In a surprising turn for the frozen food aisle, a major supermarket's own-brand offering has been declared the definitive champion of frozen chips, decisively outperforming established household names like McCain and Birds Eye. This teatime and dinner staple, a permanent fixture in freezers nationwide, has been subjected to rigorous scrutiny, with the results challenging conventional brand loyalty.
The Champion Chip Revealed
The Guardian conducted an extensive evaluation of supermarket frozen chips, assessing them on critical criteria including overall quality, flavour profile, and nutritional value. Topping the list with a flawless five-star rating are Morrisons' the Best triple-cooked skin-on chips. Priced at £2.85 for a 750g bag, these chips were lauded for their rich taste, achieving a perfect balance of a crispy, golden exterior and a delightfully fluffy interior.
The publication's reviewers emphasised the "excellent texture" of the Morrisons product, highlighting it as representing "remarkable value for money." These champion chips are crafted from British potatoes and feature a coating blend of maize, rice, pea flour, and dextrose, contributing to their superior finish.
Runners-Up and Budget Picks
While Morrisons claimed the crown, other contenders earned notable praise. The title for best budget option was awarded to Tesco's home-style straight-cut oven chips. Securing a three-star rating at £2.65 for 950g, they were recognised for "outstanding value," described as having a chewy yet crunchy texture with a sweet, earthy flavour.
In the premium category, Waitrose's No 1 frozen triple-cooked chips earned a strong four-star rating. Priced at £3.25 for 750g, these chips, cooked in beef dripping, were praised for being "perfectly even" and "really tasty," offering reasonable value despite the higher price point.
Also scoring four stars were Strong Roots proper chips (£3.75 for 750g), celebrated for a fluffy, delicious taste and a clean, simple flavour. Notably, they are among the few oven chips to hold B Corp certification, meeting elevated standards for social and environmental performance.
Koffmann's classic chunky chips (£3.50 for 800g) similarly received four stars, commended for a fresh taste and a homemade feel with a clean flavour profile.
How The Major Brands Fared
The review delivered more modest results for the traditional market leaders. McCain's naked oven chips straight cut managed only a three-star rating. Priced at £1.98 for 900g, these were described as having a "nostalgic 1980s-style" appeal with decent crunch, but were found to be moist and smooth rather than fluffy. The Guardian did note the "remarkable" simplicity of their ingredient list, containing just potatoes and oil.
Birds Eye crispy chips also achieved a three-star rating, retailing at £2.48 for 900g. While labelled "moreish" with a savoury-sweet flavour, they were critiqued for being closer in style to a french fry than a traditional British chip.
The Frozen Chip Conundrum and a Crispy Solution
The article acknowledges the undeniable convenience of grabbing a bag of frozen chips, though it points out a common frustration: their surprisingly long cooking times. Bunging them straight into the oven typically requires nearly thirty minutes before they are ready to eat, with the wait for the perfect crunch feeling like an eternity.
However, the piece concludes with a valuable culinary hack to achieve the crispiest frozen chips in record time. The simple trick involves giving the frozen chips a quick blast in the microwave before transferring them to the oven. Microwaving for approximately 90 seconds partially thaws them, which can slash the total cooking time from 30 minutes down to a mere 10 minutes, delivering that coveted golden crunch without the lengthy wait.
