what to buy in M&S food

It's not just a food shopping guide, it's an M&S food shopping guide.

M&S, Marks and Spencer, Marks and Sparks - whatever you know it by - is a British institution. We fully believe it provides the best food in the land - which may simply be down to excellent marketing when most of us were within the gullible age bracket. I’d like to paraphrase all this by saying this is an exhaustive list. The kind of list I’d go by if I did ever get five numbers and the bonus ball in the National Lottery.

I have an excellent M&S near me. I have even been known to meet up with friends there, as you’ll probably have seen on my Instagram. If you have sparks card you can get free wine (tester sizes but as yet, the machine hasn’t said no to more for me). If ever I’m sad, my husband knows exactly where to take me - and to ignore the fact I slipped a shirt into the shopping trolley.

Without a doubt the things my friends who live abroad ask for most are from M&S. Usually it’s a Percy, sometimes it’s the granola slices and ever so often there’s a request for something from the spice rack section. Whether you are a Brit keen on bankrupting yourself or merely a tourist looking for a guide - consider this your pathway to success when you walk into the greatest supermarket we have.

fruit and vegetables

Sounds like an odd place to kick off but as it’s the first thing you’ll hit (after the flowers - where the £8 tulips last three weeks). Part of me thinks it’s the superior presentation, but M&S produce just hits different…

• In my humble opinion the best fridge-ready fruit pack is the mango, melon and pineapple.

• You haven’t lived until you’ve tried their candy floss grapes.

• See also; red diamond strawberries.

• Just when you thought the humble potato couldn’t get any better, they released the salt and pepper wedges. I think they have honey on too. Super lazy - but - super tasty.

• If you can find them the purple sweet potatoes are quite fun (really good for mashed potato for Halloween!)

bakery

You’re going to need to give in to carbohydrates at M&S. I don;t care how bloated it makes you - you need to try some of these.

• The fruit granola bars in the fresh section are my favourite Marks’ purchase.

• I am not a shop-bought cake gal however I really like the carrot cake.

• For some reason the potted biscuits/treats are in this section - very much recommend the cereal bar bites and the caramel millionaires.

• If you’re buying a birthday cake (and you’ve overdone the colin the caterpillar cake) then I recommend the rainbow layer cake. Excellent cream/jam ratio.

meats and ready meals

Do not pretend you are too good for a dirty ready meal once in a while. There is something so great about not having to do anything (and potentially not even use a plate). On the other end of the scale, I’ve got some BBQ recommendations and roasted meats…

• The slow cooked greek gyros are unreal. UNREAL. No further notes.

• If you’re after a yummy, easy pasta the beef shin ravioli is really great. Especially with loads of cheese or better still their four cheese sauce. The packet says it serves 3. It does not.

• Something I’ve only recently tried are the italian chicken hot dogs. They’re excellent. I much prefer chicken sausages these days, far less greasy.

• That said, I do also really like their lamb merguez sausages.

• The chicken filled yorkshire pudding meal for one is an excellent choice, as is the chicken and ham risotto and garlic mushroom pie.

• The cheese and bacon croquettes will take you straight back to an authentic Spanish restaurant.

• They have loads of variations of breaded chicken and they’re all good, but the newer hot honey chicken tenders really are quite something.

• Really do recommend our best burgers, and ideally get the round cheese melts in the dairy section to go on top of them. Elite.

• Oddly called finishing jus, this stuff really will make a steak dinner even better.

• If you are going down the Indian food route I cannot recommend the fully loaded dip more. It doesn’t sound like the ingredients would go together but they do!

deli options

she’s a 10 but she picked this

My favourite question to ask a new friends; what three things would be in your 3 for £8 offer in the M&S deli section? The responses are telling. Below are what I’d be choosing between… As a side I’m not sure why they put “hand crafted” or “hand finished” on loads of the options. Personally don’t want to think about any hands other than mine on my food.

