New Instore: Shreddies Max Protein, New York Bakery Cheese Bagels & More

A round up of some more new items spotted instore - this time with a few added Mini Reviews! 

Shreddies Max Protein: This new oat granola cereal is available is also available in a Cranberry flavour. It contains 10g of protein per serving as well as being high in fibre. It's a tasty enough granola with a crunchy texture and sweet flavour, and I'd buy it again if it was on special offer. Spotted at: Asda - £2.49p (for 400g).

Tesco Choco-Nut Malt Wheats: I don't usually buy chocolate cereals but this Choco-Nut flavour appealed to me. Is it wrong that I was secretly hoping it would have a Nutella-y taste? Anyway, the good news is that the combination of chocolate and creamy hazelnut does give this cereal that hint of Nutella that I was hoping for. Don't worry, it's not as super sweet or cloying as a chocolate spread, but these Malt Wheats do have a lovely chocolate and nut flavour. I also want to try the new Golden Syrup Malt Wheats in the same range - the price is great too! Spotted at: Tesco - £1.19p (for 500g).

Soreen Squidgy Cake Bites: Available in Chocolate or Toffee flavours. Each tub has 12 mini bites of squidgy cake. I don't usually buy these types of tubs - I prefer individually wrapped minis. Spotted at: Asda - £1.50p. 

Cadbury Mini Rolls Mega Roll Cake: There were quite a few new celebration cakes at Asda. I love the look of this giant Mini Roll - such a fun and simple idea. Spotted at: Asda - £6.00p. 

Asda Donut Cake: Another cute and appealing cake. This one is shaped like a massive doughnut complete with pink icing and sprinkles. Spotted at: Asda - £8.00p. 

Ghostbusters Cake: This is one of those cakes that made me happy and annoyed at the same time. This would have been so useful for my husbands birthday last year which was Ghostbusters themed! Spotted at: Asda - £10.00p. 

Asda Extra Special Muffins: I spotted two interesting new flavours of these savoury muffins; Mild Red Cheddar and Ancient Grains. If you've tried these then I'd love to know what you thought in the comments below! Spotted at: Asda - £1.00p. 

New York Bakery Co Cheese Bagels: I buy bagels regularly so I'm always on the lookout for new flavours. These Cheese Bagels have been an instant hit with my kids and I'll definitely be buying them again. Each bagel has a cheddar cheese topping which is full of flavour and compliments an array of savoury fillings. Spotted at: Asda - £1.00p.

Warburtons Protein Range: Warburtons has a new range of products that are high in protein and fibre. I saw a Wholemeal Loaf with a blend of pulses, Wholemeal Thins and Wholemeal Soft Wraps in the range. Spotted at: Asda - £1.00p each. 

As always, if you spot anything new instore and fancy sending me a photo then let me know via email: grocerygems@gmail.com or Twitter: @grocerygems.

New Instore: Müller Light Crumble Inspired Yogurts, Gingerbread Teacakes & More

Hello everyone, I'm back! I haven't been blogging as regularly in recent months but that's all changing from today. I've been inspired by some great new finds and have lots of exciting reviews lined up. I thought I would start with the basics so here's a round up of some of the new products that I've spotted instore.

Müller Light Crumble Inspsired Yogurts (above): I spotted a multipack with two flavours; Rhubarb Crumble & Custard Flavour Yogurt and an Apple Crumble & Custard Flavour Yogurt. A must for anyone following a Slimming World diet plan. Spotted At: Iceland - £2.50p.

McCain Nacho Cheese Ridged Wedges: I also found these celebratory looking new Nacho Cheese Flavour Ridged Wedges from McCain. There is also a Paprika flavour available in this new 'Ridged Wedge' format. Review coming soon! Spotted At: Iceland - £1.00p.

Walkers Sarnie Crisps Multipacks: For some reason I was struggling to find the new Sarnie flavours from Walkers in a multipack format. The first place I found them was Iceland but I've since seen the packs in Sainsbury's (for £1.00p each multipack) and Tesco (for £1.50p each). Check back later for a full review of all the flavours. Spotted At: Iceland - £1.00p.

Co-Op Portuguese Custard Tarts: I'm not sure if this is new or not but my local Co-Op has started selling Pasteis de Nata, commonly known here as Portuguese Custard Tarts. I'm not sure if open baskets are quite the right place to display these but I thought it was an interesting new bakery item. Let me know if you've tried them! Spotted At: Co-Op - £0.69p each.

