Were’re spoilt for choice when it comes to walking to the sandwich section of the supermarket, but there’s one variety that we keep coming back to time and again
For many, the humble ham and cheese sandwich is the lunch time option that we go for when can’t make our minds up. Perhaps it stems from the idea that they’ll be of the similar standard in any of the high street supermarkets we shop at.
But, it wasn’t until l set about sampling Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrison’s, ham and cheese sandwiches that I found that to be totally incorrect.
Tesco
The first thing that I tend to notice when I buy any pre-made sandwich is that they usually look more full at the front of the box. While this was no different, and the ingredients seemed to somewhat thin out towards the back of the sandwich, I think that its lack of quantity was more than made up by its quality.
As you can probably tell from the picture, the ham was wafer thin but it still managed to pack plenty of flavour, however the real winner for me was definitely the cheddar. It packed plenty of punch in its creamy yet strong flavour.
When it came to the bread, I was pleasantly surprised. In the past, I’ve found supermarkets liked to use white bread that had the same cheap taste to it every time. But the brown, malt bread that has been in circulation as of late seems to be a move to the more higher-end artisanal sandwiches that we might find in independent restaurants and cafes.
Price: £2.75 / Meal deal price: £3.85 with Clubcard, £4.25 without
Score: 7.5/10
Asda
Next up was Asda’s sarnie and there was only one thing that I could think about after finishing this one – the amount of mayonnaise. Admittedly, I’ll usually try and cut the calories and stay away from mayonnaise when making sandwiches at home, but this might have forced me to reconsider.
Upon first glance, it looked more or less identical to Tesco’s version of the sandwich, with the slightly darker coloured malt bread being the only visible difference.
But, from the very first bite, the mayo provided a much-needed extra element to the lunch time snack. While the creaminess and texture of the mayo was a huge plus, it was completely let down by the lack of flavour provided by the cheddar and ham. It felt it was in a much smaller supply than the other supermarket sandwiches.
Price: £2.49 / Meal deal price: Asda don’t operate a strict meal deal price, you can choose eligible items and the cheapest will be free
Score: 6.5/10
Morrisons
The ham and cheese offering from Morrisons initially stood out for all the wrong reasons. The plastic window into the box made for a less than appealing look at the sandwich inside and the design of the box was markedly different from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda.
However, its poor design sold it short as the sandwich itself was more than satisfactory. Unlike some of the other supermarkets’ interpretations, Morrisons’ take saw thickly cut ham and cheese which both packed enough of a punch to take it ahead of some of its rivals.
And, if you’re counting your calories, Morrisons’ version is definitely the one to go for. Out of all four sandwiches I tried, it was the only one that was under four hundred calories, which seems to be increasingly rare when buying a shop bought sandwich nowadays.
Price: £2.80 / Meal deal price: £4
Score: 7/10
Sainsbury’s
Last but not least, Sainsbury’s. The best compliment I can pay is this was the nearest out of all four of the supermarket sandwiches I tried to a homemade version.
As you can possibly tell from the picture, the Sainsbury’s version of the sandwich is far more uniform and neatly put together, which was the first thing that set it apart. After passing the eye test, it was also a winner in terms of flavour as the ham, in my opinion, was of a much higher quality than its counterparts.
It’s only downside was the price, but considering how much better it was than the alternatives, I think the extra pennies were definitely worth it.
Price: £3.15 / Meal deal price: £3.75
Score: 9/10