I never shop in Co-op but one little-known item is better than a restaurant

It’s one of the best things you can buy from any supermarket, and more people need to know about it.

During the last few years, I’ve tried shopping at numerous different supermarkets. Preparing food and experimenting with new recipes are among my favourite pastimes, but with grocery costs rising each year, it isn’t always budget-friendly.

Most people will know that various supermarkets are good at different things. Whether it’s the Lidl bakery or M&S’s excellent range of treats, several feature in my weekly shopping routine. Co-op is one place I typically avoid, except for one particular item that’s so underappreciated and delivers restaurant-quality.

Compared with rival supermarkets, I find Co-op can be pricier at times, particularly since I live close to smaller high-street stores.

This is one of the main reasons I don’t usually do much of my grocery shopping there. Nevertheless, there’s one dinner product that’s remained on my mind since I first tried it.

As somebody who tries to prepare meals from scratch wherever possible, there are moments when purchasing a ready meal is necessary. And when an especially hectic week looms ahead, it’s straight to Co-op for the Irresistible Vintage Cheddar Macaroni Cheese.

I initially tried this while testing all the Valentine’s Day dine-in deals supermarkets offered. This was the surprising highlight among them all, and I’ve returned to purchase it repeatedly.

For anyone who enjoys a quality mac and cheese and hasn’t tried the Co-op version, I cannot praise it highly enough.

It provides enough portions for two diners, and requires just thirty minutes to heat through in the oven. Once prepared, the ciabatta and mozzarella topping has a wonderfully golden finish, and when stirred through the pasta, it adds an amazing flavour and crunch. You genuinely need no additional seasonings – not even salt – as it delivers a great taste without any extras.

The pasta sauce is thick, velvety and moreish, coating each piece of chifferi pasta perfectly. It’s indulgent without becoming overly heavy, and lacks that unpleasant floury consistency that certain supermarket pasta products can have.

For a ready meal, this mac and cheese delivers restaurant-quality flavour that feels like a treat. Having tried numerous versions from various restaurants, pubs and cafes, I can say with certainty that this ranks among the best.

Even compared with other supermarkets, including Marks & Spencer and Co-op, Co-op is the true winner. My nearest store stocks the meal for approximately £7.65, so it’s not cheap, though online shoppers can purchase two for £8. Just one remained on the shelves during my most recent visit, so I strongly suggest grabbing it whenever possible, as other shoppers are clearly equally enthusiastic about it.