It didn't have "new" on it and it was not a buy one get one free so why did I pop a pack of McVitie Digestive biscuits into my trolley?
Because I am a greedy pig? well yes but to be honest I just fancied a plain old pack of biscuits from a brand I knew and respected and not being on one ... Read review
Advantages: Taste nice Loverly with tea. Disadvantages: May be a bit dry and boring for some.
It didn't have "new" on it and it was not a buy one get one free so why did I pop a pack of McVitie Digestive biscuits into my trolley?
Because I am a greedy pig? well yes but to be honest I just fancied a plain old pack of biscuits from a brand I knew and respected and not being on one of my many diets thought I would treat myself..
~ ~ ~History ~ ~ ~
Mr Alexander Grant created these over ... ...high amount of baking soda would aid food digestion hence the name Digestive biscuits. Mr Grant worked for McVitie & Price and when they merged in 1948 with McFarlane Lang became United Biscuits. Today over 71 million packets are sold ever year thats 52 biscuits per second. All this and more can be found at the United Biscuits website.
~ ~ ~ Packaging ~ ~ ~
Tried and tested is how I would describe these. Nothing funky ... more
It didn't have "new" on it and it was not a buy one get one free so why did I pop a pack of McVitie Digestive biscuits into my trolley?
Because I am a greedy pig? well yes but to be honest I just fancied a plain old pack of biscuits from a brand I knew and respected and not being on one of my many diets thought I would treat myself..
~ ~ ~History ~ ~ ~
Mr Alexander Grant created these over 100 years ago. Cleaver little chap, decided that adding a high amount of baking soda would aid food digestion hence the name Digestive biscuits. Mr Grant worked for McVitie & Price and when they merged in 1948 with McFarlane Lang became United Biscuits. Today over 71 million packets are sold ever year thats 52 biscuits per second. All this and more can be found at the United Biscuits website.
~ ~ ~ Packaging ~ ~ ~
Tried and tested is how I would describe these. Nothing funky but the distinctive bright red foil packaging is I think, one of the most recognisable packets on our shelves. Pictures of some biscuits, nutritional information, ingredients, bar code, contact address and the fact that you are eating an original digestive, I find the packaging plain and simple, just like the contents.
One thing I did notice is the now new name McV. I guess that as these have been around for some time and what with all the new treats comming out, this would appeal to the younger generation. The new name McV is quite hip and catchy, short and sweet so gets the thumbs up from me.
~ ~ ~ Prices and Availability ~ ~ ~
I purchased my 250g packet from Tesco for £0.44 but the same can be bought from Sainsburys for £0.45, Safeway £0.47 and Asda for £0.44. Not much in it really but these do come in packs of 500g and are by far much better value at £0.62.
Although when you think of digestives your first thought will be McVities (well I do anyway), you can buy cheeper own brand versions at around £0.42 for 500g but to be honest, you get what you pay for.
Most places (including garages and corner shops), that sell biscuits will sell the digestive.
~ ~ ~ Lets Go In ~ ~ ~
Easy right. With its "tear" here pull I thought this was going to be a doddle. Wrong, It was showing me where to pull but there was nothing to pull. After digging at the edge I did finally detatch and uplift the foil after which I must admit, tore open the pack with ease.
~ ~ ~ The Biscuit ~ ~ ~
As I said plain and simple. No jam or chocolate just 17 (I know I am sad), round biscuits in what I can only describe as a golden brown wheaty kind of colour. On the top are the words McVities and the original and a some wheat grains indented on the biscuit and the back some more indentations that make it look like you are playing a game of squares.
At nearly 3 inches round these are just that bit too big for the first dunk in your cup but a bit of nibbling first will soon sort this out but be warned after only a few seconds they will plop to the bottom leaving you with a cup of mush.
~ ~ ~ Taste and Smell ~ ~ ~
My favourite part of any opinion.
To be honest the first thought that comes to mind when I smell these is well, nothing. You really have to sniff hard to get the slight whiff of dryness and wheat. No sweetness is comming through, quite boring really. Oh well never mind.
