably thick and satisfying — though she found it slightly too sweet given that she hadn't added any sweeteners. She noted the pot itself felt a touch too flimsy for her liking.
Quaker and Sainsbury's mid-table
Quaker Oat So Simple Original Porridge Pot also scored 6/10. Sophie went in with reasonably high hopes as the brand she most closely linked with instant porridge. It was prepared in around two minutes and tasted decent, though she could tell it had been made with boiling water instead of milk. She appreciated the suggested fill line, which several other pots lacked, but was not convinced the price matched the flavour and consistency.
Sainsbury's Porridge Pot Original scored 4/10. The oats still felt undercooked even after leaving them for the recommended time, and the texture turned rather gloopy. Sophie said this was a real let-down, particularly as she is usually a big fan of their own-brand products. Their own-brand loose oats, however, remain her firm favourite.
M&S and Waitrose disappoint
M&S' Traditional Porridge Pot came bottom with 2/10. There was no fill line provided, leaving Sophie uncertain about how much water to add. She found the oats to be really claggy, and while they were creamy, the pot completely fell short for her.
Waitrose's Original Porridge Pot scored 3/10, landing near the bottom of her rankings. Sophie had anticipated their offering would fare considerably better. It had a slight creaminess, but was lumpy and unpleasant to consume. As one of the priciest pots in the taste test, her expectations had been far higher.
