Lidl, Aldi, Galaxy, Sainsbury's, Smarties, Lindt, Kit Kat: the big Easter Egg taste test 2012

With Easter just around the corner, we identify the best tasting and best value for money eggs!

It’s that time of year again. The sun is out, the clocks have gone forward – it can only be Spring! And with it comes Easter.

And that means chocolate, and lots of it. The supermarket shelves are heaving with this year’s Easter Egg efforts. So which offers the best value for money? And more importantly, which tastes the nicest?!

Here are the ten eggs we put to the test this year.

Lidl Bunny

This egg is likely to appeal to youngsters according to our reviewers. The design was described as “cheap but fun”, while the smiling bunny and flowers at the bottom of the wrapper make it a good choice for young girls.

Blind taste test comments:

“Bitter taste”

“Creamy, smooth”

“Distinctly average”

“Nice but slightly funny aftertaste”

“Fizzing and fruity”

Overall position: Joint third

Aldi Milk Chocolate Flame egg

This egg got great reviews in terms of its presentation. Our reviewers suggested the gold packaging made it look “expensive”, “high end” and a “real treat”. Not bad for an egg that costs less than £3!

Blind taste test comments:

“Nice and chunky”

“Smooth taste”

“Gross”

“Hate it, no taste”

“Doesn’t taste of chocolate – more like artificial sweetener”

Overall position: Ninth

Galaxy Indulgent Collection

A good choice for mums, wives, girlfriends or female best friends according to our reviewers, due to the butterflies, dragonflies and pink tulips present on the packaging. However, be on your guard – as lovely as the packaging is, the egg is not exactly massive, so may be a slight disappointment.

Blind taste test comments:

"Strange aftertaste”

“Very creamy and sweet”

“Nice and rich”

“Creamy but lacking in flavour”

“Not too sweet but a bit cloggy in texture”

Overall position: First

Bertie the Bunny (Sainsbury’s)

Sainsbury’s bunny offering didn’t go down well in terms of its presentation. It was derided for looking “cheap”, “unimpressive” and “tacky”. Not impressive at first glance then, but how does it taste?

Blind taste test comments:

“Sweet and sickly”

“A bit cheap”

“Rich flavour – looks like there’s real chocolate in there”

“Creamy texture”

“Smooth and not overly sweet”

Overall position: Joint third

Kit Kat Chunky

The design of this egg did not go down well. Described as a “giant box of cheapness”, it was noted that there’s not even a passing recognition of Easter on the box, instead pushing the word Chunky down the throats of anyone receiving the egg.

Here’s an example of the derision this box attracted: “It would be relatively dramatic circumstances that would cause me to part with my hard-earned for this, for anyone – unless I knew for a fact they did not have any mugs.”

Blind taste test comments:

“Yuck. Tastes like sand!”

“Tastes cheap”

“Odd after taste”

“Is this expired?”

“Weird, almost smoky aftertaste. But pretty good”

Overall position: Tenth

Asda Giant Egg

Asda is not lying when it calls this egg a giant – it’s absolutely massive! Presentation-wise it’s very basic, in just a see-through bag, showing off just what a gargantuan eating task lay ahead of you. And that split our reviewers – they were either excited at the thought of eating so much chocolate, or a bit put off by it. Clearly this egg is one to only get for someone who is a verified chocoholic!

Blind taste test comments:

“Bitter”

“Good richness”

“Best so far”

“Pleasant, not too sweet. Grown up chocolate”

“Let down by being slightly too thick and the paste-like texture”

Overall position: Second

Marks & Spencer Bunny

This colourful bunny is “bringing a bit of fun” into Easter according to our reviewers, with its unusual design and colours helping it stand out. Perfect for kids, but not too small to consider for presents for adults too.

Blind taste test comments:

“Urgh… really sweet”

“Nice consistency and thickness”

“Good chunky chocolate”

“Not sure of the aftertaste”

“Tastes of nothing”

Overall position: Seventh

Dairy Milk Large Egg

You know what you are getting with the Dairy Milk egg – the branding is plastered all over the box in a pretty blunt fashion. The packaging was described as “unspectacular” and “dull”, though it will appeal to anyone who particularly loves Dairy Milk!

Blind taste test comments:

“Average”

“Reminds me of childhood”

“Needs a crisper texture”

“Tastes cheap and synthetic”

“Nice and sweet”

Overall position: Fifth

Smarties Hen House

This is another egg that’s great for the young, or the young at heart. The packaging is “homely and nostalgic”, though whether kids actually play with the hen house once they’ve got their hands on the chocolate is open to debate!

Blind taste test comments:

“Not very nice”

“Bit like plastic”

“Good taste, not too sweet, nice texture too”

“Bland and inoffensive”

“Run of the mill egg”

Overall position: Eighth

Lindt Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate Egg

The packaging for this egg is “opulent”, though it was noted that there’s plenty of unfilled space left in the box. So appearances can be a little deceiving. This egg is a good fit for young children, people who like cute animals and “anyone who likes a little bit of mock gold in their lives”!

Blind taste test comments:

“Bland”

“Thick and rich”

“Really nice texture and flavour”

“Lard”

“Probably cheap, but the kind of cheap I like”

Overall position: Sixth

The final standings

So, here’s how our taste testers ranked the ten eggs.

Galaxy took the top spot, but it was then followed by three supermarkets, including little Lidl. Indeed, when you consider the price you pay per 100g of chocolate, Lidl’s bunny easily offers the best value for money.

And there are some big names that did really poorly. Kit Kat and Smarties making up two of the bottom three certainly took me by surprise.

Of course this test is not the most scientific in the world. But hopefully it demonstrates that looking beyond the usual suspects gets not only the best value for money but also some of the best tasting chocolate!

Our sister site lovefood has also put Easter Eggs to the test, including some rather fancy ones from the likes of Carluccio’s and Green & Blacks. So head on over to see how they did!

More on food:

Where to find cheap Easter eggs

Have a posh packed lunch on a budget

Morrisons, Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury's: which store has the cheapest value range?