Pizza: A British Favourite
Pizza is a beloved takeaway option in Britain, but why spend more than necessary when supermarkets offer a wide range of choices?
According to research conducted by VoucherCodes.co.uk, the average Brit consumes around 731 pizzas in their lifetime, which amounts to a whopping 5,847 slices. To satisfy my weekly pizza craving, I usually spend a minimum of £18.99 on a medium Margherita from Domnio's. However, this pales in comparison to the £6,300 that Brits spend on supermarket pizzas in their lifetime – a substantial saving compared to the £9,725 spent on takeaways.
Supermarket Pizzas Go Head-to-Head
Curious to see if I could save some cash by opting for a supermarket pizza instead of my usual takeaway, I tested nine fresh Margherita pizzas from major supermarkets to determine which one was the best. Each pizza was rated out of 10 for taste and value for money.
While most of the pizzas were edible, some stood out as significantly tastier than others. In the process, I learned that it's always a good idea to check the ingredients list to ensure the pizza suits your taste.
Aldi: Meh Taste and Soggy Dough
Aldi's stonebaked Margherita was the first pizza I tried, and it was underwhelming. The cheese lacked quality and had a rubbery and tasteless consistency. The dough was also soggy, despite following the cooking instructions precisely. TOTAL SCORE: 5/10
Asda: Thinner Crust, Unbalanced Taste
Asda's take on a stonebaked Margherita featured a thinner crust, but the taste was overly strong due to the mix of Mozzarella, Regato, and cheddar cheese. The cheese had a processed texture and failed to generate the stretchy strings we associate with pizza. The overpowering cheese masked any taste of tomato. TOTAL SCORE: 3/10
Co-op: A Well-Seasoned Succes
Co-op's pizza was a substantial improvement over Aldi's, earning it joint second place for taste and value for money. The cheese-to-tomato sauce ratio was well-balanced, and the marinara sauce was seasoned perfectly, allowing the basil and oregano flavors to shine through the creaminess of the cheese. The thickly scored base ensured even cooking. A solid choice worth the price. TOTAL SCORE: 8/10
Lidl: Cheap but Untraditional
Unfortunately, Lidl's pizza was the worst I tried, despite its affordability and decent appearance. The Margherita claimed to have mozzarella cheese, but the harsh notes of mature cheddar overpowered everything, making the bland tomato sauce barely noticeable. The pizza base was unevenly cooked, with some parts soggy and others dry. Avoid this pizza—it's not worth it. TOTAL SCORE: 2/10
M&S: Traditional and Tasty
In terms of taste, M&S topped the charts with its cheese and tomato stonebaked pizza. The pizza followed a more traditional Margherita recipe, containing only mozzarella cheese, allowing the tomato sauce flavors to shine. The base always cooked perfectly. Although it was the most expensive pizza, the larger size and competitive price per 100g made it worth the investment. Swapping this for a weekly takeaway would save £13, or £676 a year. TOTAL SCORE: 9/10
Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Waitrose: Decent Options
Morrisons' pizza provided a pleasant Margherita with a well-balanced mix of tomato sauce and cheddar cheese, though nothing extraordinary. Sainsbury's stonebaked Margherita ticked all the right boxes with its medium thickness base and tasty tomato sauce, though the size could have been bigger. Tesco's pizza was forgettable, with a decent base and tomato sauce but lacking flavor. Waitrose delivered a tasty chilled pizza with a fresh tomato sauce and generous toppings of mozzarella and cheddar.
Overall, these options were average and could satisfy a pizza craving, but they weren't standout choices. Morrisons and Tesco total score: 6/10; Sainsbury's total score: 8/10; Waitrose total score: 7/10
Save Money with Supermarket Margherita
If you're considering swapping your takeaway addiction for a cheaper supermarket pizza, M&S is the only option I would recommend. Compared to a weekly order from Domino's, it could save you £13, or £676 a year. Even with other supermarket options, you can save hundreds in the long run while enjoying a tasty Margherita.
So why not give a grocery store pizza a try and pocket some savings?
Did you miss our previous article…
https://hellofaread.com/money/im-a-gran-of-four-i-have-to-go-back-to-work-at-74-or-ill-end-up-homeless-i-feel-terrified/
