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Scottish Sun
08-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
The best high street matcha latte revealed in taste test as Japanese powder takes over the world
The winner was a universal hit, even with the kids MATCHA POINT The best high street matcha latte revealed in taste test as Japanese powder takes over the world Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IF you've not heard of matcha then where have you been hiding? The Kermit-green coloured Japanese powder made of ground-up green tea leaves is everywhere and I've been trying the best ones on the high street. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Lucy Tobin has tested matcha drinks on the high street Fans love it because of its slow-energy release, meaning you apparently stay perky for much longer than compared to coffee's instant hit and slump. It's now so popular that experts have even warned of shortages. Japan's matcha production almost tripled between 2010 and last year to 4,176 tonnes - triggering concerns about its long-term supply. You can make your own healthy green brew at home, as supermarket shelves host a range of matcha powders - including one by matcha maker Perfect Ted, which hit the jackpot on Dragon's Den. Read more consumer tests ON A ROLL The sausage roll that's better than Greggs - and it beats Aldi and Lidl too But matcha has hit the high street too. Local coffee shops are whizzing up healthy green teas and the big chains including Pret, Starbucks and Caffè Nero have all got involved. But which is the best? We went to find out. Pret's Matcha Latte £4.15 100 calories 4 Pret uses a Japanese 'ceremonial grade' matcha for its drink Pret has definitely jumped on board the wellness drinks trend. This summer it's added new, purple and blue ube brûlée iced lattes and spirulina macaron iced lattes to its menu. But it's the matcha latte which has had a big upgrade this season: Pret now uses a Japanese 'ceremonial grade' matcha, for the purest possible taste. 'How would you like it?' is the Pret barista's question when I put in an order for the new matcha latte. I ask for my green tea to come exactly as Pret recommends it, and the barista says it's best blended with coconut milk, so that's what I try out. At Pret you can pick an iced or hot matcha latte, and on a sunny day I went for iced. It comes with a dash of vanilla as standard, and is a pretty healthy treat at 100 calories. After a few minutes, I was handed a seriously vibrant green drink: very Instagrammable. Packed with ice, Pret's matcha latte was super-refreshing, and very smooth to sip. Although it looked like a green smoothie, the consistency was just like iced tea. Overall, though, the coconut taste definitely dominated the earthy matcha flavour. In fact, drinking it on a sunny day reminded me of sipping from a giant coconut on holiday. The grassy, umami flavour of matcha is more of an aftertaste. If you're after the healthy kick of matcha but love the taste of cool coconut, Pret's is definitely a refreshing brew. Score: 4/5 Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte £4.30 for tall size 85 calories 4 Starbucks has plenty of matcha options There's a range of matcha options at Starbucks, including Matcha Green Tea Frapuccino and a lavender matcha latte, but I keep it traditional with the giant US coffee house's iced matcha green tea latte. It's now a staple on Starbucks' menu, aiming to capture the essence of the Japanese green tea experience with a mainstream twist. Here, the barista told me Starbucks' Iced Matcha is usually served with semi-skimmed milk, so that's what I opted for. It's just 85 kcal in its smallest ('tall') serving, and simply described as 'pure matcha green tea mixed with milk for a premium cup of zen.' That minimalist description felt accurate: this is a calm, cooling beverage that doesn't try too hard with any dominant flavours. It's an easy to sip, familiar taste: I found this latte had a much creamier feel than Pret's, although it's also bubbly and refreshing. The flavour is more diluted - the matcha isn't as punchy or earthy as in some specialty cafes - and the colour is a more pastel-like pale green. There's a subtle milky aftertaste that lingers, which might not satisfy purists looking for a strong umami hit, but it works well if you're easing into the world of matcha or just want something refreshing to perk you up. It's a reliable go-to for casual matcha fans. Score: 3.5/5 Caffè Nero's Vanilla iced matcha latte £4.75 107 calories 4 Caffe Nero offers a hint of vanilla in its drink High Street stalwart Caffe Nero diverts from the traditional recipe by putting vanilla front and centre in its iced matcha latte. The barista told me it was served with semi-skimmed