Value for money: Coleslaw

Spring Fresh Creamy
€1.99 for 500g

If you are a fan of crunchy white cabbage, this coleslaw might be for you. The packaging says it contains "shredded cabbage, carrot and onion in a mayonnaise dressing" but the reality is that it is made with 50 per cent cabbage, some of which is chunky rather than shredded, 34 per cent mayo and very small amounts of the other two ingredients listed on the front. It is not bad but very samey, and all that cabbage gets a bit tiresome after a few mouthfuls. We had no problem eating this, but we wouldn't seek it out.

Verdict: One-dimensional.
Star rating: ***

Dunnes Stores Traditional
€0.99 for 250g

Like the option from Spring Fresh, the cabbage and the mayo really take over here – more so, in fact. It is made with 49 per cent cabbage and 44 per cent mayo, which leaves little room for the other ingredients. The cabbage has been softened somewhat by the extra mayonnaise, so it lacks some of the crunch to be found elsewhere, but the real problem is the flavour, which is a little bland. As part of a sandwich this will be fine, but if you want to use it to tart up a baked potato you might find it lets you down.

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Verdict: A bit bland
Star rating: **

Tesco Finest
€1.10 for 130g

This is very creamy and has a nice balance of flavours. There is substantially more carrot in the mix here – 18 per cent – and while our arteries won't thank Tesco for the inclusion of 3 per cent double cream, our taste buds will. The cream lends it a hint of luxury not often found in coleslaw, and while the price is an issue, it is not prohibitively expensive and is a good bit better than the cheaper options.

Verdict: Luxuriously creamy
Star rating: ****



Marks & Spencer Mexican Style
€2.59 for 270g

We find it hard to resist the word "new" on packaging, so when we saw this "Mexican-style" coleslaw on the shelves of M&S we immediately tossed aside the traditional option we were going to review and went with this instead. That may have been a mistake. We really liked this but we were promised Mexican heat and didn't get it. The chipotle adds a hint of chilli to proceedings but only enough to tease rather than satisfy. It is nice and creamy and the vegetables have decent flavour. The newness is good but the original is better.

Verdict: Andale, andale
Star rating: ***