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Winter is nearly here, and that means it's time for hearty, comforting meals. When it's pitch black and freezing at 4pm, all you want to do is curl up in bed after a rich meal and fall asleep. That's why mashed potato is a winter staple in my home; creamy, savoury and the perfect vessel for gravies, pies, and anything else you fancy. I always make my mash from scratch, but since moving to London last year, I've been curious about the pre-made mashed potato stocked in supermarkets . I decided to pick up three different mashes from three different supermarkets and give them a go. The instructions were simple enough, just prick the top and slap it in the microwave for four minutes. However, there was a bump in the road when I removed the mash from the microwave, and for the life of me, I could not remove its plastic seal, reports the Express . I picked and peeled, absolutely starving, to no avail and ended up having to saw through it with my knife to access the mash. It had also developed a weird yellow-tinged skin on top, which I had to stir and mix through the rest of the mash. The taste was quite good. Nicely seasoned, with a kick of black pepper, but the texture definitely left a little to be desired. It was very claggy and clung to the roof of my mouth, but the portion size was good, and it was a simple enough addition to my dinner. All in all, I'd give it a 5/10. Next, I decided to give both Tesco and Sainsbury's mash a go in a classic British dinner - bangers and mash with gravy. This was because the weather was absolutely rotten, I felt knackered from the week, and I just wanted something quick, easy and salty with a questionable health rating. This one was first up on the plate, but not before I became deeply worried about ingesting microplastics. This worry came about when I noticed that after microwaving the mash, the entire container seemed to have melted and buckled under the heat of its piping-hot contents. This mash also had a strange skin, but by now, I was used to that, so I simply stirred it in and served it up. It was a nice golden yellow colour and well seasoned - a bit of salt but not too much. It was rich and creamy, and thankfully tasted just of potatoes and not of plastic. Overall, I'd give it a 7/10. The cheapest of the lot by a long shot, this mashed potato was very basic. It did exactly what it said on the tin, and was the only one of the three mashed potatoes that did not develop a skin after heating. The texture looked normal on the spoon, but felt significantly worse in my mouth. It clung to every corner of my mouth and stuck beneath my tongue. It was also stark white like glue and didn't have much seasoning at all. I think, although I love a bargain, I wouldn't buy this mash again. I'd give it a 3/10. When it comes to mashed potatoes, I can now confidently say that none of the supermarket options I sampled could rival home-made. However, if I were in a pinch and required a speedy solution, my pick would be Tesco's mash.