milk as standard, so that was my order. Although Nero describes its green tea drink as 'pure matcha green tea with milk and a hint of vanilla over ice,' I found the vanilla provided more than a touch of flavour - and it was actually a delicious addition. This iced matcha tasted sweeter than the other High Street options, despite only coming in at 107 calories, so not far off Pret's. The vanilla flavour definitely masked the earthy matcha taste - purists may not be impressed but I found this to be a delicious blend. And my kids - who pulled faces at the other two iced matcha drinks - kept sneaking sips of this one: it was a universal hit. Caffe Nero's drink wasn't a pure grass-green hit - it arrived ombré green, helping it look perfect on social media. But it did mean it needed a stir: the bottom tasted like vanilla milkshake, the top more matcha-dominant. This was an icy, refreshing burst that will become a regular treat when I need a healthy pep-up from a High Street coffee shop: delicious. Score: 5/5
Scottish Sun
13-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
The 55p supermarket iced coffee that's better than a Starbucks carton
Check how to cut costs at the supermarket CAFFEINE KICK The 55p supermarket iced coffee that's better than a Starbucks carton Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NOTHING tastes better on the early commute or school run than a refreshing iced coffee on a rushed summer morning. No wonder iced coffee sales have shot up 22% in the UK over the last five years, according to trend-watcher Innova 360. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Lucy Tobin has tested iced coffees on sale in supermarkets Credit: Peter Jordan The cheapest way to make them is, of course, to do it yourself at home. But if you love the luxury treat of a barista brew, there's an easy way to replicate it for less. Just pick up a canned iced latte for as little as 55p from your local coffee shop or supermarket. That's an absolute bargain compared to high street options: Starbucks is currently selling its venti iced latte for over £5 in London stores. Below I put iced coffee to-go to the test, pitting big brand names like Starbucks and Nescafé against budget rivals from the supermarkets. Emmi Caffè Latte Cappuccino Iced Coffee 230ml £1.85 from Sainsbury's 8 Emmi's iced cappuccino is the perfect drink for those who want a refreshing morning caffeine hit Credit: Louis Wood This might just be the perfect cool drink for people who don't like the bitterness of coffee but want a refreshing morning caffeine hit. Emmi Caffè has a milky taste, chocolate overtones, a creamy texture, and slips down very smoothly. It's sweetly delicious - low-fat cocoa powder is one of the ingredients and, at 145kcal, it might not be a dieter's choice. The only other downside is that this coffee comes in a plastic cup rather than a can, where the cup's rim was a bit sharp when drinking straight from it. Worth it, though, for one of the tastiest brews we tried. 4/5 Ueshima Iced Latte 250ml £2 from Ocado 8 Enjoy a premium drink from the canned coffee investors Credit: Peter Jordan This is a premium drink from the Japanese inventors of canned coffee. The story goes that Mr Ueshima bought a coffee at a train station in the 1960s, but had to leave it behind to catch his train - so spent a year working on canned coffee and started selling it in 1969. This one tastes like it's been improved over decades, with a rich and refreshing taste. Being only 75kcal in the can, one of the lowest-calorie canned coffee drinks, it doesn't taste as sweet as some others - anyone who likes a traditional coffee over ice will enjoy this one. At £2, though, it's not far off the cost of a coffee shop treat and wasn't distinctive enough for the price to seem worthwhile. 3/5 Jimmy's Iced Coffee Original 275ml £2.10 from Tesco 8 Use this bottle for water once you'ved finished your coffee Credit: Peter Jordan This is a super refreshing choice, and comes in a classy and recyclable silver-coloured bottle which we found perfect for refilling with water later on. The coffee is the perfect consistency: not too thick or runny, and full of flavour without being overly sweet. It's just over 100kcal per bottle, despite containing more coffee than the other products thanks to its larger bottle size. Jimmy's comes in a range of flavours, from gimmicky "iced coffee donut" flavour to the usual mocha, caramel and extra-protein options. You can buy Jimmy's in slightly smaller 250ml cans, starting at £1/25 at Iceland. 