As I take the first bite I noticed how crunchy they are (that is if you store them in a dry place), and just how dry but a strange addictive kind of taste that makes you want to eat more. The crumbly texture on the tongue is rough without being harsh and the wheaty flavour is the first to come through. There is a hint of sweetness but this seems to appear as the biscuit starts to melt. Maybe this is why I find myself going back for more.
Now I must admit that I find the taste somewhat different after dunking. Sweeter, smoother and not so wheaty. I really think tea compliments this biscuit.
~ ~ ~ Final Thought ~ ~ ~
I find these strangly pleasant. The dryness is something that would normally put me off but the sweetness that comes through is enough to make me want another but with 73 calories and 3.2g of fat per biscuit, would have to keep and eye on just how many.
Would I buy them again?
Definitely!!
~ ~ ~ Anything Else Before I Go ~ ~ ~
Well yes, I did say these are plain and simple but with not too much imagination, can become a whole different taste. Try adding a slice of cheese and pickle on top or some soft cheese and onion or just crumble them over some ice cream or use for the base of cheescake, nice.
Suitable for vegetarians but alas, not those with a wheat intolerance.
Should you have any comments or suggestion on their products, you can contact them freephone ~ 0500 011710 ~
Advantages: The Best Digestives around Disadvantages: May be too boring for the young
When I was a young lad, the idea of chilling out with a cup of herbal tea and a digestive completely appalled me. Drinking was all about various types of pop whilst if a biscuit wasn't covered in either icing or chocolate then what, to be frank, was the point!? My tastes have now however changed somewhat and, much to the potential embarassment of my inner child I'm sure, digestives have become my favourite biscuits and, of these, I like no brand ... ...Unless you live on another planet (in which case - Hello!!) then you will know that McVities produce just about the most famous digestives around but did you know that they actually invented them? Well, a young employee of theirs called Alexander Grant came up with the recipe and they were named Digestives in honour of their high baking soda content which was thought to aid digestion. Now, one hundred years later they are the biggest selling regular ...
bizzetto 13.11.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of McVitie´s Digestives
Have you ever gone through a phase where you find yourself munching biscuits everyday? Or maybe you find you cannot go through a day without that pack of crisps? I am going through that phase right now. Not with crisps, mind you, but my weakness is for that pack of McVities digestives.
"Why, of all failures, does it have to be those biscuits? They look so plain and wholesome?" You ask?
"Well," I replied, "I just love them." The packaging, I admit, ... ...wrapper that cries out to you while you walk past it in the shopping aisle. Bright, yes, in reddish orange with the words "McV" for McVities, The Original Digestive in large bold words.
While unwrapping them, a couple will fall out, in their eager to leave their neighbours in the tightly rolled packed of biscuits. They do not look all that appetizing. Round and brown, with the words "McVitie's, the original" branded on the surface of it, not as ...
petitesquirt 06.06.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of McVitie´s Digestives
Advantages: Moreish Disadvantages: Break in your tea when dunking
I buy the boxed 400g biscuits and apart from dunking them in my tea, I also use them for:
The crumbed base of Lemon Meringues.
Layer them between chocolate moose. Place strawberries and meringue on top. They are also tasty as a savoury dish with any type of cheese and a slice of cucumber. Pipe melted chocolate on them creating faces and name places for children's parties. So much fun...
These biscuits are about 3 inches across in size. The colour ... ...McVities the Original) They are carefully packaged in a white plastic covering and then boxed. A rich red box with their blue/white logo. The boxed version does help to protect them as I always find the packets always have broken biscuits at the top and bottom.
They are of a smooth texture but not too hard and not too soft. They have just the right consistency that you can gently halve them ready to eat or dunk. (Count one, two, three, because after ...
