Would you buy a bag full of mystery snacks just because it was a bargain?
Food waste-fighting app Too Good To Go offers surplus food from local restaurants, cafes and supermarkets at discount prices.
Locals can pick up groceries, baked goods and meals.
In January, The Courier’s Stirling reporter Isla Glen had her say on Stirling’s top-rated Too Good To Go bags.
But what about the other end of the scale?
Here, Isla shares her conclusions about the worst-rated surprise bags Too Good To Go offers in the city.
Morrisons Cafe
Over the last few years, I’ve tried a lot of Too Good To Go bags. This effort from Morrisons Cafe has to be my least favourite.
Inside, I found some mixed vegetables, three pots of baked beans, a tub of soup, and the remains of a fried breakfast, with bacon, black pudding, a link sausage, and square sausage.
Disappointment is always a risk with Too Good To Go. After all, not all surprises are good.
But the bacon was so hard, I couldn’t chew it, and the square sausage was tasteless.
By nature, a fry-up is greasy, and there were pools of the stuff coating the meat.
Beans on toast made for a nice lunch (bread model’s own), with a sauce that was sweet yet tangy.
But the curried soup or sauce had congealed by the next day and wasn’t at all appetising.
For £2.50, the bag is a bargain.
However, the food inside was disappointing, and it’s not hard to see why the bag’s rating is so low, especially with a short 30-minute collection window.
Perhaps the bakery or ingredients bags also offered by Morrisons Cafe are better.
Cost of bag: £2.50
Estimated normal value: £9
Too Good To Go rating: 3.4/5
My rating: 1.5/5
Morrisons supermarket
It made sense to grab the grocery surprise bag offered by Morrisons while there collecting my cafe haul.
This one contained mushrooms, grapes, cherries, blueberries, oranges and potatoes.
The produce was fresh and, though most of it had broken packaging, it was fine for days afterwards.
A bag like this full of vegetables would be perfect for making a big pot of soup or freezing for later use.
For £3.09 – which would have been the total cost for two of these items normally – you get triple what you would be able to buy in store.
Plus, collection is available from 11am to 9pm, so there’s plenty of flexibility.
Cost of bag: £3.09
Estimated normal value: £11
Too Good To Go rating: 3.3/5
My rating: 4/5
Greggs
Trusty old Greggs gave me a strong bakery selection.
Inside my bag – from the Kildean branch – I found two steak bakes, four white chocolate cookies, and a hot southern fried chicken baguette.
I can’t fault any of the items, as each one tasted as though it had been made fresh that day.
My only gripe is that the collection window for this bag is just 20 minutes, between 6.40pm and 7pm.
Overall, I’d buy the Greggs bag again, as it’s fantastic value for money.
Cost of bag: £3.15
Estimated normal value: £14
Too Good To Go rating: 3.8/5
My rating: 4/5
Pizza Express
Pizza Express wasn’t on my Too Good To Go radar until now.
For £5.95, you get a soft drink and either one main meal or a mixture of three starters and desserts.
Considering only one menu item would be at least that price under normal circumstances, it felt like a pretty good deal.
In my bag, I received bruschetta, garlic bread with mozzarella, stem ginger cake, and an Oreo Coke Zero.
The collection window was narrow – between 9pm and 9.15pm – and then I waited five minutes for my food to be ready.
While the drink tasted vile (not the fault of Pizza Express), the rest of the food was delicious.
If you’re happy to wait until later for tea, this is a great budget-friendly option.
Cost of bag: £5.95
Estimated normal value: £23
Too Good To Go rating: 3.8/5
My rating: 4.5/5
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