Sainsbury's Stamford Street Co. Instant Hot Chocolate Drink

 

Cheap as chips instant hot chocolate from Sainsbury's own label budget brand. Surprisingly attractive.  Though not very chocolatey, it's chocolatey enough for a casual milky drink. Not too sweet. We tend to use five heaped spoons, and then add some veggie barista milk. Works well enough. £1.65 for 400g. 

INGREDIENTS: Whey Powder (Cows' Milk), Sugar (37%), Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder* (9%), Glucose Syrup, Coconut Oil, Skimmed Cows' Milk Powder, Flavouring, Thickener: Xanthan Gum; Salt, Stabiliser: Potassium Phosphate.

Date: Oct 2024   Score: 5 

Dogadan Linden and Mint Herbal Infusion

 

Linden is the European name for the Tilia tree - the leaves and flowers are used in some countries in the Balkan region (Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, etc) to make a herbal tea which has folk medicine qualities - reducing inflammation, blood pressure, and stress.  It blends well with the mint, adding  sweetness, soft floral notes, and an earthiness. Though the drink does remain mostly a mint tea. 

We liked this. It's a refreshing and attractive drink both hot and hot, and is restorative and calming. Nice. 



Date: Sept 2024    Score: 7

Dogadan Apple Fruit Infusion

 

Bought from a local Turkish shop. We like apple tea, and find it mostly in Turkish or Polish shops. This contains 60% apple, hibiscus,  cinnamon, rose hip, stevia leaf, and "flavouring". It is an attractive blend, with mild apple flavour, a hint of licorice and cinnamon, the faintest tartness, and a gentle fresh sweetness. It makes for a pleasant and inoffensive drink, though does lack impact and character. 


Date: Sept 2024    Score: 6

Sainsbury's Instant Hot Chocolate

 

Milky hot chocolate. Could do with more chocolate and more oomph and perhaps a twist of character. But easy drinking and reasonably comforting if a little wimpy. 

We just tried it with twice the amount of powder they suggest (ten spoons instead of five) and some oat milk, and it was pleasantly tasty. But, of course, there are other instants which are cheaper and which make better hot chocolate using less powder. 

Date: Sept 2024   Score: 4 

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Sainsbury's own label