Low Fat Coleslaw – Tried and Tasted

As the warmer weather approaches, soups and roast dinners make way for more summery picnics and barbeques, bringing with them a host of side orders and salads.

Whether you’re at a summer gathering or an intimate picnic, you’re sure to be familiar with the humble coleslaw – which can be a diet nightmare!

Usually created using cabbage, carrot and mayonnaise, coleslaw makes a great sandwich filler, goes well with a salad and tops off any good barbeque. Coleslaw really would be the perfect summer side dish if it wasn’t for the fact it was so high in fat and calories (mostly thanks to the mayonnaise).

So to help you through the summer season without sacrificing your taste or your diet, the Tried and Tasted Team have tested healthy range coleslaw products to find out which low fat coleslaw will score highest – helping you to choose which coleslaw tastes the best for the calories.

Table 1: Low Fat Coleslaw Compared

Product	Marks & Spencer - Reduced Fat Coleslaw	Morrison's - Eat Smart Coleslaw	Waitrose - Half Fat Coleslaw
Ranking	1	2	=3
Appearance	Everyone agreed that this one looked the best by far. Something you could really pass off as your own recipe if you wanted.	A good classic coleslaw just as you'd expect to see from a supermarket shelf.	The bigger pieces in this coleslaw put many of our team on the back foot. Was pale looking and didn't look enough like coleslaw for some.
Smell	Didn't really have much of a smell to speak of.	This one didn't smell too overpowering but had hints of just the right flavours.	Didn't really smell of much at all. Could have been anything if you weren't looking at it.
Taste	Looked most appetising, like a home made coleslaw and had the taste to back it up.	A creamy texture managed to stop a few of the team from calling this one bland. A good all rounder if you're expecting less adventurous guests.	Plain and boring were probably the most common words being thrown around here. It looked like it should've had a lot more going for it, although it didn't really offend the senses.
Filling / Satisfying?	Many of the team said they would quite happily eat this as a light salad dish by itself.	Although it was a bit too thick to want to eat the whole tub in one sitting, most of the team agreed that this would be a great compliment to any summer meal.	Hailed as a plate filler, this coleslaw's home made look should've packed a bit more flavour to make it a bit more satisfying
Texture / Consistency	Sliced rather than shredded, this one had a good crunchy feel, just like a salad with dressing which really appealed to the team.	It is exactly what you'd expect out of a coleslaw. The dressing being slightly more creamy than many others out there made this one just that bit more appealing.	Thicker than the average, this is another sliced rather than shredded coleslaw which sparked debate over which was the best approach.
Conclusion	A well sliced, visually appealing coleslaw with the taste to go with it too. This one was most of the team's favourite by far. The quality is however reflected in the price.	A very 'middle of the road' one here. It's never going to be the topic of conversation at the barbeque, but it's nothing unexpected and aside for lacking in carrot, this one showed that just being ok, can be good.	This one split the team on its appearance and if it had a little more taste it may have come out with a higher score. Even those who liked it couldn't really call it the best out there which has left it in joint third.
Serving Size	30g	30g	30g
Calories (kcal) per serving	32	31	39
Fat (g) per serving	3.2	2.2	2.8
Price	£1.00	£0.65	£0.75

Table 2: More Low Fat Coleslaw Compared

Product	Sainsbury's - Be Good To Yourself Coleslaw	Tesco - Light Choices Coleslaw	Asda - Reduced Fat Coleslaw
Ranking	=3	5	6
Appearance	Slimy, Bland, cheap looking... This was the general consensus here. Maybe could've done with a bit more carrot to bring it to life.	Looked like any normal nondescript coleslaw. Nothing out of the ordinary or surprising, a bit bubbly some said almost as if it were fermenting.	This one looked to be a certified failure from the word go. A watery dressing didn't hold on to the pieces at all, resulting in a pool of liquid beside some veg.
Smell	A slightly vinegary hint to this one distinguished it as a coleslaw, but nothing too overpowering.	Really caught the back of the throat with an extremely strong waft of vinegar.	Smelt like we imagined cardboard and vinaigrette would smell together.
Taste	Looked most appetising, like a home made coleslaw and had the taste to back it up.	Vinegar was definitely the resounding call on this one. A very sharp and overpowering feel to it and was likened to an assault on the senses.	Tasted like 'sawdust on salad' one person said. Very bland, much more dry than you'd expect a colslaw to be and quite disappointing on all fronts.
Filling / Satisfying?	Couldn't be filling or satisfying down to the aftertaste, but you wouldn't be revolted to see it on your plate if you like coleslaw anyway.	A very strong, sharp tang to this meant that it only appealed to a certain type of taste, so if this is what you're looking for in a coleslaw you'd be happy, but otherwise you'd leave it.	Not one person on the team would've gone back for more, so in the grand scheme of things, this was not satisfying at all.
Texture / Consistency	Much like any coleslaw you'd expect. Shredded, unsurprising consistency in the dressing and the flavour you'd expect from this combination of veg and dressing.	Shredded veg meant it was exactly what you'd expect out of your coleslaw and the dressing had the right viscosity.	We couldn't work out how a dish like coleslaw could feel so dry, but Asda have managed to do it.
Conclusion	Most of the team said it tasted like it had been left out in the sun for a while. It didn't look like anything special either, but this is reflected in its low fat and calorie content.	You'd expect a lot more from the UK's largest retailer really. It's a pretty simple dish that most people have in the summer so you'd think they could get this right, however most of the team didn't want to chance a second taste.	There was no question about it, as soon as people saw this it was bound to lose. As well as looking like a total mess on the plate, the dressing is bound to start invading the rest of your meal, turning your sandwiches or burgers into a soggy after thought.
Serving Size	30g	30g	30g
Calories (kcal) per serving	26	32	38
Fat (g) per serving	1.8	2.6	3.4
Price	£0.65	£0.64	£0.64

Conclusion

So the clear winner here is Marks & Spencer’s Reduced Fat Coleslaw, proving that paying the extra does pay off. A well presented side dish with substance and appeal whilst still keeping within calories.

It’s surprising how such a simple dish can be so varied but there’s a definite split between those who like their coleslaw straight off the shelf and those who like the more home made approach. Keeping the creamy aspect seems to be an issue with low fat coleslaw, but M&S has pulled it off, and its low calories mean it won't ruin your diet.