Now that Easter is behind us, it’s officially time to turn our attention to one of the best parts of the year: picnic season. Longer days, warmer weather and the excuse to eat outdoors with friends (preferably with a refreshing drink in hand) makes it hard to beat. And let’s be honest, half the joy of a picnic is finding those standout, slightly unexpected food additions that everyone ends up talking about.
In perfect timing, the Good Housekeeping Institute has revealed its annual best picnic food round-up, and one product in particular really caught our attention: Tesco’s Savoury Pastel de Nata.
Launching on 13 April, this clever twist on the classic Portuguese treat has been reimagined as a savoury bite - and we’re seriously impressed. Traditionally, a pastel de nata is filled with sweet custard, but Tesco has flipped the concept on its head. Instead, this version is packed with garlicky, melted cheddar, all encased in a buttery, flaky pastry shell. Think of it as a more refined, slightly more exciting take on a quiche - but with that signature crisp, flaky pastry (that goes all over your shirt, mind you).
It’s no surprise it was awarded ‘Best Picnic Hero’, scoring an impressive 88/100 in our tests. Testers praised its “heavenly, delicious cheesy taste”, with one noting that it was indulgent without tipping into overly rich territory. The balance of the crisp pastry and soft, savoury filling makes it ideal for sharing.
Priced at £4.50 for 400g, it’s a versatile option too. It can comfortably serve four people as a main with a simple salad, or be sliced into smaller portions to feed a crowd as part of a wider picnic spread with friends. All we know is, as soon as 13 April comes around, we're heading to Tesco to pick up a pack of this, and a bottle of chicken wine.
Mel is the Senior Food & Drink Writer for Good Housekeeping UK, covering all the delicious new product launches that come her way, writing about food and drink topics, and curating gift guides for the best foodie products to buy. Alongside that, she can be found developing and creating cocktails for GH and holds her WSET Level 2 in Wine and Spirits. She was part of the Good Housekeeping Institute food testing team for over four years before moving over to the digital side, so knows a thing or two about great food products. You'll find her scouring the supermarket shelves in her spare time for new and exciting ingredients to experiment with in her kitchen.
