Value for money: Potato salad

This week, Value for Money compares four varieties of potato salad

BUTLERS FOODS

€1.79 for 250g, €7.16 per kg

ON A number of levels, this potato salad from Castlebar is all wrong – it has the texture of cold, lumpy mashed potato, looks distinctly anaemic and is the second dearest option on trial this week.

Despite all this, it still manages to be lovely and strangely addictive in a classic comfort food fashion. We are not proud to admit that we kept going back for more of this long after it was, strictly speaking, necessary for review purposes. We sourced it in our local Dunnes Stores so it should be readily accessible for most people and while it is comparatively dear, it does represent value for money.

VERDICT: Worth tasting

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BUTLER'S PANTRY

€3.25 for 200g, €16.25 per kg

THIS IS undoubtedly an excellent salad which has been handmade with large chunks of potato with their skins left on.

It tastes and looks homemade and you could quite easily pass it off as such at a summer barbecue if you were a passable liar and had deep pockets – it’s very expensive.

The potatoes are the best of the bunch and the mayonnaise is nice and subtle although one reviewer did think is was a bit too light on seasoning.

VERDICT: Lovely but very pricey

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MARKS & SPENCER

€1.49 for 250g, €5.96 per kg

IT IS NOT often we get to say M&S has the cheapest product on trial, but this is one of those rare occasions.

The strong spring onions add crunch and flavour while the soured and fresh cream combo gives it a freshness that most of its rivals lack. Because the mayonnaise plays a big part in the recipe, it is significantly less greasy than the competition. It is made with big chunks of Charlotte potatoes which have a surprisingly nutty flavour to them. While the potatoes are nice, they were just a little on the hard side and may not be to everyone’s taste.

VERDICT: Nice, fresh and cheap

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DUNNES MASHED

€1.59 for 250g, €6.36 per kg

THE MOST prominent flavour here is the mayonnaise although we did think it had quite a salad creamy tang to it, which is fine. It also had a certain greasiness which was less fine. It is oddly sweet and this, combined with some very finely whipped potato, gives it quite a processed taste and texture. While the chives and parsley add a bit of colour to the mix – and without it, it would have been very washed out – they don’t do much for the taste. It is quite sticky and although it is not horrible it’s a long way from nice.

VERDICT: Disappointing

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