Supermarket Mixed Nuts Taste Test: The Best and Worst Revealed
Nuts are a nutritious whole food and a popular snack choice for many families, but they can be expensive and their quality varies dramatically. Some packets contain stale, bitter nuts, while others offer creamy, sweet, and well-balanced flavours. The combination of nuts in a mixed bag is also crucial; if your least favourite nut dominates, it can make the snack a chore to eat. Additionally, certain nuts like macadamia, pecans, and cashews are pricier per kilo than peanuts, which are technically legumes, affecting both the cost and profit margins of these products.
Due to their high fat content, nuts are particularly susceptible to oxidation, leading to rancid flavours and bitterness if not fresh. Freshness depends on factors like harvest timing and packaging, though this information is rarely on packets. Always opt for bags with the longest use-by date, ideally at least six months, and store nuts in an airtight container, preferably in the fridge, to maintain their quality.
The Top Picks in Supermarket Mixed Nuts
In our comprehensive taste test, we evaluated various supermarket mixed nuts to identify the best options for quality, value, and flavour. Here are the standout choices.
Best Overall: Waitrose Mixed Nuts
Priced at £5 for 250g (£2 per 100g), Waitrose mixed nuts earn a solid four-star rating. This packet features lots of super-crunchy almonds and large walnuts, with a good ratio of brazil nuts, and a scattering of hazelnuts and sweet pecans. Although a few nuts were crushed due to rough transportation, this was one of the freshest packets tested, offering great quality and a well-balanced mix. The packaging is recyclable in-store, adding to its appeal.
Best Bargain: Natural Days Mixed Nuts
Available at Ocado for £2.15 for 200g (£1.08 per 100g), Natural Days mixed nuts also receive four stars. This bag includes beautiful, big walnut halves, crunchy almonds, a sufficient quantity of sweet cashews, and a few tasty hazelnuts. With a fresh aroma dominated by walnuts, the quality and variety are exceptional for the price point. However, the packaging is non-recyclable, which is a downside for environmentally conscious shoppers.
Other Notable Options
Sainsbury’s So Organic Mixed Nuts: At £5.50 for 300g (£1.83 per 100g), this four-star option offers a bountiful mix of brazils, walnuts, and hazelnuts, with a smaller but sufficient ratio of almonds and creamy cashews. It is consistently fresh and represents good value for an entry-level organic product, though the packaging is not recyclable.
Asda Mixed Nut Selection: Priced at £2.02 for 190g (£1.06 per 100g), this three-star bag combines equal quantities of almonds, cashews, pecans, and peanuts. It has a sweet aroma, but the peanuts can overpower the more delicate nuts. Overall, it offers good freshness and great value for an everyday mix, but the packaging is non-recyclable.
Fudco Deluxe Assorted Nuts: Available at Sainsbury’s for £7.40 for 500g (£1.48 per 100g), this three-star mix includes mostly creamy cashews and sweet almonds, with some disappointing walnuts and a limited number of delicious pecans and brazil nuts. It provides good value for a rich and diverse combination, though freshness varied, and the packaging is recyclable in-store.
Sainsbury’s Mixed Nuts: At £5 for 300g (£1.67 per 100g), this three-star option features a pretty even mix of crunchy almonds, walnuts, and cashews, plus a scattering of brazil nuts. It has a fresh aroma and flavour throughout, offering decent value, but the packaging is not recyclable.
Morrisons The Best Chunky Mixed Nuts: Priced at £3.50 for 200g (£1.75 per 100g), this three-star bag includes lots of crunchy hazelnuts and regular almonds, a fair few brazil nuts, some tasty flat marcona almonds, and sweet pecans. It is a generous mixture with good variety, though freshness was mixed, and the packaging is non-recyclable.
Lower-Rated Options
Tesco Mixed Nuts: At £6.50 for 500g (£1.30 per 100g), this two-star mix has a high ratio of crunchy but bitter hazelnuts, lovely amaretto-flavoured almonds, less tasty blanched almonds, and a few sweet cashews and walnut halves. It offers good value but loses points for its poor ratio and variable quality, though the packaging is recyclable in-store.
Co-op Mixed Nuts: Priced at £2.40 for 120g (£2 per 100g), this two-star option includes an even mix of large almonds, creamy cashews, hazelnuts, and generous walnut pieces. The balance is sound, but freshness was less consistent. It is grab-bag-sized for snacking on the go, and the packaging is recyclable in-store.
Crazy Jack Organic Mixed Nuts: Available at Ocado for £3.40 for 175g (£1.94 per 100g), this two-star mix features a near-even blend of fresh hazelnuts, shrivelled and poorly flavoured almonds, large and delicious walnuts, and juicy brazil nuts and cashews. The organic certification adds value, but it is let down by sub-par almonds, though this may be a one-off issue. The packaging is recyclable in supermarkets.
When choosing mixed nuts, consider factors like freshness, nut combination, and packaging recyclability to find the best option for your needs. For more food reviews, explore our guides on the best supermarket granola and marmalade.