Mince Pies: These are definitely not new but mince pies being sold in early September (I took this photo on the 3rd) is just ridiculous in my opinion - especially when their best before date is October 19th! It's not that I don't like to buy mince pies early, but by "early", I mean from mid-November onwards. We haven't even had Halloween or Bonfire Night yet people - let's not skip over autumn altogether! Rant over. Spotted At: Co-Op and every other supermarket in the UK - £1.00p.

M&S Beetroot & Goats Cheese Batard: Apologies for the blurry photo but I had to take it whilst pretending to browse on my phone - there were so many people hovering nearby for the free samples. Anyway, this distinctive pink bread (yes it's a bright pink loaf) looks like it was dreamed up by a contestant on the Great British Bake Off. Spotted At: Marks & Spencer - £2.70p.

M&S Orange & Crimson Raisin Boule: I don't think I've ever heard of a Crimson Raisin before but I'm assuming it's a reddish raisin? Anyway, I did try a sample of this bread and it had a pleasingly sweet orange flavour.  Spotted At: Marks & Spencer - £2.70p.

M&S Gingerbread Teacakes: I'm a fan of both gingerbread and teacakes so combining the two seems like a winner to me. Were these available last year? If you've tried them then let me know in the comments below. Spotted At: Marks & Spencer- £1.00p for 2.

As always, if you spot anything new instore and fancy sending me a photo then let me know via email: grocerygems@gmail.com or Twitter: @grocerygems.

Review: New Warburtons Giant Crumpets

Warburtons have released a giant version of the classic crumpet. The Giant Crumpets are almost twice the size of regular crumpets but still have the same thick and fluffy texture. 

Each pack contains two large crumpets which are easily double the size of our usual crumpets - almost as big as the plate. I must admit I was expecting them to be quite thin, to make up for the larger size, but they're just as thick as regular crumpets. Even though they're twice the size, these crumpets still fit easily into a toaster. 

Once toasted, the flavour is really delicious, with a lovely soft texture with crunchy edges. A giant crumpet deserves a special topping and for me it could only be bananas and Nutella! Of course this was strictly a one-off treat (ahem) but there are lots of other ideas for how to enjoy these giant crumpets. 

Because the crumpets are so big they can be used as a quick and easy meal option. Warburtons sent me a few gorgeous ideas for their giant crumpets such as chicken breast & avocado or a sweet summer berries with marscaone. I especially liked their savoury idea (pictured above) that combines tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese. It's basically a crumpet pizza! I'll be making this one for sure.

Grocery Gems Review: Warburtons Giant Crumpets

RATING: 9 out of 10.

Buy it again?: Yes.
Nutrition: 187 calories per crumpet.
Purchased: Available at Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Iceland.
Price: £0.69p (pack of two).

PR Samples- I received a gorgeous Warburtons gift hamper.

Warburtons Soft Brown Sandwich Thins - Asda's Tickled Pink Campaign

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Asda's Tickled Pink campaign has launched a range of gorgeous pink products which will be available instore through September and October. Warburtons Soft Brown Sandwich Thins are just one of the products that have been Tickled with Pink and 10p from each pack sold will be donated to the 2015 Tickled Pink fund, helping to support the over half a million women in the UK currently living with or after a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Warburtons Soft Brown Sandwich Thins are a healthier alternative to bread that are also incredibly versatile too. Each sliced Sandwich Thin has 100 calories and I like to use them for lunchtime sandwiches or toasted and served with soup. Even though they re thinner than sliced bread, they're still lovely and satisfying for lunch and it's easy to justify adding a bit extra to the filling!

There are lots of other Tickled Pink products available at Asda also, including these fluffy pink ribbon George slippers and a gorgeous Raspberry Shower Scrub from NSPA Fruit Extracts.

Warburtons Sandwich Thins are £1.28p including the 10p donation. They are available instore and online at asda.com. 

PR Samples.

New Warburtons Shapes - Cat Shapes & Van Shapes!

Warburtons very kindly sent me a lovely hamper in celebration of National Picnic Week, filled with picnic essentials and a few packs of their latest Warburtons Shapes, in Cat Shapes and Van Shapes. 

These Warburtons  Shapes are such a fun addition to the Warburtons Sandwich Thins range. The soft breads are all pre-sliced and contain less than 100 calories each. They're cute enough to be enjoyed as they are but I decided to follow the inspiration from Warburtons and add a few extra touches!

As you can see it doesn't take much to add extra cuteness to the Warburtons Cat Shapes. I'm not creative at all but it really was easy to make a fun lunch for myself "for the kids". NO WAY was anyone getting their mitts on this Hello Kitty inspired sandwich apart from me.

Luckily the kids were still impressed with my efforts with the Warburtons Van Shapes and it's amazing how something so simple can make food more appealing and fun!

