Meal deals, we all love them. These are a go-to for students in Bangor, with many supermarkets and high street eateries alike offering the chance for you to get your hands on the perfect lunchtime feast. With Christmas fast approaching, it’s time for us to find out which of these stores really has the best festive range, as well as meal deal selection for the other 11 months of the year.
Greggs: Greggs is onto an absolute winner this Christmas! With a large festive range, including the iconic festive bake and the all new pigs in blankets tub, this menu is one you don’t want to miss out on. As well as these festive editions, the normal sandwich and hot bites ranges are still available, including the delicious vegan sausage roll and the balanced choice menu for those wanting a lunchtime snack under 400 calories. They have a good selection of sandwiches on offer which, coupled with a drink, comes to £3. There really is something for everyone and with a price tag of only 95p per sausage roll; can you really go wrong? Overall rating: 4.5/5.
Morrisons: Morrisons have a fantastic choice of sandwiches and wraps to select from, along with a good range of sides and drinks to make up a meal deal for £3.50. However, if you fancy something warm to eat, the new hot meal deal selection at the back of the store is simply divine, with 6 chicken strips and chunky chips coming to just £3! Pigs in blankets are also available at the hot counter which are a festive bonus, along with other veggie options such as mozzarella sticks (which are tasty but Bar Uno’s are better) and chilli cheese bites. I think the cold meal deals are quite expensive for what they are but the hot meal deals are a steal. Overall rating: 4/5.
Costa: Costa have unveiled their highly anticipated Christmas menu and it looks promising. There appears to be a huge range of festive hot drinks available and also many new sweet and savoury treats to try, including a Terry’s Chocolate Orange Muffin and a British Turkey and Trimmings Toastie. There are also a few yummy veggie and vegan options including the Festive Veggies under Vests Sandwich and the Vegan Rocky Road, although this range seems to be limited in comparison to some of the other retailers. They have a good selection of tasty toasties and scrummy sandwiches all year round but it’s not the best option if you’re trying to save a few pennies. Overall rating 3.5/5.
Siop/Shop: Siop/Shop, as expected, did not have any festive treats available, although I did manage to find a small sandwich range in the fridge section. The range of sandwiches is limited but due to its location, Siop/Shop is a perfect choice if you are running late for lectures and need to quickly grab a sandwich on the way, but is an expensive option to say the least, especially considering there is no meal deal available. Overall rating 2/5.
McDonalds: Although McDonalds is a bit more out of the way for students without a car, who can resist the Big Mac and Fries for £1.99 deal? Some new items have been added to the menu just in time for Christmas, including the Millionaire’s Latte and their new limited edition doughnut, which has a caramel icing and a sweet sauce filling. Old favourites are also returning such as the Big Tasty and Matchmakers Cool Mint McFlurry. McDonalds is definitely not the healthiest choice around, but swapping a Fries for a Shaker Side Salad can make your meal a lot lighter! There is definitely a large choice of meals for the other 11 months of the year, with special items being added regularly, though the food isn’t always of as high quality as some of the other eateries sampled (I often receive my order lukewarm and sometimes items are missing!). Overall rating: 3/5.
Asda: Like Morrisons, Asda have a good selection of sandwiches and wraps on offer to grab and go, and is ideally located next to Deiniol Library, so is a good choice for anyone looking for a quick bite to eat mid-way through completing an assignment. There is a hot counter at Asda, although their range isn’t as varied as Morrison’s. There doesn’t seem to be any festive meal deals available, however you can get your hands on a Christmas Eve box for only £2.50 in selected stores. Overall rating: 3/5.