4/5 Starbucks Caffè Latte Iced Coffee 220ml £2.20 from Tesco 8 It's clear Starbucks has spent a lot of thought on its iced latte Credit: Peter Jordan As you'd expect from one of the kings of high street coffee, Starbucks has put a lot of thought into its iced latte. It came in the easiest to drink packaging: a cup with a recyclable lid and straw which is perfect to sip on the go. The Starbucks latte - espresso plus creamy milk - is a flavoursome brew, sweeter than others and very moreish. But the calorie content showed the sweetness too, coming in at a hefty 165kcal per cup. Price-wise, I'd avoid it for £2.20. 3/5 M&S classic latte 250ml £2 8 The overriding flavour of the M&S coffee is creaminess Credit: Peter Jordan There's a double shot of espresso and semi-skimmed milk in this generous-sized can. It's not too sweet, but it also doesn't have a particularly strong coffee flavour: the overriding flavour is creaminess. Despite that, there's only 100kcal in each 250ml can, and it was a refreshing caffeine hit: I definitely felt extra alert after this double shot of espresso. Anyone who likes their coffee to taste like milk with a dash of Arabica will love this can - but hard-core bean fans may find it too creamy. 3/5 Nescafé Iced Coffee Latte 750ml £3 (£2.50 on Tesco Clubcard deal) 8 Nescafe's iced coffee comes in a bigger bottle Credit: Peter Jordan This is a larger bottle, perfect for keeping in the fridge at home. The bulk discount means it works out at a cheap 83p per 250ml portion - but it's too big to cart around so minus points for the convenience factor. As it has UHT milk inside, though, it doesn't need to be stored in the fridge until after it's opened. Nescafé's latte tastes like a sweeter drink than Ueshima and Jimmy's- it comes in at 93kcal per 250ml portion - but lacks the chocolatey taste of some others. It's a mild, creamy latte that's a good value option if you like to have an iced coffee to grab at home, but I prefer the convenience of cans and cups to multitask as an on-the-go refreshing treat. 3/5 Lidl Latte Macchiato 250ml 55p 8 Lidl's 55p was crowned a joint winner Credit: Peter Jordan The cheapest iced coffee by miles - and it tastes great too. Lidl's latte has a mild coffee taste, with a creamy, slightly thicker texture - which might be why it packs a stonking 200kcal in per portion. The packaging is a bit of a drawback, too: it has a thin foil covering the plastic cup at the top. I'd be too nervous to chuck this iced latte into my bag as any jostling during the commute would see it burst, unlike Starbucks' cup design which has a plastic lid for security. Other can designs are more robust too. Still, overall this macchiato slips down really easily and is a refreshing, sweet coffee that tastes even better when you know how much of a bargain it is. 4/5
The Sun
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
I tried supermarket chicken kievs – my winner was cheap and had a delicious ingredient that added an amazing crunch
GOLDEN, garlicky and oozing with buttery filling - we all love a chicken kiev. They were first introduced to the UK by Marks & Spencer in the 1970s as its very first ready meal. 4 Today, supermarket shelves are packed with options, from budget packs to 'gastro' meals. But which are best? We grabbed our knives and forks (and a LOT of napkins) to put a selection of supermarket chicken kievs to the ultimate taste test. Whether you're after an easy option to feed picky kids on a playdate, or rustling up a posh twist on a retro classic for dinner, we've picked the perfect kievs. LUCY TOBIN finds out: Tesco Breaded 4 Garlic Chicken Kievs (500g) £2.75 277 calories per 100g At just 93p per portion, this is Tesco's mid-range offering and my kids loved it. With the packet of four kievs cooking from frozen in 30 minutes, I found the pack made for a convenient family dinner. There's an average 277kcal per 100g, so on the high side for dieters. The actual meat content in this chicken kiev stands at only 53%, which explains the soft texture. The coating wasn't as crunchy as others, and the garlic butter centre is mild and creamy rather than packing a herby punch. This helped explain its popularity amongst the kids: it tastes a bit like a giant chicken nugget with a garlic butter dip, and everyone's plates were almost licked clean. Free from artificial flavours, colours, and preservatives, Tesco's chicken kievs tick the box for a fuss-free family meal, being affordable, mild, and easy to cook – but they lack the wow factor for a special dinner. 