I Sampled 14 Supermarket Strawberries — Here’s the Clear Winner!

Finally! The British strawberry season has arrived, and according to what stores claim, we're more eager than ever to take full advantage of this brief yet consistently delightful period filled with plump and succulent strawberries. homegrown berries .

British strawberries are experiencing quite a surge, with Ocado.com reporting an 82 percent increase in search queries compared to last year. Additionally, their sales have climbed by 40 percent, and interest in "strawberries and cream" has jumped by 58 percent.

“The perfect combination of a cold winter, followed by one of the warmest and brightest springs on record, has brought us an abundance of great-tasting, British-grown strawberries,” says Ben l’Anson, senior fruit buyer for Ocado. “Strawberry season is also tracking about a week earlier than last year, thanks to the extra sunshine – resulting in some of our juiciest and sweetest early berries ever.”

Looking for a deal? Sainsbury’s has reduced the cost of their 250g containers from £2.20 to £1 until May 26th, citing an abundance due to early sunlight, with crops thriving from Scotland all the way to Sussex.

How to eat them

British strawberries taste great straight from the box but there are plenty of ways to bring out their flavour, from a sprinkle of sugar to a crack of black pepper or a splash of balsamic vinegar. And who can forget the scene in Pretty Woman In which scene does Richard Gere suggest that Julia Roberts should taste a strawberry to enhance the flavor of her champagne?

I love eating my berries without cooking them too. The best method I've found involves macerating the fruit—basically allowing the berries to soak in sugar or an acidic ingredient so they become softer and release their natural juices. This can be enjoyed alongside lightly whipped cream or pourable cream, maybe even a gooey-centered meringue, along with some freshly picked mint or basil leaves. If you want quicker results, heating up strawberries slightly achieves this faster.

Should you happen to have some extra ingredients, try making a no-churn ice cream with double cream and condensed milk.

You’ll find some more divisive ideas on TikTok, such as a Polish dish of strawberry macaroni which is a sweet pasta dish where pasta is mixed with strawberry and cream sauce. It’s a surprisingly popular and delicious treat in Poland, often enjoyed as a summer snack. People online are also using strawberries as vessels for all kinds of toppings, from cream cheese to mustard, and calling it a “strawberry flight”.

The taste test

Our taste test of British strawberries encompasses various types of berries, such as organic options and those from high-end and budget supermarket ranges. For our evaluation, we examined four berries from each container, tasted two to three of them, and rated their appearance, juiciness, and sweetness to provide an overall score out of five.

It goes without saying that a blind taste test remains subjective and everybody might choose individual favourites.

My best advice? Wait a week until we see a few more sunny days, and the berries On the shelves, it will be all the more delicious. Additionally, seek out a nearby U-pick farm to fully enjoy our brief yet spectacular season.

Waitrose

Waitrose British Strawberries, $6 for 800 grams/two for $8/$15 per kilogram

Appearance: Vibrant red with a uniform medium size and nearly perfect heart shape, these strawberries are outstanding.

Juiciness: Wonderfully soft and juicy

Sweetness: Average.

Overall: 3

Sainsbury’s

BEST OVERALL FLAVOUR

Sainsbury’s Deliicious British strawberries with a twist , $8 for 400g ($6 with Nectar)/$20 per kilo

Appearance: Rich dark color, big juicy grapes.

Juiciness: Very good: juicy and succulent

Sweetness: Impressive. My favourite berry of the lot is in this bunch.

Overall: 4

Sainsbury’s British Strawberries , £2.20 for 250g (£1 with Nectar)/£8.80 per kilo

Appearance: Medium-sized to large and glossy, with a few imperfections.

Juiciness: Good with a nice bite.

Sweetness : Not especially sweet

Overall: 2.5

Marks & Spencer

M&S British Strawberries, $4.95 for 300g/$16.50 per kilo

Appearance: There’s quite a variety in terms of size and colour, yet it offers great value for money.

Juiciness: Could be better

Sweetness: Some mild sweetness

Overall: 3

Aldi

Aldi Specially Selected Crimson Strawberry Reds £2.99 for 400g/£7.48 per kilo

Appearance: Varied dimensions with unblemished medium red shiny skin

Juiciness: Medium

Sweetness: A nice balance of sweetness paired with some (appreciated) tartness in the tiny fruits.

Overall: 3.5

Read Next: At 45, I'm slim but often fantasize about trying out Mounjaro.

Aldi's Nature’s Choice English Strawberries, $4.61 for 400g/$2.39 per kilogram

Appearance: Diverse range of forms and dimensions

Juiciness: Average. Some of the bigger berries are a bit dry.

Sweetness: Not much

Overall: 2.5

Aldi Wonky Strawberries, $3.05 for 227g/$13.28 per kg

Appearance: Somewhat speckled but beautiful, big heart shapes with sharp tips

Juiciness: Medium

Sweetness: Typical levels of sweetness that persist

Overall: 3

Ocado

BEST LUXURY BUY/OVERALL FAVOURITE

Dyson Farming British Strawberries, $8 for 500 grams/$32 per kilo

Appearance: Stunning smooth skin adorned with evenly sized medium and large fruits.

Juiciness: Impressive: tender and tasty

Sweetness: Certainly, a smooth and consistent sweetness can be experienced throughout the tasting.

Overall: 4

Ocado British Strawberries, priced at £3.70 for 600 grams (discounted to £2.75 till Monday) / £6.17 per kilogram

Appearance: Several impressively large strawberries, although some have bruised skins.

Juiciness: Very good

Sweetness: Medium.

Overall: 3.5

Berryworld British Strawberries, priced at £3.50 for 300g or £11.67 per kilogram.

Appearance: Combine medium to large fruits where some are dark and shiny while others have a more subdued color.

Juiciness: Fair

Sweetness: Differed among the various berries examined

Overall: 3

Lidl

Lidl Deluxe Strawberries, $5.63 for 400g/$14.08 per kg

Appearance: A variety of sizes, including some quite irregular ones with dull coloring.

Juiciness: Medium

Sweetness: Medium but mixed

Overall: 3

Tesco

Tesco Organic Strawberries, $4.95 for 300g/$16.67 per kilo

Appearance: There are some blemishes on the skin, however, it has a beautiful dark ruby color with small to medium-sized grapes.

Juiciness: Pleasing.

Sweetness: Not overly sweet. Some have a decent depth of flavour

Overall: 3.5

GREAT VALUE

Tesco British Strawberries, £2.50 for 400g/£6.25 per kilo

Appearance: Plump, round, medium fruits

Juiciness : Good

Sweetness: Some of the best

Overall: 4

Co-op

Co-operative 'British Grown' Strawberries , £2.65 for 227g/£11.67 per kg

Appearance: A beautiful shiny red with medium to large-sized berries.

Juiciness: Excellent: tender and juicy

Sweetness: Impressive sweetness

Overall: 4