BATTER THAN THE REST
We tested supermarket fish fingers – the delicious winner costs just £1.69 and is packed with brain-boosting Omega 3
Our round-up also includes an option that is a reassuring choice when it comes to feeding hungry kids
GET those fish fingers down you, kids – they will make you, er, kinder.
Carrots help you see in the dark and spinach puts muscle on you, children are told, and now the breaded teatime treat is being touted as having secret powers.
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Scientists at the University of Bristol found tucking into fish fingers is linked to more considerate as well as sociable behaviour in primary school pupils.
They reckon this is because white fish is rich in brain-boosting Omega 3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin D and iodine.
So, that’s another good reason to have a box or two stashed in the freezer for when time is short.
Nadia Cohen tries supermarket offerings and gives marks for taste, value and a total score out of ten…
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Aldi: 15 Fishmonger Omega 3 Fish Fingers
450g, £1.69, 11p each | Omega 3: 0.211g/100g
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PACKED with the highest amount of Omega 3 of all the options on store shelves, this is the smartest choice by a long way when it comes to boosting kids’ health.
An added bonus is that they have a really nice, light, golden coating which stops them tasting too processed.
The white fish has a good, firm consistency and each finger was a decent size.
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Best of all, since none of the batter fell off the sides, they managed to retain their crispiness even when dunked in a hefty dollop of tomato ketchup.
A clear winner.
Make these fish fingers for the whole family for under a fiver
Taste: 5, Value: 5 Total: 10
Tesco: 10 Omega 3 Fish Fingers
300g, £1.13, 11p each | Omega 3: 0.187g/100g
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VERY pale to look at, and somewhat flabby in consistency, these failed to hold their shape properly during cooking.
The coating was far too crumbly, almost grainy in texture, which was not particularly pleasant to eat.
But it is worth noting that these are very high in Omega 3 brain food, which makes them a reassuring choice when it comes to feeding a horde of hungry kids – especially if they are hefty teenagers who can put away four or five fishy treats in a single sitting.
Taste: 1, Value: 3 Total: 4
Lidl: 15 Ocean Sea Omega 3 Fish Fingers
300g, £1.65, 11p each | Omega 3: 0.04g/100g
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REALLY good value for money, but since they contain hardly any Omega 3, they could be a false economy if you are looking to fuel more than just the children’s tummies.
At first glance, the coating is a worryingly bright shade of orange, and the breadcrumbs had already started to fall away messily inside the box before cooking.
They took quite a while to crisp up but once ready the fish was flaky and quite tasty.
Worth keeping in reserve in the back of the freezer.
Taste: 4, Value: 4 Total: 8
Asda: 10 Omega 3 Fish Fingers
300g, £1.30, 13p each | Omega 3: 0.2g/100g
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A NO-FRILLS option, these are thinner than some of the other supermarket offerings, the batter fell away far too quickly during cooking and they are made with pollock, not cod.
Each serving includes only a teeny- tiny scraping of Omega 3 which means these are not doing the kids’ brains much good at all – they would get more nutrition from a tin of baked beans.
A bit bland and disappointing.
Taste: 3, Value: 3 Total: 6
Young’s: 8 Extra Crispy Batter Fish Fingers
240g, £2.75, 34p each | Omega 3: 0.139g/100g
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YOUNG’S has long been Birds Eye’s fiercest competitor in the fish market, and it’s easy to see why.
These fab fingers are pricier than the supermarket own brands but high in Omega 3, and give old Captain Birdseye a run for his money.
They are nice and chunky so you would not need too many on each plate, and they are coated in a delicious crispy batter packing a serious crunch that could almost pass for restaurant quality.
Kids will go crazy for these, and they are worth forking out a bit extra for if you don’t have too many mouths to feed.
Taste: 5, Value: 2 Total: 7
Sainsbury’s: 10 Breaded Cod Fillet Fish Fingers
300g, £1.65, 16.5p each | Omega 3: 0.126g/100g
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A DECENT mid- price option which has an average amount of Omega 3, and a fairly average taste too.
The fish seemed softer than the others, while the breadcrumb coating started to spit and split pretty quickly when placed under the grill.
A couple of the fish fingers fell apart when I tried to transfer them on to the plate.
They would not hold their shape in a sandwich or a wrap, so they get a thumbs-down for this.
Taste: 2 Value: 3 Total: 5
Birds Eye: 32 Omega 3 Fish Fingers
896g, £5, 16p each | Omega 3: 0.116g/100g
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HEARTY seafarer Captain Birds Eye has made these the most popular option in the freezer cabinet, and most shoppers reach for the brand leader without even thinking.
But his fish fingers are also way up there when it comes to cost.
Despite their rather unappetising price tag, they are also quite thin and burst quickly under the grill.
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When it came to serving, they shrivelled slightly, too, which was disappointing. Not quite worthy of the captain’s table, for my money.
Taste: 4, Value: 3 Total: 7
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