Matt Davies compared seven instant porridge pots from popular supermarkets against Quaker. The results ranged from overly sweet and watery to thick and creamy. M&S Traditional Porridge came out on top, beating even the iconic Quaker brand.
The bottom three
Morrisons' Original Porridge scored lowest with a 4/10 rating. At 55p for 55g, it was one of the sweetest options, containing 12.2g of sugar. Davies found it too sweet and lacking creamy texture, leaving a watery consistency with bits in the mouth.
Lidl's Crownfield Instant Oats at 37p for 50g scored 5/10. It had a similar watery, bitty texture but a much lower sugar content of 5.9g. Despite the improvement, Davies added honey for sweetness.
Asda's Original Porridge Pot (50p for 50g) earned 6/10. It was thick and creamy but plain with an unappealing aftertaste. With 8.2g of sugar, it still needed sweetening, improving with honey.
The middle three
Aldi's Golden Bridge Original Porridge (37p for 50g) scored 7/10. It was a clear step up in texture, thicker and more natural, though still slightly watery. With 6.4g of sugar, it benefited from honey. Davies highlighted its value as a budget option.
Sainsbury's Original Porridge (65p for 50g) received 7.5/10. It was beautifully thick with a soft texture, fairly plain despite 6.8g of sugar. A drizzle of honey made it a serious contender.
Quaker Original (£1.30 for 45g) scored 8/10. Pricier for less quantity, it delivered thick, creamy porridge with a smooth texture and 5.3g of sugar. Davies found it slightly bland but comfortably a top-three contender, with price affecting its ranking.
The top two
Tesco's Instant Oats Original (41p for 55g) scored 8.5/10. It was impressively thick, creamy, and lightly sweet with 9g of sugar. Davies added no honey, finding the sweetness spot-on. It beat Quaker on price but not the overall winner.
M&S Traditional Porridge (£1 for 70g) scored 9/10. It was beautifully thick and creamy, perfectly enjoyable without honey despite only 4.1g of sugar. The texture resembled creamy rice pudding. A small drizzle of honey turned it into something bordering on dessert, comfortably beating Quaker.
