In a head-to-head taste test of five frozen chip brands, one supermarket own-brand emerged as the winner, offering superior crispiness, fluffiness, and flavour at a fraction of the price of market leader McCain. Express journalist Shania King-Soyza tested chips from McCain, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Lidl, and Marks & Spencer, cooking them all in a deep fryer with vegetable oil and tasting them plain before adding salt and pepper. She also enlisted her family of nine to provide their opinions.
How the Test Was Conducted
Each bag of chips was cooked for the same duration, with extra time given only to brands that needed longer to crisp up. All chips were fried in vegetable oil to ensure their natural flavours were not masked. After sampling them plain, Shania seasoned them with salt and pepper. The chips were judged on crispiness, fluffiness, flavour, and visual appeal, with scores out of five.
Sainsbury's Stamford Street Food Co Chips - 1/5
Coming in last place, Sainsbury's chips scored poorly on crispiness (1/5) and fluffiness (2/5). Despite being affordable at £1.65, they were described as "stodgy" and lacked crunch. The flavour scored 3/5, and visual appeal was 1/5. Sainsbury's rebranded its Basics range as Stamford Street Food Co in 2023 to help customers find affordable products more easily.
Marks & Spencer Homestyle Chips - 3/5
Priced at £2.90, M&S chips excelled in crispiness (5/5) and visual appeal (5/5) but disappointed in fluffiness (2/5) and flavour (2/5). They were described as resembling chunky French fries with a hollow interior and an oily taste. Despite their premium look, they failed to deliver on substance.
Lidl Harvest Basket Homestyle Chips - 3.5/5
At £1.59, Lidl chips offered a reasonable crunch (5/5) and moderate fluffiness (3/5) and flavour (3/5). They were positioned as a middle-ground option. Shania recommended trying Lidl's skin-on fries at £1.89 for a richer taste.
McCain Home Chips - 4/5
McCain, the nation's leading chip brand since 1957, scored highly on fluffiness (5/5) and visual appeal (4/5) but only 3/5 for crispiness and flavour. At £3.20 a bag, they were the most expensive. Shania noted that while the interior was cloud-like, the crunch was lacking, and the flavour did not stand out.
Aldi Four Season Homestyle Chips - 4.5/5
Winning the taste test, Aldi's chips at just £1.45 were praised for their exceptional flavour (5/5), visual appeal (5/5), and balanced crispiness (4/5) and fluffiness (4/5). Shania was surprised by their quality, noting the inclusion of paprika and curcumin powder gave them a moreish taste without being overpowering. The chips were described as the perfect all-rounder, striking an ideal balance between crunch and fluffiness.
Overall, Aldi's chips outperformed McCain in both taste and value, costing £1.60 less per bag while delivering superior flavour and a satisfying texture.
