Forget sweet prosecco and cheap champagne – cava is the best bargain fizz for Christmas. Find out which supermarket sells lovely bubbly, and which serves up a damp squib

We buy about 370m mince pies each year in the UK. Once upon a time, supermarket varieties were ‘generally unspeakable’ – have they improved?

Can any of the own-brand vintage cheddars rival those handmade in cheddar’s West Country heartland?

The original is all crisp pastry, lardons, cream and eggs. Off-the-shelf versions are often flabby, depressing pretenders, but some can stand proud

Lemonade has come a long way since R White’s, with the sugary drink undergoing a radical ‘premiumisation’ in recent years. But which store’s is the pick of the bunch?

While US-style ribs are slow-cooked in the barbecue, most British own brands have to make do with oven cooking. Can any of these pre-prepared packs conjure up the sprit of a real American ’cue?

The Middle Eastern staple has become a British one, beloved in summer picnics. Here’s how the shops’ own versions compare

Not everyone has a local indie bakery to supply an authentic, billowing croissant, but can a supermarket provide a respectable alternative?

McCain introduced oven chips to Britain in 1979. Nearly 40 years on, every supermarket has its own version. So which is best?

Three quarters of us first taste fish in its iconic frozen, prepacked, breaded form – and many of us never grow out of them. But which of the big brands are a catch, and which should be thrown back?

Researchers have claimed that we may be hardwired to prefer the taste of Coca-Cola to other brands. But how do the big supermarkets’ own brands measure up?

It’s ice-cream weather at last, but which brand is best? We find out if the supermarkets’ own-label tubs of vanilla can rival Häagen-Dazs

Can supermarket own-brews match top-selling Tetley and PG Tips? And do any rival the superb Clipper organic? We put the kettle on and find out

Beanz means Heinz – right? We pit the nation’s favourite against the supermarket own-brands, to see if cheaper tins contain better beans

We’ve come a long way since Poilâne’s £10 loaf caused us to spit out our Mother’s Pride in 2002. But can the supermarkets really produce decent pain au levain?

Can cheaper supermarket own-brands topple the mighty McVitie’s? We put them to the test, judging the biscuit, the chocolate and the all-important dunkability

Doing dry January or just trying to cut down on your drinking? We put the supermarket’s no-booze beers to the test

If you’re serving salmon this Christmas, should you play it safe with traditional oak-smoked or take a gamble on maple syrup, seaweed or even whisky and ‘gold’ varieties? We put this year’s supermarket offerings to the test