TeresaTunaley 27.05.2003 (28.05.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of McVitie´s Digestives
Advantages: Crunchy, crumbly and tasty Disadvantages: A bit dry
"A drink's too wet without one!" Or so thought Alexander Grant of United Biscuits as he was having his tea-break and nibbling on a Rich Tea biscuit....but that's another story. Of course United Biscuits wasn't called UB 100 years ago, it was called Mcvyties & Price. But it wasn't until lunch-time that he came up with the idea of adding lashings of baking soda to a biscuit to aid digestion, and after a thrillingly heated brainstorming session, the ... ...done Eck! MCVYTIES DIGESTIVE come wrapped in a bright, red foil package that I really don't need to describe any further as anyone who hasn't seen these must walk around with a bag on their head.....(I'm NOT implying that any members of Ciao should wear a bag over their head.....well, not a plastic one, anyway. That's dangerous). The package is where you'll find all the nutritional info, ingredients etc. Not here. Bottom line: 70-odd kcal per biscuit. ...
proxam 15.10.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of McVitie´s Digestives
Advantages: delicious biscuit Disadvantages: soem may find them boring
If you were to say to me the word ‘biscuit’ the first thing that would pop into my mind would be the McVities’ Digestive biscuit. For some reason this just seem to be to be the ultimate biscuit. Throughout my childhood it was virtually omnipresent (apart from a brief period where the Hovis digestive resided in our biscuit tin); there would nearly always be a packet in our biscuit tin. I think it would be fair to say that there can hardly be a person ... ...digestive.
You can buy McVities digestives in every supermarket and most smaller convenience stores; the true mark of a popular product. They are found in the biscuit aisle and are instantly recognisable with their predominantly red package. On the left side of the packet there is a large blue arrow with a white ‘McV’ inside it. Above the arrow is another blue box with ‘McVities’ in smaller letters. Underneath the arrow the following is found: ‘the ...
jammy_banana 05.09.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of McVitie´s Digestives
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Advantages: Slight hint of lemon scent Disadvantages: Bland, taste is a big let-down
Although I?m not really a biscuit muncher, I do buy them for the rest of the family and on the rare occasion I get to sit down for five minutes to have a cup of tea, then I will reach for a biscuit to dunk.
I?m not really into fancy biscuits, just give me a plain old digestive and I?m quite happy, but when I saw that McVitie?s had introduced a ?New? addition to their already popular range of biscuits, I decided to give their Lemon and Ginger Digestives a whirl.
At first glance, the packaging isn?t very much different to that of the original Digestive. Half of the wrapper is made up of the brilliant red that is associated to Digestive biscuits. What sets the two packets apart is the bright flash of yellow with lemon slices on it making up the second half of the wrapper.
Opening the packet is supposed to be easy with the ?easy ...
Advantages: Mcvities Quality Disadvantages: Don't taste too good
with others?
Anyway, that was it for a while. Untill a few weeks later I spotted some digestives at home in the kicthen. They were in their packaging and I was pleased to see normal digestives. I grabbed the package and opened it using the ?easy-open? flap that is present on the wrapper. (Although I usually have to bite the top of the packaging off as they don't seem to work for me always).
When I had managed to find my way in to the biscuits I grabbed hold of one and bit in to it. Yuk! It tastes fusty.....hang on...it tastes just like that alleged Lemon and Ginger digestive biscuit I ate the other week..!? How? The packet is that of the original Mcvitie's digestives....
Ah, well it isn't! As I soon discovered. The packets do look remarkably similar. They are that firey red colour with the blue and yellow McVitie's logo present. However ...
Advantages: Ginger flavour Disadvantages: lack of lemon flavour
As a lover of Mcvities digestive, but as someone who can?t eat biscuits too often I was surprised when I spied the word ?NEW? emblazoned on a packet of otherwise normal looking McVitiesdigestives. I picked the packet up to examine further?
Upon closer inspection I saw the word ?Lemon and Ginger? in not too big writing. Remembering I write for ciao I decided I had to try them. So I paid my money which was about 60p (though I?m not totally sure)
At home it wasn?t long before I couldn?t resist the temptation any more, and ignored the thoughts of my Diabetic nurse nagging me when I showed her my daily food diary. Still I didn?t HAVE to put it down and she would never know? (Except the fact I?m far too honest for that). I also examined the pack closer and noticed a little difference. Apart from the new sign, there is actually ...