• The sausage rolls options are excellent, choices a plenty. Personally the our best sausage roll tops the rankings but closely seconded by smoked bacon and cheddar pastry sausage rolls.

• Quiche wise for me its the salmon and broccoli one every time.

• The spanish pinchos (olives with cheese and ham on a cocktail stick) are excellent as are the ham croquettas and the cheese wrapped in parma ham. Basically any ham and cheese combo.

• There are so many dip options but the mackerel pate is the best.

• The chicken and chorizo empanadas are really good especially if eaten warm.

• They do a master deli grazing platter that is a brilliant thing to take along to drinks with friends (I have been known and whack this out at the pub).

• The marmite dinky rolls are brilliant and ideally someone will have remembered some pickle to go with them.

• Lastly the marinated ploughmans pot absolutely slaps and is only made better with the ham hock pot thrown into it.

dairy

I’m always really impressed at the variety of stuff M&S do in the dairy section. I feel like you could spend hours browsing in this aisle. Or better still, imagine a tasting session? A grown up sleepover where you can take a bit of what you want? Ok I’ll stop.

• M&S greek yogurt is really, really nice. Simple, but also a winner. Don’t get the 0% fat one it’s rubbish and not the same.

• You have not lived until you’ve tried the vanilla and white chocolate milk. You may not want to have it often because it is wildly rich but oh my god it’s amazing.

• The marmite cheese bake is delicious.

• They tend to keep their chutneys around this aisle, if you can find the chilli and piguillo pepper one buy it!

• The madagascan ready made custard is so good I have been known to just eat it out of the pot with a spoon.

• They have a ton of butter options (and do not stock the ultimate OG; the welsh Shirgar butter) but their jersey salted butter is a decent alternative.

• You better believe M&S has a “hot cheese” range. All the baked camemberts are good but my personal favourite is the welsh rarebit one. They come in a terracotta pot that you’ll want to keep but never use again.

• I am a big fan of a yogurt and have to say the 4 packs of rhubarb and custard and strawberries and cream are some of the best you’ll ever eat.

• In this aisle you’ll also find the ready made pastry and most importantly the ready to bake cookie dough. Just do it.

soups

If you follow me on Instagram you will know I am mildly soup obsessed. Colder weather is looked forward to in my house because it means we eat soup. M&S soups are some of my favourites (if you want to message me to discuss a global top 10 ranking I am available). Here are my choices…

• The first one I’ll go for is the chicken, mushroom and rice as it’s just an allrounder. it’s tasty, filling and taught me that rice in soup is excellent.

• Next, the chunky smoked haddock chowder. As someone who will undoubtedly leave this Earth because of their salt consumption levels, this is amazing. yes, it will stink your kitchen out. 1000% worth it.

• The pea and ham is a great take on a classic. The ham is shredded, ham hock kind of vibe. 10/10.

• I really love the chunky scotch broth, a clear soup (as opposed to cream based) which is made even better with addition of a bread roll and thick butter.

• Over in the condiments aisle you’ll find the M&S Collection soups - the golden butternut squash is excellent, as is the lobster bisque. Both can easily be used as a base - I add vegetable stock to the butternut one and it then lasts me a good few lunchtimes!

• Should also add that the fresh gazpacho in the deli section is really good for summer weather too!

  

sweets, crisps & biscuits

• Looking for an absolutely elite packet of crisps? Meet the salt and vinegar combo mix. I also recommend the extreme ridge steak crisps.

• They have just brought out giant custard creams and they really are amazing. Totally change my take on the standard custard cream. They also do chocolate covered custard creams which are amazing but you can only have one at a time or you’d be unwell…

• Their cookies are really good and the flapjack biscuits could convert even the most staunch non-biscuit fan (aka my sister) into eating an entire packet.

• The milk chocolate biscuit rings (and the white chocolate ones) are the best. They’re essentially a chocolate bar. The best treat ever.

