{"id":145860,"date":"2026-02-25T22:30:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T22:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/i-used-to-only-be-a-lidl-shopper-but-there-is-now-one-food-i-can-only-buy-at-ms\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T22:30:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T22:30:28","slug":"i-used-to-only-be-a-lidl-shopper-but-there-is-now-one-food-i-can-only-buy-at-ms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/i-used-to-only-be-a-lidl-shopper-but-there-is-now-one-food-i-can-only-buy-at-ms\/","title":{"rendered":"I used to only be a Lidl shopper but there is now one food I can only buy at M&#038;S"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_dde38e\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">I used to only shop at Lidl to save money, but recently discovered I actually save more on my food shop when I spend a little extra on one Marks and Spencer item<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\">10:26, 24 Feb 2026<\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated 15:47, 25 Feb 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33479152\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"I used to shop at just Lidl, but there is now one food I will only buy at Marks and Spencer\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">I used to shop at just Lidl, but there is now one food I will only buy at Marks and Spencer<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">There&#8217;s nothing I detest more than reaching the checkout and facing an enormous <a aria-label=\"shoppingLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/all-about\/shopping\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">shopping<\/a> bill, which explains why I attempt to be as economical as possible during my weekly grocery shop. I&#8217;m fortunate to live mere minutes from a Lidl, which has been crowned Britain&#8217;s most affordable supermarket for basic goods.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Nevertheless, like most people I genuinely enjoy indulging in a few treats at weekends and I&#8217;ve recently begun visiting my local Marks and Spencer over the past few weeks. Whilst I&#8217;ve been taken aback by some of the eye-watering prices at M&amp;S, I&#8217;ve been thoroughly impressed by the bakery section and after sampling it for the past month I can no longer tolerate purchasing Lidl&#8217;s baked products.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-33479148\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33479148\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.69\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Picture of the Marks and Spencer bakery\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479148.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Picture-of-the-Marks-and-Spencer-bakery.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479148.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Picture-of-the-Marks-and-Spencer-bakery.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479148.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Picture-of-the-Marks-and-Spencer-bakery.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479148.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Picture-of-the-Marks-and-Spencer-bakery.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"I believe it is worth spending the extra money on M&amp;S baked goods if you can\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">I believe it is worth spending the extra money on M&amp;S baked goods if you can<cite aria-label=\"Image: Katherine McPhillips\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Katherine McPhillips)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">That may seem surprising considering Lidl is renowned for its exceptionally inexpensive pastries and rolls, with some costing under \u00a31. You even receive certain items complimentary when using Lidl Plus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In contrast, Marks and Spencer is notorious for being expensive but I genuinely believe I&#8217;ve saved more money at their bakery than I would have at Lidl.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">From my experience, bread and cakes remain fresh considerably longer from M&amp;S because they&#8217;re superior quality, so I&#8217;ve managed to reduce food waste by discarding less.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">I&#8217;m fond of Lidl but I discover their fresh bread only remains edible for approximately a day so it&#8217;s difficult to finish an entire loaf. I recently purchased one from M&amp;S and it remained acceptable after five days, reports <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/life-style\/food\/2174470\/marks-and-spencer-lidl-shopping-comparison\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">the Express<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-33479153\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33479153\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.69\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Picture of the Lidil bakery \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479153.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Picture-of-the-Lidil-bakery.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479153.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Picture-of-the-Lidil-bakery.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479153.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Picture-of-the-Lidil-bakery.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479153.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Picture-of-the-Lidil-bakery.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"I used to only shop at Lidl but I have discovered I can actually save more money at Marks and Spencer on specific items\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">I used to only shop at Lidl but I have discovered I can actually save more money at Marks and Spencer on specific items<cite aria-label=\"Image: Katherine McPhillips\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Katherine McPhillips)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Among my preferred baked items is a pain au chocolat and I consistently walk to my nearest Lidl to purchase one for breakfast on a Friday morning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">At Lidl, a single pain au chocolat costs 69p or three for \u00a31.80, which represents remarkable value, though they must be consumed on the day of purchase as they tend to become chewy or even rock solid by the following morning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">This week, however, I opted to visit <a aria-label=\"Marks &amp; SpencerLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/all-about\/marks-spencer\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Marks &amp; Spencer<\/a> for my breakfast indulgence, where a solitary pain au chocolat set me back \u00a31.35.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The price made me grimace, yet having forgotten about it over the weekend, I was pleasantly surprised to find it remained perfectly edible and delightfully flaky come Monday.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-33479147\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33479147\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.69\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Picture of pain au chocolat at Lidil \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479147.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Picture-of-pain-au-chocolat-at-Lidil.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479147.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Picture-of-pain-au-chocolat-at-Lidil.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479147.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Picture-of-pain-au-chocolat-at-Lidil.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479147.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Picture-of-pain-au-chocolat-at-Lidil.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Lidl baked goods are better value for money but in my experience they do not last very long\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Lidl baked goods are better value for money but in my experience they do not last very long<cite aria-label=\"Image: Katherine McPhillips\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Katherine McPhillips)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">I also noticed it contained more chocolate than its Lidl counterpart, and the pastry itself was considerably richer, leading me to conclude that the splurge is entirely justified.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">For those seeking to economise at Marks &amp; Spencer, I would suggest browsing their bread aisle rather than the bakery counter, where I stumbled upon a multipack of pains au chocolat priced at \u00a33, equating to just 75p per pastry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">If securing the lowest possible price on baked goods is your primary objective, then Lidl is undoubtedly your best bet, but should you prefer something that retains its quality for longer, the M&amp;S bakery is well worth considering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/whats-on\/food-drink-news\/marks-and-spencer-better-item-33479155\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I used to only shop at Lidl to save money, but recently discovered I actually save more on my food shop when I spend a little extra on one Marks&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145861,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479152.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_I-used-to-shop-at-just-Lidl-but-there-is-now-one-food-I-will-only-buy-at-Marks-and-Spencer.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[25,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-145860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-housing-news","category-recentpost"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk\/article33479152.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_I-used-to-shop-at-just-Lidl-but-there-is-now-one-food-I-will-only-buy-at-Marks-and-Spencer.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":true,"date":"2026-08-25 22:30:28","action":"change-status","newStatus":"trash","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145860\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vale50plus.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}