Warburtons Shapes are available in packs of six for £1.28p at Asda, Waitrose, Ocado, and will be released in other retailers too. 

PR Samples sent for an honest review.

Review: M&S Toffee Fudge & Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

I'm always on the lookout for hot cross buns that don't contain raisins, as that's the only way to guarantee my husband and kids will eat them. The Double Chocolate Hot Cross Buns from Tesco were already a big hit with my family so I suspected that these gorgeous looking Toffee Fudge & Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns would be a success too. 

These are hot cross buns made with toffee, Belgian dark chocolate and fudge pieces, enriched with butter and spices - and absolutely no raisins. I was slightly surprised by just how sticky these buns were on the outside. However, once cut and very lightly toasted, they seemed to lose some of their stickiness, but regardless, the flavour here is absolutely scrumptious. They have a lovely and buttery toffee taste running through them that is enhanced by the slightly soft fudge pieces. The dark chocolate chips are rich but not too intensely flavoured, and add plenty of extra sweetness. The toffee and chocolate flavours are joined by a warming, but lightly done, background of spices that still gives these the familiar flavour of a hot cross bun. I will definitely be picking up more of these buns to enjoy at Eastertime. 

Grocery Gems Verdict: M&S Toffee Fudge & Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Rating: 9 out of 10

Nutrition: 207 calories per bun.

Vegetarian: Suitable for vegetarians. 

Purchased: Marks & Spencer

Price: 2 packs (of 4 buns) for £2.50. Apologies I forgot to note down the individual pack price.

New! Mini Bagels from the New York Bakery Co.

The trend for mini sized food portions which started in earnest last year is continuing strongly in 2014. New York Bakery Co have launched a range of miniature sized versions of their bagels. This mini range is available in three flavours; best selling Plain, sweet Cinnamon & Raisin and for the first time Duo - a 50% wholemeal and 50% white. Each mini bagel is 45g, half the size of their regular bagels, making them perfect for a lighter snack or for kids' lunchboxes. 

Each resealable pack comes with 8 bagels, and they're handily all suitable for home freezing. I was recently sent a few bags of bagels to try out and am pleased to say that whilst they may be smaller in size they still have the same delicious flavour. We especially liked the new Duo bagels, they have a mild whole wheat flavour. whilst still having a soft texture, compared to other brands of brown bagels I've tried which have a much denser texture.

The Plain variety are also ideal for kids' lunchboxes as, even though they have the chewy crust found in authentically boiled bagels, they are still deliciously soft in the middle and easy to eat. There's no need to toast these (especially in the first few days after purchase when they're at their freshest and softest), so it's worth trying them out this way to see if your children enjoy them.

Since I have a sweet tooth the Cinnamon & Raisin are my personal favourites, and because no one else in my household likes raisins I get these all to myself!

Overall, we all enjoyed these bagels. The size is perfect for breakfast, along with a piece of fruit or yogurt, or to have as a tasty option for a lighter lunch. I must admit I'm quite a fan of having a regular bagel for lunch but I'm now hooked on the Duo mini bagels instead!

New York Bakery Co's Mini Bagels are available now at Tesco, and will roll out nationwide throughout the beginning of the year, and cost £1.60 per eight pack.

PR Samples.

Review: Tesco Golden Syrup Hot Cross Buns

Another day, another hot cross bun review. This time Tesco's new Golden Syrup Hot Cross Buns. These are more in keeping with a traditional hot cross bun compared to yesterdays Double Chocolate variety, as they still contain dried fruits in the form of sultanas, raisins AND currants. 

I was curious to see how the golden syrup flavour would work in a hot cross bun and I was pleased to find out that it's a successful combination. The dough here has the distinctive sweetness from the golden syrup, but it's not too overpowering or overly sugary. Even though there is mixed spice listed in the ingredients, these do not have the usual spiced flavour found in hot cross buns, it's only there as a very subtle flavour. The golden syrup makes all the difference here and offers an interesting twist on the classic bun. 

Tesco also had some other unique flavours in their hot cross bun range. I also spotted Apple & Cinnamon, and Cranberry & Orange Hot Cross Buns.

Grocery Gems Verdict: Tesco Golden Syrup Hot Cross Buns
RATING: 8 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes - a good choice if you're not a fan of mixed spices.
Nutrition: 196 calories (each bun).
Vegetarian: Yes.
Purchased: Tesco. 
Price: £1.30 or 2 packs for £2.00. 

Review: Tesco Double Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Tesco has quite a few interesting varieties of hot cross buns this year, beyond the traditional spiced fruit. I was immediately drawn to these Double Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, described as chocolate flavoured hot cross buns with chocolate chunks - perfect for the raisin hating members of my family! 

