I used to think happiness cost millions, but as of today I’ve discovered it’s actually a mere £5.50.
This is the price of the brand new M&S gluten-free bacon roll on the supermarket cafe’s autumn menu, and it’s a godsend.
As someone who has been forced to follow an entirely gluten-free diet for the past seven years after being diagnosed with coeliac disease, the concept of being able to casually order a roll or a sandwich while in town has become foreign to me.
I can’t remember what it’s like to sit down and look at a menu without that sinking feeling, as I realise there’s categorically nothing that’s safe for me to eat.
Convenient gluten-free food is not widely-available, partially because people still assume it’s a health fad and partially because it’s a lot of effort to make a free-from product in a factory that’s safe from cross-contamination.
So, when M&S announced the gluten-free bacon roll a couple of days ago (a UK first), I set out to try it.
The taste test
I head to my nearest M&S cafe in Kingston and am relieved to find the gluten-free bap in stock. After a 10 minute wait, the roll is placed down in front of me, still encased in its brown paper bag that prevents cross-contamination while it’s heated up in the kitchen.
It’s pretty small for the price tag, but when I open up the piping hot package, there’s a lot more bacon in it than I expected. It’s the thin and crispy type, rather than big meaty slices, which admittedly I’d have preferred, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Now, time for the first bite. The roll itself is a little dry (as is almost all gluten free bread) but it is pleasantly fluffy and soft. It doesn’t flake or crumble either and there are no big airholes in it – a trademark of many free-from alternatives.
The bacon is crispy and golden and it feels like a hearty little breakfast sandwich. It would benefit from a generous dollop of ketchup, but all-in-all it’s a delightful experience.
I could cry happy tears right here at that table, simply because I’ve finally been able to order and indulge in a quick bite like everyone else in the cafe.
Is the price tag worth it?
It’s not awful, but not a bargain.
Let’s be frank, £5.50 is a lot for a bacon bap, but you pay that for some cold sandwiches now and at least M&S has avoided a gluten-free surcharge.
In fact, the Bacon Deluxe gluten-containing bap is also £5.50. Usually cafes and restaurants charge you and extra pound or two for free-from bread – daylight robbery, if you ask me.
Annoyingly though, for just £1 more, regular diners can get a Halloumi and Avocado role with tomato chilli chutney – a much more elaborate sandwich.
Would it be nice to get a gluten-free offering like this? Yes. But most importantly, M&S has sparked a movement for supermarket and high street cafes to begin offering food for coeliacs – something that felt like it would never happen.
For now, I’ll happily pay that £5.50, because being gluten-free conditions you to have a scarcity mindset. There’s only a handful of places you can access food that is safe to eat when in public, and then you have to get your hands on it before it sells out for the day.
It feels like there’s never enough to go around, so I’ll take what I can get – the fact it tastes good is a happy bonus.
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