When my boys first became vegetarian we experimented  with all sorts of veggie foods, including ones that were substitutes for foods we didn’t bother with before anyway. Quorn Chicken Style Dippers are one of those products.

They are elongated pieces of chicken style quorn in a light and crispy batter and they actually taste rather nice! I don’t know whether it’s psychological, because I know there’s no cheap meat in them, but even I enjoy them and I was never a fan of their non-veggie equivalent. We don’t eat them terribly often, but they are convenient to keep in the freezer for last minute emergencies and can be made into a variety of tasty meals.

Obviously they’re fine served up on their own with the usual “child-friendly” accompaniments, but we seldom eat them this way. They’re great doubled up in burgers, with sweet chili sauce (or ketchup for one of my sons) and are fab for using in Chinese dishes like Sweet ‘n’ Sour or Chow Mein. If you’re going to use them like this, then grill them first to get them crispy, before adding them to the rest of the meal at the end, otherwise they’re likely to either go soggy or be overcooked.

They cook in just 10 minutes under the Grill, or in 15 minutes in the oven, so very quick and convenient. They’re also low in saturated fat, a source of protein and only 33 calories each, so helpful if you’re trying to watch your own weight while still feeding the kids something they like.

I was, however, disappointed to discover that they contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. This isn’t clear on the packaging, but is mentioned on their website. So it’s probably a good job we don’t eat them very often and I’ve given them a lower parents rating below because of that.

Quorn Chicken Style Dippers are easily available at most major supermarkets as well as independent shops and online at places like GoodnessDirect.co.uk. They need to be stored in the freezer and are cooked from frozen.

Please note: This product contains milk and eggs so is not suitable for vegans.

Our ratings

Ease of preparation: 9/10
Parents rating: 5/10
Kids rating: 7/10
Overall rating: 7/10

You can get more information about Quorn Chicken Style Dippers, including nutritional info, on their website.