Co-op isn't somewhere I tend to shop - except for one item. Over the past few years, I've tried many different supermarkets in my quest for great food. Cooking and experimenting with new recipes is one of my favourite hobbies, but with grocery prices climbing year on year, it doesn't always come cheap.
Most people will agree that different supermarkets are good at different things. Whether that's the Lidl bakery or M&S's impressive range of snacks, several feature on my weekly shopping rotation. Co-op is somewhere I rarely go to, except for one gloriously underrated product that tastes like something straight from a restaurant kitchen.
Compared to its rivals, Co-op can sometimes feel pricier, especially as I live close to smaller high-street branches. This is mainly why I don't typically do much of my grocery shopping there. But there's one dinner item that's been firmly lodged in my mind ever since I first tasted it.
As someone who prefers cooking from scratch wherever possible, there are moments when reaching for a ready meal is simply unavoidable. And when an especially hectic week looms ahead, it's straight to Co-op for the Irresistible Vintage Cheddar Macaroni Cheese, reports the Express.
I first discovered this gem while working my way through supermarket Valentine's Day dine-in deals. It was the unexpected star of the lot, and I've returned to it time and time again. If you're a mac and cheese enthusiast who hasn't yet tried Co-op's version, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It generously serves two, and requires just thirty minutes in the oven.
When ready, the ciabatta and mozzarella crumb turn a gorgeous golden colour, and once combined with the pasta, it delivers so much flavour and a satisfying crunch. You genuinely don't need to bother with any additional seasoning - not even salt - as it's absolutely delicious straight as it is.
The pasta sauce itself is thick, creamy and delicious, coating every piece of chifferi pasta to perfection. It's wonderfully rich without being overpowering, and lacks that unpleasant floury texture that some supermarket pasta dishes tend to have. Despite being a ready meal, this mac and cheese boasts a premium quality that feels like a proper treat. Having tried countless versions across various restaurants, pubs and cafés, it's fair to say this ranks among the very finest.
Even stacked up against rivals such as Marks & Spencer and Co-op, Co-op comes out on top as the champion. My nearest branch sells the meal for around £7.65, which isn't too budget-friendly, though online shoppers can snap up two for £8. With only one remaining on the shelves during my last visit, it's well worth grabbing whenever you spot it, as it's clearly proving enormously popular with fellow shoppers.
