A taste test has revealed the best supermarket jams on the market.
Strawberry jam is a perfect addition to toast, sweet treats, and baking – yet there’s a lot of it on the market. It can be hard to know which jam will taste good and provide good value for money.
Market leaders Hartley’s is stocked across supermarkets nationwide, but for a much higher price than the own-brand alternatives. I decided to taste-test a range of strawberry jams from different supermarkets to see if they could match the brand.
I put Lidl, Aldi, Asda and M&S jams to the test by comparing them to Hartley’s. The results were surprising, and I couldn’t believe how different they tasted.
Lidl – 89p
Lidl’s jam was the one that lacked the most flavour. Upon opening the jar, I found it also lacked the sweet, aromatic smell of strawberry jam. It has a paler colour than the rest, so it came in last place in my ranking.
Rating: 3/10
Asda – 89p
The strawberry jam from Asda had a much stronger flavour and colour than Lidl’s. It tasted much better, too. It was very sweet, but would be an ideal addition to toast. The downside was that I found the jam to be a bit too dense for my liking, but I would have it again.
Rating: 7/10
Hartley’s – £1.70
The branded jam was very jelly-like for me and tasted thick. It had a nice, sweet flavour you’d expect from strawberry jam. For me, the texture let it down.
Rating: 7/10
Aldi – 89p
Aldi’s jam had a rich red colour and a pleasant sweet smell. The jam does have seeds, but I don’t have a preference either way.
I found it much less dense than Asda and Hartley’s, with much better consistency. The flavour was everything you want from strawberry jam, without being overly sweet or tangy.
Rating: 9/10
M&S – 90p
The M&S jam felt like a real treat, but it still costs much less than the branded option. It had an ideal consistency for me, as it spread easily and was packed full of flavour. This jam has seeds and gives a homemade feel. For me, it was a clear winner.
Rating: 10/10
