When did blueberries become an ubiquitous British breakfast food? I don’t remember eating them growing up in the 80s and 90s, but at some point in the mid to late 90s, Brits got on board with blueberries as the ideal breakfast fruit, muffin and smoothie flavour and children’s snack.
We love them for their tart and juicy taste, while their hardy nature makes them a better year-round import prospect than softer berries such as raspberries and strawberries. Blueberries can withstand a few weeks on a ship and another on supermarket shelves and still taste great when they finally reach our homes.
Popularity has grown and grown. We now consume around 60,000 tonnes of blueberries a year, with 10 per cent coming from British growers but we could grow far more.
They are also considered a “superfood” because they are full of nutrients including fibre, Vitamin C and Vitamin K. The dark blue colour comes from an antioxidant flavanoid called anthocyanin, which is believed to protect against heart disease and Type 2 diabetes as well as having the potential to fight cancer.
Blueberries also make great claims for brain health. The polyphenols found in brightly coloured fruit help blood flow to the brain, while eating 240g of blueberries a day has been found to significantly improve memory and attention, based on a study of 54 children aged 7-10.
All the blueberries I taste are from Morocco, the second biggest importer to the UK after Peru, with varieties including Eureka, Eureka Sunrise, Manila, African Red and Sekoya Pop.
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The latter is by far my favourite, but you’ll find different varieties on shelves in different supermarkets based on availability. I also deduce from tasting most of the premium ranges that consumers may prefer a blander berry, whereas I prefer blueberries with some character and tartness and have scored accordingly.
I tested by looking at a whole packet and searching through for any soft or mouldy fruit, and testing a handful of each.
Terrible storms have impacted crops this year, with farmland in Morocco as well as Spanish ports affected. Growers have warned of shortages, and I did see some empty shelves while shopping. The UK imports blueberries from all over the world from countries including Argentina, Chile, Peru, France, Germany, Poland, Spain and Portugal.
Frozen blueberries are slightly cheaper, from £7.50/kg (Essential Waitrose). They’re said to be even better for our health as the nutrients are preserved from the time of freezing, a few hours after picking. They’re great for smoothies, baking and in porridge or snacking at home, but do leave mouths and fingertips stained black so aren’t ideal while on the move.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference blueberries
£2.60/150g (£17.33/kg)
These are all whoppers with a firm texture and nicely juicy flesh. The taste is not too sharp, but rounded with a pleasingly tart edge. I like them but would probably prefer to have more smaller berries to a pack. The provenance and variety will depend on the time of year.
3.5/5
No.1 Waitrose specialty blueberries
£3.04/225g down from £3.80 (£13.52/kg)
Lovely looking berries with dark skins and uniform mid-sized berries. The flesh is juicy, too, but the flavour is mild to non-existent.
2.5/5
ASDA Sweet & bursting blueberries
£1.67/150g (£11.13/kg)
These look good. They are all firm, no mould or mushiness and a good size with some whoppers. The taste is disappointing however. They are mostly bland, though I get a few decent sharp ones, and the flesh is really soft inside. When I tried them they had three days to go on the best before date.
2/5
Ocado blueberries
£2.80/250g (£11.20kg)
Nice big berries and mostly uniform in size with none burst or mouldy. They vary in taste and texture across the packet however, with some soft and bland inside and others nicely firm and tart.
2.5/5
Tesco blueberries
£2/150g (£13.33/kg)
A significant range in size from large to quite small, with a few that have started to wrinkle even though it is three days until the “best before” date. The taste is great however, with every berry I try firm and juicy with a deliciously tart kick.
3.5/5
Tesco Finest blueberries
£2.60/150g (£17.33/kg)
Medium-sized berries with dark and shiny skins, though two have gone soft a day before the best before date. Taste-wise, there is less uniformity than I’d expect from a premium line, with some soft and lacking in flavour and others tart, taut and juicy.
2.5/5
M&S Blueberries
£3.90/300g (£13/kg)
While size is definitely not a sign of quality, these large berries are exceptional: firm, juicy and flavoursome. There are one or two smaller berries in the pack that feel like they needed another day in the sun, but these are my favourite overall.
4/5
Waitrose Blueberries
£2.50/150g (£16.67/kg)
Beautifully plump berries that are uniformly large and firm with sharp, juicy flesh. The smaller packets cost a little more per kilo but they’re a good snacking size.
4/5
ALDI Specially Selected blueberries
£1.99/150g (£13.27/kg)
Nice-looking berries but too many soft ones – seven – in a pack with three days left until the best before date. I like the juiciness but the flavour doesn’t redeem them as they are mostly bland with the odd pleasing pop of tartness.
2/5
Lidl Deluxe blueberries
£1.59/250g (£6.36/kg)
A few squishy berries let this punnet down overall but the majority taste great: large, firm and juicy with some decent sharpness. They are the Sekoya Pop variety that I also try from Waitrose and M&S – far cheaper from Lidl though you don’t mind risking a few softer fruits.
3.5/5
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