3/5 Exceptional by ASDA 2 Wild Garlic Chicken Kievs (385g) £4.98 221 calories per 100g 4 These kievs stood out for their generous size: they were far chunkier than the other chicken dinners we tried. Maybe their wonky scale comes from the fact that these chicken kievs are made with whole chicken breast, not reformed meat – it's less fast food nugget, more restaurant-style mains. The chicken is tender and juicy, and holds its shape together properly when cut. But when you do cut it, a rich, buttery wild garlic filling oozes out. It's smooth and herby, with a really strong garlic and parsley hit. You won't worry about a vampire visit with this on your breath. The breadcrumb coating on Asda's wild garlic kievs crisped up evenly in the oven, providing a satisfying brown crunch without going soggy. And it's 221kcal per 100g, if that's a concern. Visually, these kievs look posh – thick, golden, and well-filled. At almost a fiver for two, they're no bargain, but the generous size, honed recipe and well-balanced flavour justify the higher price for a special weekend dinner. 4/5 Sainsbury's Fresh British Chicken Breaded Kyiv with Garlic & Herb Butter x2 (260g) £3 259 calories per 100g 4 What stood out about Sainsbury's two-pack of chicken kievs was that they were almost mess-free. Unlike the others, this garlic and herb butter filling stayed inside the chicken during the oven cooking process, so there was no elbow grease required to wash up the baking tray. Still very buttery, though, and coming in at 259kcal per 100g. The chicken breast was tender and moist, while the breadcrumb coating was satisfyingly crunchy, although not quite as crisp as Aldi's kiev. The herb blend in the butter tastes fresh and perfectly garlicky. This was decent value for the portion size - it fed two adults and a child in our household, and delivers on both taste and looks for a popular midweek meal. 4/5 How to save money on your food shop Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year: Odd boxes - plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price. Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30. Sainsbury's also sells £2 "Taste Me, Don't Waste Me" fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash. Food waste apps - food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public. Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio. Too Good to Go's app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount. Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses. Yellow sticker bargains - yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap. But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here. Super cheap bargains - sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they've found on the cheap, including food finds. "Downshift" - you will almost always save money going for a supermarket's own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands. The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as "downshifting" and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop. Aldi's Sourdough Breaded Wild Garlic & Jersey Butter Chicken Kievs, two pack, (375g) £3.99 221 calories per 100g I was sceptical about whether sourdough was really needed on a chicken kiev or just a bit of foodie buzzword bingo. It sounded like a marketing gimmick - until I bit into the brilliantly crunchy, deep golden crust. Oh, it was delicious. The chicken inside was succulent too, and the garlic butter oozed out perfectly. It seems the sourdough crumb wasn't just for show, as it added a toasty flavour and an extra crunch that set Aldi's chicken kiev apart from those with usual breadcrumb coating. And they come in at 221kcal per 100g. The only downside was that the garlicky interior squirted out quite violently during the baking process, leaving an oven cleaning job that I didn't want to face after opting for a quick convenience meal for dinner - next time I'll use the air fryer. Crunchy and flavoursome kievs, though. 5/5 Deluxe Lidl Garlic and Herb Chicken Kievs, (385g) £3.99 230 calories per 100g This was a chunky chicken kiev, with a generous portion and a herb-heavy filling. In fact, the centre tasted more like cooked green veg than garlic - the flavour wasn't as strong as in other dishes, so it will appeal to those who prefer milder tastes. The breadcrumb coating is crisp and evenly golden, although not as crunchy as Aldi or Asda's meals. The chicken breast meat had a good, juicy texture, and the kiev came in at 230kcal per 100g - about standard for this dish. Overall, a decent dish, but it didn't stand out like some others, and, at £3.99, it's not the bargain we sometimes expect of Lidl. 3/5 Iceland 4 Garlic & Herb Butter Chicken Breast Kievs 500g, £3.50 These chicken kievs are coated in pale breadcrumb and also look like giant chicken nuggets - they're not a posh option to wow friends over dinner, but they're brilliant value. At 87p per kiev, they are a top choice for an easy supper or when your kids have invited friends for tea. The filling is nice and green thanks to the herbs, and properly garlicky, although some parts did look a bit oily. The chicken was tasty enough but not as succulent as others and tasted a bit dry in parts. Overall, a good value option but no show-stopper. 3/5
