Weetabix may be one of Britain’s favourite cereals but it is arguably also one of the most boring. A stodgy rectangle of compressed wholegrain wheat, malted barley extract, sugar and salt (plus added extras such as iron and vitamins B1, B2 and B3) that turns to mush with a splash of milk.
At least it is a relatively healthy breakfast to start the day with — low in sugar and fats — but its simplicity means it is also one of the most copied cereals on the market, each with near identical ingredients and nutritional values.
For example, in the Channel 5 show Secrets of Your Supermarket Shop, the journalist Sian Williams revealed that Asda’s Wheat Bisks were made by the same firm as the original branded Weetabix, with just a few tiny tweaks to the ingredients but an almost 50 per cent difference in price.
Can you taste the difference?
Marks & Spencer Wholegrain
★★★★★
Ocado, 24 pack, £1.90, 8p/biscuit
Not too absorbent, which means they will still be crunchy in the middle by the time you’ve finished your coffee. They are bland with too much milk, but have a pleasing toasty flavour in the background.
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Harvest Morn
★★★★☆
Aldi, 36 pack, £2.05, 6p/biscuit
A bit crumbly but remain firm to bite into even after milk has been added. Have a pleasant, subtle, malty taste.
Sainsbury’s
★★★★☆
Sainsbury’s, 24 pack, £1.37, 6p/biscuit
Goldilocks wheat biscuits: a little bit sweet, a little bit malty (though ideally this would be more intense), a little bit crunchy. They hold their shape much better than some.
Tesco
★★★☆☆
Tesco, 48 pack, £2.75, 6p/biscuit
They don’t taste of much, but if you aren’t too liberal with the milk, these will be a sturdy, solid vehicle for yoghurt, berries and a dollop of your favourite breakfast condiment.
Waitrose Essential
★★★☆☆
Waitrose, 24 pack, £2, 8p/biscuit
They taste like cardboard but are the most compressed of the lot and so they don’t disintegrate into a mess after a few moments. Add sliced banana, yoghurt and a drizzle of honey.
Weetabix
★★★☆☆
Waitrose, 24 pack, £3, 13p/biscuit
Very crumbly and poorly compressed. They quickly turn to mush with milk. The malty flavour comes afterwards, but pour with caution.
Crownfield
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★☆☆☆☆
Lidl, 36 pack, £2.05, 6p/biscuit
There’s no chance these will survive in a bowl of milk. They are crumbly even when dry and begin to dissolve into a pile of beige, bland mush after a splash.
