We tested cheap supermarket fish fingers – which came top?

Popular due to their easy-to-prepare convenience and mild taste, they are a firm family favourite.

Fish fingers were introduced to the UK in 1955 by Birds Eye, with the sales pitch: “No bones, no waste, no smell, no fuss.” They were an immediate hit, selling 600 tonnes in the first year. They are especially popular with children, making them the ideal choice at teatime.

Many people love them in sandwiches – white bread only, in my opinion – with a dollop of tomato sauce.

I tried nine shop brands – the cheapest I could find – to see which float my boat.

Hearty Food Co. (Tesco)

Iceland

Morrisons Fish Fingers

Lidl Simply Fish Fingers

*Morrisons 10 fish fingers, 250g, 80p

The breadcrumb coating crisped up and had a good golden colour. Made with Alaska pollock, the minced fish was white and plentiful, with a soft consistency and a decent fish taste. Very good value.

Pros: crisp coating, tasty fish, price,

Cons: none.

Mark: 4/5

*Asda 10 Fish Fingers, 250g 80p

The breadcrumb coating had an insipid orange colour which was a bit off-putting. The fingers looked thin and broke up quite a bit on heating. Made with Alaska pollock, the minced fish was a light grey and had a slightly slimy texture. I could not detect a fish flavour.

Pros: none other than the price.

Cons: colour, texture, flavour.

Mark: 1/5

*Iceland (Food Warehouse) 10 Breaded Fish Fillet Fingers, 250g, £1.15

These were a reasonable golden colour, and the breadcrumbs crisped up nicely, but the fish (Alaska pollock) was slimy in texture with not much taste. I could only taste the coating.

I was pleased to see that the pack had a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certified Sustainable Seafood logo on the front.

Pros: crisp outer, provenance.

Cons: slimy texture, bland taste, more costly than many.

Mark: 1/5

*Essential Waitrose 10 Cod Fish Fingers, 300g, £3.00

The breadcrumb coating was reasonably crisp, while the cod fillet was an appetising white – it looked very fresh – and had a good taste. These are fillet pieces rather than minced fish, which makes a big difference. They had a light, flaky fish texture. These were made using sustainably-sourced cod. More costly than the others, however. You could but almost four packs of Morrisons – which are a decent fish finger – for the price of this pack.

Pros: appearance, taste, MSC provenance.

Cons: price.

Mark: 5/5

M&S Fish Fingers

Stamford Street Fish Fingers from Sainsbury’s (Image: NQ)

Aldi Everyday Essentials Fish Fingers

Essential Waitrose Fish Fingers

Asda Fish Fingers

*Simply 10 Fish Fingers (Lidl), 250g, 80p

A fairly light colour with finer breadcrumbs than the others which crisped up nicely. Made mainly with minced Alaska pollock these fish fingers, had a quite a firm consistency and a light, chewy texture. The fish was white, tasty and sustainably sourced.

Pros: taste, texture, provenance, price.

Cons: a bit light on colour.

Mark: 4/5

*Everyday Essentials 10 fish fingers (Aldi) 80p

The breadcrumb coating was a good orange colour and crisped up nicely, but some of the fish fingers cracked or broke up during cooking – this was a shame. because they were light, with a chewy texture. The sustainablysourced fish (Alaska pollock) was a little grey, but tasty, including a few larger chunks.

Pros: colour, texture, taste, price.

Cons: some broke up while cooking.

Mark: 3/5

*M&S 10 Fish Fingers, 300g, £2.30

These were solid and kept their shape well. They had a crunchy, golden breadcrumb exterior, while the fish – responsibly-sourced haddock – was firm and juicy, I could see the flakes of fish. Like Waitrose, these are fillet pieces rather than minced fish, which is a cut above, but you do pay more.

Pros: crunchy coating, tasty fish.

Cons: price.

Mark: 5/5

*Hearty Food Co. (Tesco) 10 Fish Fingers, 250g, 80p

These minced, responsibly-sourced Alaska pollock fish fingers had a dark golden crumb outside which crisped up nicely and had a good taste. In contrast, the slightly off-white cod inside was tasteless.

Pros: crumb coating.

Cons: tasteless inside.

Mark: 2/5

*Stamford Street (Sainsbury’s) 10 Breaded Cod Fish Fingers, 250g, 80p

These had a good shape and crumb colour but the fish was grey-looking and tasted odd – slightly soapy. Even the crumbs were not very palatable. It left an unpleasant aftertaste. I didn’t like them at all. The fish is sustainably sourced.

Pros: provenance, price.

Cons: appearance, taste.

Mark: 1/5