They look just like hot cross buns from the outside but inside it's purely a chocolate treat. The dough has a much richer chocolate taste than I was expecting and almost approaches a chocolate muffin in flavour. I was also surprised to discover that these buns contain dark chocolate chunks, and there is no milk listed in any of the ingredients. The large chocolate chunks melted slightly when the buns were toasted, creating tasty pockets of gooey chocolate. All round, these were greatly enjoyed by the whole family and make a great alternative to traditional hot cross buns.

Grocery Gems Verdict: Tesco Double Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
RATING: 9 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Nutrition: 227 calories (each bun).
Vegetarian: Yes.
Purchased: Tesco. 
Price: £1.30 or 2 packs for £2.00. 

Review: Hello Kitty Bread Bun

Super cuteness alert! My husband bought me this Hello Kitty bread bun to cheer me up today and honestly he couldn't have picked a better surprise! I've had some dodgy looking Hello Kitty food products in the past (especially these Hello Kitty Ice Lollies!), but this character bread is absolutely gorgeous looking and a very successful reproduction of the famous kitty in bread form! It's a very large sweetened bread bun, filled with a chocolate cream.

Isn't she just adorable? Almost too good to eat... almost.

I feel compelled to show off the back of the bread bun because I think it looks impressive even from this angle.

I didn't want to do this, but I had to chop her in half to photograph the filling. Sorry HK! The filling is a yummy chocolate custard cream.

I really did enjoy this bread bun, the dough is super soft with a slight sweetness, very similar to other Japanese sweet bread buns I've tried (usually filled with plain custard). It's a bit like a brioche only less buttery. The filling was very fresh tasting with a custard creaminess and sweet chocolate flavour. It complimented the soft bread very well, but I'd also like to try a version of this without any filling at all. I just loved the bread part! 

My husband bought this from the Japan Centre concession at Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford. They also have a few other locations in London and are well worth a visit. Apparently there were some other character bread buns available too.

Grocery Gems: Hello Kitty Bread Bun

RATING: 10 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Absolutely.
Ingredients: Wheat flour, water, sugar, egg, butter, glucose, yeast, skimmed milk powder, salt, milk chocolate, custard powder.
Purchased: Japan Centre www.japancentre.com
Price: £1.99.

Review! Limited Edition New York Bakery Co Orange & Cranberry Bagels

A lovely new Limited Edition flavour New York Bakery Co, who have already released some brilliant flavours this year. Their Blueberry Bagel especially, was an instant favourite in the Grocery Gems household. I love the fact that the New York Bakery Co keep updating their bagels with new flavour combinations and seasonal editions, and I know I'm not the only one! The packaging of the new Cranberry & Orange bagels has a black and orange colour scheme that looks very appealing at this time of year - and especially for Halloween.

The bagels are very fruity and contain lots of dried cranberry and orange peel pieces. But when I first heard these were orange bagels, all I could think was - CHOCOLATE SPREAD. Indeed, on the packaging it says that these are perfect with chocolate and oh my, they really are! I did try to take a photo of these smothered in chocolate but I literally didn't have the patience to wait and take photos. All willpower and self control deserted me. The orangey chocolate scent was just too divine, and happily the delicious flavour fully lived up to my initial expectations.

I also tried one of these bagels with butter, and the overall taste was actually quite different. It was still very delicious, but this time the cranberry pieces delivered more fruitiness and the orange seemed less dominant. I think the sweetness of the chocolate spread really brings out all the zesty orange flavour and creates a wonderful combo - but either way these bagels are my new favourite. Next time I'm going to try them with some marmalade!

I received this product in order to write an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Grocery Gems Verdict: New York Bagel Co Orange & Cranberry

RATING: 9 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Absolutely - they're perfect with chocolate.
Vegetarian: Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans.
Price: £1.60 rrp.

New York Bakery Co Recipe Book

I recently received a lovely parcel of bagels from the New York Bakery Co, which also included a copy of their free recipe book; "The Nation's Favourite Bagel Recipe Book: Start Spreading". This is a collection of recipes for fillings submitted by bagel fans across the UK. It features ideas for every meal from breakfast to dinner, and from savoury to sweet.

The recipe book is completely free to download from the New York Bakery Co Facebook page.

Some of the recipes include; classic fillings such as this 5th Avenue Fill-Up recipe, which uses pastrami, guerkins and red peppers to create a New York favourite.



Or for a meaty breakfast I love this Wakey Wakey recipe which uses ham, chorizo AND bacon, with some scrambled eggs in the middle.



Or keep it simple with a sweet bagel and a peanut butter and banana filling!

There are lots of bagels in the New York Bagel Co range, check out my review of their latest varieties HERE.