I tried ready-made mash from Tesco, Sainsbury's and M&S - can they beat homemade?

Winter is almost upon us, and with that comes hearty, comforting meals. When it's pitch black and freezing at 4pm, all you want to do is curl up in bed after a rich meal and fall asleep.

That's why mashed potato is a winter staple in my home; creamy, savoury and the perfect vessel for gravies, pies, and anything else you fancy. I always make my mash from scratch, but since moving to London last year, I've been curious about the pre-made mashed potato stocked in supermarkets. I decided to pick up three different mashes from three different supermarkets and give them a go.

M&S Buttery Mash with Cornish Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper - £3

The instructions were simple enough, just prick the top and slap it in the microwave for four minutes. However, there was a bump in the road when I removed the mash from the microwave, and for the life of me, I could not remove its plastic seal. I picked and peeled, absolutely starving, to no avail and ended up having to saw through it with my knife to access the mash.

It had also developed a weird yellow-tinged skin on top, which I had to stir and mix through the rest of the mash.

The taste was quite good. Nicely seasoned, with a kick of black pepper, but the texture definitely left a little to be desired. It was very claggy and clung to the roof of my mouth, but the portion size was good, and it was a simple enough addition to my dinner.

All in all, I'd give it a 5/10.

Next, I decided to try both Tesco and Sainsbury's mash in an absolutely classic British dinner - bangers and mash with gravy. This was because the weather was absolutely dreadful, I felt exhausted from the week, and I just wanted something fast, easy and salty and with a questionable health rating.

Tesco's Finest Creamy Buttery Mash - £3.25

This one was first up on the plate, but not before I became deeply concerned about ingesting microplastics. This concern arose from the fact that once I had finished microwaving the mash, the entire container appeared to have melted and buckled beneath the weight of its piping-hot contents.

This mash also had a weird skin, but I was used to that by now, so I simply stirred it in and served it up. It was a pleasant golden yellow colour and nicely seasoned - a touch of salt but not too much. It was rich and creamy, and thankfully tasted just of potatoes and not of plastic.

Overall, I'd give it a 7/10.

Sainsbury's Mashed Potato - 90p

The cheapest of the lot by a wide margin, this mashed potato was very basic. It did exactly what it said on the tin, and was the only one of the three mashed potatoes that did not develop a skin after heating. The texture looked normal on the spoon, but felt significantly worse in my mouth. It clung to every corner of my mouth and stuck beneath my tongue. It was also stark white like glue and didn't have much seasoning at all.

I think, although I love a bargain, I wouldn't buy this mash again.

I'd score it 3/10.

Verdict

When it comes to mashed potatoes, I can now safely say that none of the supermarket options I tried can beat home-made. However, if I were at a loose end and needed a quick option, my choice would be Tesco's mash.