Easter is literally just a few days away, meaning we are all that one step closer to the second most chocolate-y holiday of the year - with Christmas being the first, of course.
Don't worry, if it's just that little bit too early to be mentioning the big C word, you'll be pleased to know that this will strictly be just Easter chocolate.
Chocolate Easter bunnies, to be exact.
Let's be absolutely honest here, we may automatically assume that this time of year is all about getting lots of chocolate eggs to scoff, but the chocolate bunny is the unsung hero of Easter.
And while there are certainly many different variations on the adorable seasonal treat, it's a well-known fact that there is only one O.G of chocolate bunnies - Lindt.
The master chocolatier's golden foil wrapped bunny has been delighting chocolate fans all across the country for exactly 70 years now.
With its smooth and velvety distinct chocolate, the Lindt chocolate bunny is arguably the benchmark for every other one on the market.
Which is exactly why I decided to see how other versions compared to the iconic bunny; that, and I just really wanted to indulge in some good chocolate.
Heading to M&S, Morrisons and Lidl, I picked up their own branded chocolate bunnies to see how they would fare against the mighty and luxurious Lindt.
Now, I know that judging chocolate may seem difficult, which is why I came up with a fool-proof plan of judging each chocolate bunny on their appearance, price and taste.
The appearance
If there's another feature to Lindt's chocolate bunny that is as iconic as the taste, it is the look.
From its golden foil wrapping to its red ribbon and adorable bell, it's a look that has become synonymous with the master chocolatier and no-one else.
It also looks cute, which is what we want at Easter.
While no other supermarket version really matched Lindt's signature look, I did notice that each one did have their own look and came available in different coloured packaging.
If we're looking for similarities, the closest was Lidl, as it came complete with its own yellow collar collar with a love heart emblem. Though, it did look a little startled.
I will admit, I was a huge fan of M&S' purple 'baby bunny', as it was just ridiculously adorable. Even unwrapped, I would say that it looked the most detailed out of them all.
That being said, Morrisons was easily the most distinguishable, because I personally think it looked like a hare. Maybe it was the straight ears, but I am unsure if Morrisons are sure what a rabbit really looks like.
The price
Aside from the look, Lindt's golden chocolate bunny has also become well-known for being that pricey at around £4 for a large one, depending where you shop.
And, as we are all looking for ways to cut back on costs, I also wondered if a cheaper alternative could deliver the goods on quality and taste.
- Lindt- £4
- M&S - £2
- Morrisons - £1.50
- Lidl - £1.29
The taste
Before I even tasted any of the others, I made sure to start out with a good chunk from the O.G Lindt, just to give the tasting some standard to measure up to.
In all honesty, it's hard to beat Lindt's golden bunny. It has rich, velvety smooth chocolate and it's not thin, which can happen with some cheaper chocolate.
Nevertheless, I was determined to see if any of the three supermarkets could match the same taste as the iconic brand.
If there was one chocolate bunny that tasted the closest, it was M&S. Which, didn't really surprise me, as they are known for great quality, even if the prices aren't always the cheapest.
Its chocolate was almost as thick as Lindt's and I almost had to smash it just to get a decent sized piece to try out. The chocolate itself was also smooth and rich - honestly, if this was a blind taste test, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between Lindt and M&S.
On the complete opposite end of of the scale, both Morrisons and Lidl made me realise that why you pay that bit extra for decent chocolate.
It's not that they were bad, but they tasted rather similar in the fact that they were just slightly thin and...well, bland.
Hand down, M&S wiped this competition out of the water.
Verdict
As I said, M&S managed to nail this test hands down with their adorable 'baby bunny' that was pretty much identical to Lindt. While it was the dearest of the supermarket options, it is still a few pounds cheaper than the iconic golden bunny.
At just £2, you're still getting a great value and quality chocolate bunny that can stand just as tall - metaphorically speaking - to the O.G.
Unfortunately, Morrisons and Lidl's versions didn't quite meet the standard. While their packaging may have seemed cute, their taste was just a little lacklustre and lacked that something extra.
Personally, I'm still wondering if Morrisons didn't live up to to the hype because it was clearly a hare...
All in all, if you're wanting to save a bit of cash on your chocolate bunny this year, M&S is the way to go.
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