Crunch time: granolas put to the test

Flahavan’s Red Berry Granola €4.49 for 400g, €11.25 per kg

Aren't Flahavan's after getting fierce fancy altogether? To the Waterford company's eternal credit, they have always been willing to move with the times. This is a very pleasant addition to its oaty stable so it is. The packet gives us 60 per cent oats (which are gorgeous), a whole lot of red berries (they make up 8.1 per cent of the mix) plus a similar amount of almonds. The berries were a whole lot juicer than we expected, the seeds and nuts added to its wholesomeness and we liked the fact that it wasn't excessively sweet. It gets a bonus star for being Irish.

Verdict: We loved it

Star rating: * * * * *

Jordan’s Super Berry Granola €3.99 for 750g, €5.32 per kg

These aren’t any old berries but super ones, the bag tells us. We didn’t find them to be at all super. They looked great when poured into the bowl – then we bit into them. They were crispy. And weirdly hollow. And kind of bitter. They were fine as it turns out and we liked the sharpness but the texture was a bit disconcerting. At just 2.5 per cent, there were a lot less berries here than in other options on the market and while the oats were grand they did cluster together in manner which did not delight us.

Empty shelves point to fragility in our food supply

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Are DIY skills becoming a thing of the past?

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Going spare at Eir: Pricewatch mailbag fills up with complaints

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Verdict: Grand

Star rating: * * *

Paddy Os Granola & Berries €4.89 for 500g, €9.78 per kg

This is another Irish brand and one which deserves a lot of credit for going up against all the big boys and delivering a product that is as good if not better than most at a price which is not horrendous. In addition to the oats in the mix there was barley and rye which we liked. At just 1.3 per cent, there were a lot less berries – raspberry and blueberries – than we found elsewhere but we didn’t really feel like we were missing out. The flakes had a lovely crunch and were full of flavour.

Verdict: A very good product

Star rating: * * * *

Tesco Super Berry Granola €1.99 for 500g, €3.98 per kg

This wins hands down when it comes to price – but then you’d kind of expect that given the size of the company. If you are looking for a sweet granola at a good price than you won’t go wrong with this. It was – to our tastebuds – far too sweet and the sugary flavours detracted from the goodness we expected to feel. The berries weren’t sweet mind you. They were almost identical to those we found in the Jordan’s box – and they had the same weirdly hollowed out and crunchy texture and the same sharpness. We also noticed that, just like the Jordan’s option, the oats clustered together to deliver little lumps of oaty sweetness.

Verdict: Grand too

Star rating: * * *