If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, chances are you’ve come across Kathryn Turner, M&S’s director of product development. From her product recommendations and behind-the-scenes insights into M&S food, Turner has become something of an unlikely internet sensation, with her videos amassing hundreds of thousands of views. While marketing pros over on Linkedin are deconstructing how she became a viral sensation, I'm more interested in the food she’s putting on my radar as she wanders through the M&S Foodhall.
From Christmas food to everday staples, I’m on top of M&S food launches – and I’ve even met Turner (now one of my biggest claims to fame), so best believe I’m making notes when she takes us around what’s new in the Foodhall. From essentials like pasta sauces and sofrito mix, to sweet treats like new new viral chocolate and cornflake cookies, her recommendations are worth adding to your shopping list.
Whether or not you've found an unlikely grocery muse in Kathryn Turner, read on to discover her latest M&S food recommendations and the top picks worth adding to your basket this week.
The M&S Foodhall products to shop
M&S chocolate cornflake cookies
A spin on the well-loved mini bites, Turner says the viral M&S chocolate cornflake cookies are “delicious”, adding it’s the cookie developer’s “best yet”.
Buy now £3.4, Marksandspencer.com
M&S chunked n’ loaded milk chocolate malt and caramel cookie
Inspired by the malt balls, the new chunked and loaded cookie contains the crunchy chocolate balls, caramel and milk chocolate as well as barley malt to give it richness. “It’s toasty and biscuity,” says Turner.
Buy now £2.1, Marksandspencer.com
M&S apple & custard crumble pot
From banana, caramel and pecan pudding to cookie dough, there are lots of new hot desserts to be nabbed in the Foodhall right now. Turner’s favourite, however, is the apple and custard. The pot features layers of Bramley apple compote, Madagascan vanilla custard and all-butter oat crumble, and only takes 55 seconds in the microwave to heat up.
Buy now £2.5, Ocado.com
M&S pistachio, matcha and raspberry chia pudding
Over in the food on the move section, Turner highlights the new breakfast pots. Her personal favourite is pistachio, matcha and raspberry chia pudding. “It not only looks amazing, it also tastes delicious and it’s got 9.3g of fibre in every pot,” she says.
In the same section, overnight gingerbread oats are back by popular demand, which she says are “delicious”.
Buy now £3.4, Marksandspencer.com
M&S tiramisu iced cream cake
In the freezer aisle, Kathryn highlights the tiramisu cake. “Literally everything you love about a tiramisu but in an ice cream format,” she says. Expect layers of coffee and vanilla mascarpone cream cheese, marsala and coffee soaked coffee sponge, a chocolate sauce and dustings of with cocoa powder.
Buy now £14, Ocado.com
M&S cold pressed immunity
The new M&S cold pressed immunity is a blend of cold pressed ginger, lemon and turmeric juice with acerola puree and Manuka honey. It has added zinc and is high in vitamin C. Turner says you can drink it like a shot or add it to water.
Buy now £4.75, Ocado.com
M&S the big six
Part of M&S’s nostalgic collection, this selection of treats has been inspired by the supermarket’s classic biscuit box. It features six of our favourite M&S biscuits: milk chocolate fudge cream, milk chocolate sandwich finger, jam sandwich cream, outrageously chocolatey marbled whirl (a particular favourite of Turner’s), all butter chocolate chunk cookie and outrageously chocolatey milk chocolate shortcake.
Buy now £5, Ocado.com
M&S 12 chocolate liqueurs
“These are a bit of a blast from the past for me,” says Turner. The mini chocolate bottles are filled with orange brandy liqueur, amaretto liqueur, cème de cassis, elderflower liqueur, cherry brandy liqueur and coffee liqueur. “These are definitely going in my husband's stocking this year,” says Turner.
Buy now £12, Ocado.com
M&S the everything pasta sauce
Turner says M&S’s the everything sauce is “the perfect base for every single tomato sauce”. She calls it her personal hack, explaining that she uses it for bolognese and chilli. Made in Calabria in Italy, the sauce is suitable for vegans and is bound to be great option for family meals.
Buy now £2.2, Ocado.com
M&S prepared sofrito mix
From the freezer aisle, this bag contains diced carrots, celery and onions – the traditional base for many a sauce. Turner says this is “perfect” if you’re making a bolognese, and it’s bound to be a real time saver, with all the veg prep done for you.
Buy now £2, Ocado.com
M&S collection pistachio and parmigiano reggiano cheese pesto
Tuner says this pesto sauce from M&S’s collection range is another of her favourites. “Not only is it delicious with one of our plain pastas, but also on top of salmon”, she says. Who doesn’t love a versatile staple?
Buy now £3.5, Ocado.com
Get prepared for festive season with the best supermarket Christmas food
