'I compared five loaves of own-brand white bread, one blew the rest away'

23 August 2023 , 16:41

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White sliced bread is one of those items many people will add to their shopping trolley at the supermarket without giving it too much thought.

But when you're at the shop, do you usually reach for a supermarket's own-brand loaf, or are you partial to a branded one by the likes of Warburtons or Kingsmill? If you typically go for the former, then you might want to read on, as we've put own-brand loaves of bread to the test to see which tick all the boxes in terms of taste, smell, looks, and value for money.

As part of the taste test we compared medium-sliced white bread from five supermarkets, Aldi, Asda, Morrison's, Tesco, and Sainsbury's, and the one that came out top was a genuine surprise. Here's a look at what we thought...

Courtney tested five loaves of supermarket white bread (Daily Mirror)

Aldi Everyday Essentials Medium Sliced White Bread, 45p

This was the cheapest option of the bunch and I was really hoping we'd be on to a winner with this one to save us all some pennies. However, the bread looks good and had a nice golden crust around the edges but the whole thing was let down by the texture. The bread wasn't as soft as any of the others and had a very dry feel - almost like a piece of toast. In terms of taste, it wasn't the best either - there was too much crust. If you're someone who cuts the crusts off their bread, you won't like this one.

Mum's touching gesture to young son who died leaves Morrisons shopper in tears

While it wasn't by any means my favourite of the bunch, if you're on a tight budget this is a perfectly acceptable option. The texture of the bread won't be an issue if you're planning to use it for toast, and If you're making sandwiches, I'd say perhaps just add some extra mayo or another condiment to help counteract the dryness. Score: 2/5

Asda Soft White Medium Sliced Loaf, 75p

I don't usually shop at Asda, so I was pleasantly surprised to be a big fan of this bread. It ticked all of the boxes, with it looking nice, feeling soft and fresh, and having a nice taste - exactly what you'd expect bread to taste like. The only criticism I had was that the crusts around the edges were pretty anemic-looking, being rather pale compared to all the others, but this did nothing to impact the flavour. I'd definitely buy this loaf again and it's got me tempted to do a grocery shop at Asda to find out which other own-brand winners they've got. Score: 5/5

Morrisons White Medium Sliced Bread, 69p for 400g or 75p for 800g

I always like it when a loaf of bread also comes in a half-size because I find it's one of those foods that's likely to go off and get wasted before you've had the chance to eat much of it, so Morrisons scores points for having that option. However other first impressions weren't quite as strong. The packet gave off a waft of burnt bread when opened, and then the slices of bread were full of holes and tears, which didn't give me the confidence to use it to make a sandwich - it looked like it might fall apart if I tried to spread butter on it. Despite this, we all know it's the actual taste that counts here, and truth be told the bread itself tasted perfectly fine, it's got quite a subtle flavour but was nice and soft and the texture wasn't too cloggy in the mouth. This probably wouldn't be my first choice when buying bread, but I'd happily eat it again. Score: 4/5

Tesco White Medium Sliced Bread, 75p

This bread felt and looked great in the packet, with the texture being nice and soft and it having a good golden brown colour on the crusts. It also didn't come with any unpleasant smells like some of the others, but unfortunately when the slices are removed from the bag, there's almost nothing to it. The bread is so thin and disintegrates when you tear/bite into it. As this loaf is the same price as several others in the taste test, I have to say I think that the Morrisons one would be better value for money. Score: 3/5

Sainsbury's Medium Soft White Bread, 75p

Sainsbury's soft white bread did exactly what it says on the packet - it was wonderfully soft, fluffy bread, that almost melted in the mouth. The texture was perfect and initially, the flavour was too. However, after a few mouthfuls, I noticed the bread has a rather artificial aftertaste to it which is such a shame as it would be a winner, if not for the most crucial aspect being a total letdown. Score: 3/5

Do you agree with this verdict? Let us know which bread is your go-to in the comments below.