• Obviously you need percy pigs. Personally my favourites are the fizzy pig tails and the mini percys (and the cola cows and lemonade sheep in the farmyard pack).

• The salted caramel teacakes are the best of the options they do.

• Out of the bars my favourite is the white chocolate lemon mousse one. A classic.

• The orange chocolate speckled eggs are the best and worryingly haven’t been available for a while (so I had to buy the Easter egg instead).

• I would happily go head first into any of the sweets in the below picture. A special shout out to the new Swiss chocolate clouds.

pantry cupboard

• A really good thing to have is the sundried tomato paste. It’s great for adding to sauces or also on its own in sandwiches and wraps. They also do an “everything paste” with tomato, garlic and herbs in which is equally good but can’t really be eaten in sandwiches - it’s too rich. Excellent for sauces though.

• Two essentials are the roast potato seasoning and the fajita seasoning. I know people go on about Trader Joe’s options but I personally think these are better.

• Their cake mix boxes are actually quite good and taste fully homemade. Friends with little ones love the celebration cake mix set when making birthday cakes.

• Their sauces aren’t half bad. Particularly recommend the coronation sauce (something the Queen commissioned for her coronation which has flavours from across the former British Empire…) and the special burger sauce which reminds me of the sauces you used to get in TGI Fridays.

• They have launched a “brain food” range and the seaded peanut butter in is excellent.

• The garlic infused olive oil is elite.

• The cracking-chocolate ice cream sauce is unreal.

• There is a vast range of jams but for me the plum and blackberry preserve is the best available, or the clementine curd (only available at Christmas). The golden blonde chocolate spread is also excellent but could put those sensitive to sugar into a coma - same with the milk and cookies spread.

  

frozen section

I think frozen food gets an unjust bad rep. This is not Iceland (and actually, I really like Iceland - brilliant fish fingers and great Haribo selection). Marks’ have some great options that will make your life easier, particularly when cooking for large numbers.

• Their frozen herb options are really good - I have the coriander, chilli, basil and ginger pouches. Super useful.

• They have brilliant breakfast options, the pain au raisin and croissants are great but the all stars are the Portuguese custard tarts (air fry them for best result).

• I keep a bag of red wine sauce and chicken bone broth pellets in the freezer for when I need to rustle up a sauce or casserole quickly.

• I have cooked their beef wellington for a dinner party and it tasted incredible.

• Potato wise the parmentier potatoes, hash browns and the croquettes are great, as are the bubble and squeak bites. Also recommend the sweet potato fries.

• Ice cream wise M&S are very strong - personal favourites are the rectangular blackcurrant ice cream, coconut ice cream and the white chocolate ice cream. Controversially for me, I’m not a fan of their mochi options…

• Dessert wise the sicilian lemon tart and the brookie (a brownie cookie mix) are great.

• Lastly their fruit smoothie packs are really great, we love the tropical one.

drinks & alcohol

• No British hen do is complete without some “tinnies” for the train journey. By tinnies, I mean cocktails in a tin. See above. Any will do. We’re not fussy.

• I am mildly obsessed with their ginger beer which was worryingly unavailable for a lot of last year, however, we have a new contender; the strawberry, mint and cucumber soda. Great on its own. Double good with gin.

• Also recommend using the mexican lime soda as a great base for cocktails.

• Ooh fruit juice wise the clementine and honey juice is gorgeous!

extra bits

• You cannot forget the elite washing tablets. They come in a mix of flavours but my ultimate favourite is the sandalwood and bergamot.

• Their dishwasher cleaner is excellent, rogue but true.

• They do a jasmine clothes freshener spray which I always take on holiday. It also takes creases out of things, even stiff linen.

  

Hope you enjoyed this and sorry if it’s made you hungry. Do share your favourites if you have them! If you liked this post you might also enjoy the below, with a similar level of recommendation OR (below that) my recent “need to show people around New York in 4 days” guide….