Skinny Food Co review: Does this influencer-loved brand live up to the hype?

We put it to the test.

Skinny Food Co review

by Jade Moscrop |
Updated on

If you spend any time on social media, it's likely you'll have come across The Skinny Food Co on your feeds. Loved by influencers and bloggers, its product range and reach have grown exponentially in recent years, and the brand now boasts nearly 400,000 followers on Instagram.

Inspired by a desire to improve the relationship their diabetic family members had with food, Skinny Food Co was launched by its founders in 2018, with the vision of providing healthier, less calorie-dense alternatives that were still as tasty as the real thing.

The product offering began with no added sugar sauces, but now includes over 500 products, such as spreads, syrups, ready meals, bread, sweet treats and more.

It's fair to say the hype around Skinny Food Co is very real, but are the products actually any good? We got our hands on some of the best-sellers and some lesser-known items to put them to the test.

So, ready to find out which products we rated, and which we'd avoid? Let's get into it.

Skinny Food Co sweets review

Skinny Chocaholic Drops
Price: £12.49 (box of 20)

theskinnyfoodco.com

Smarties who? These Chocaholic Drops are delicious, have a good crunch and taste like they should be way more calories than they are. 10/10.

Calories per tube: 86

Similar to the own-brand cereal bars you find in the supermarket, these were tasty, not too sweet and pleasant. The double chocolate was a particular favourite. Jaffa Cake was my least favourite. 7/10.

Calories per bar:

Jaffa Cake - 67 calories

Double Chocolate - 64 calories

Salted Caramel - 66 calories

If you love Maltesers, these are a great dupe. They aren't quite as luxurious as the real thing, but they're a yummy sweet treat and one bag is less than half the calories. 8/10.

Calories per bag: 87

Skinny Food Co meals review

As I don't eat meat, I enlisted my other half to test some of these out. Of the ones I did try, I made sure to pad them out with extra veggies and some protein, as I felt that under 300 calories for a meal was far too low.

The recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men.

The meat in this looked a little dark, which was slightly off-putting. The sauce wasn't too sweet but was a bit gloopy. Overall, it was ok. 6/10.

Calories per meal: 207

If you like your pasta al dente, this won't be your favourite texture, but it's not bad by any means. The sauce was really tasty and it was super filling. I added in some tuna and broccoli/peas to increase my protein and veggies intake. 7/10.

Calories per meal: 195

This was my partner's favourite of the meat-based meals. The meat had been dyed by the sauce so it actually looked appetizing and it had a good depth of flavour. 9/10.

Calories per meal: 189

This meal has a really nice level of spice, and despite the wedges obviously being in sauce and therefore not crispy, it was satisfying and filling. 7/10.

Calories per meal: 183

Skinny Food Co drinks and syrups review

If you enjoy a bit of syrup in your morning coffee, these coffee shot syrups will probably be a staple in your cupboard. The vanilla is super sweet (so, go easy), the hazelnut is delicious and the salted caramel is yum, too. Once you get the ratio right, you're golden. 9/10.

Calories per serving: 0

Calories per serving: 0

The creamers were really not my favourite. I wouldn't ever order anything similar so it's clearly not my vibe anyway, but the Chai was not to my taste and the Glazed Doughnut was far too sweet. Each to their own. 1/10.

Calories per serving: 0

I'm always on the lookout for good non-alcoholic drinks and I was pleasantly surprised by these mixers. They taste good enough on their own in a glass with ice (which I think they need) and would be nice with a drop of booze in them also. The mojito was my favourite but they were all great. 9/10.

Calories per serving: 0

Skinny Food Co sauces review

Of all the sauces I tried, the ketchup was the best. If you've had any other reduced sugar ketchup on the market, you'll know how sweet they can be because of the added sweetener, but there's a good tanginess and the consistency is as you'd expect. 6/10.

Calories per serving: 3

This sauce has a similar sweetness to the ketchup but does have a decent smokey flavour. On a veggie burger with loads of other ingredients, the sweetness wasn't too noticeable. 5/10.

Calories per serving: 2

The consistency of the Garlic Mayo wasn't very appealing, it was gloopy and didn't really resemble a traditional sauce. The garlic smell was definitely there, but the sweetness overpowered it when it came to the taste test. Not for me. 2/10.

Calories per serving: 0

I also tried the French Dressing, Chilli & Lime, and Garlic and Herb, and none of them were to my taste. The consistency is odd, they are too sweet and the flavours just didn't come together. Given that you can make a pretty healthy vinaigrette without masses of calories, I think I'll stick to the old fashioned way. 0/10.

Skinny Food Co spreads review

This stuff is the bomb. Amazing on toast, with slices of apple as a snack or for use in baking, this is outrageously good. 10/10.

Calories per serving: 25

Another winner from me, this one is creamier than the standard Chocaholic spread, so you can choose whichever you prefer (or have both?). 10/10.

Calories per serving: 25

Skinny Food Co bread review

I wasn't expecting to like this bread but I was pleasantly surprised. It's not a full-sized loaf of bread, but it is tasty and two slices are just 125 calories. It's similar to rye bread so has that earthy flavour, which, if you don't like, you obviously won't enjoy it. It also has 7g of protein per slice. I preferred it toasted to not, and enjoyed it most as a mini toasted cheese sandwich, or with the chocolate spread (above). 8/10.

Calories per two slices: 125

Vegan Skinny Food Co products

If you're vegan and miss the taste of honey, this is a bloody good replacement. A nice sweetness, but not overpowering, it works well in yoghurt and in hot tea. 8/10.

Calories per serving: 0

I was actually really impressed by this vegan cheese alternative. It tastes exactly like the freeze-dried parmesan you can get in the supermarket and works well on pasta dishes. I couldn't believe it was vegan. 9/10.

Calories per serving: 14

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Skinny Food Co review: Final thoughts

As someone who eats a lot of whole foods, fresh fruit and veggies, switching to ready meals and snack bars was a bit of a struggle for me. I can't see myself replacing many of my meals with Skinny Food Co ready meals, but for the occasional quick fix on a busy day, they could work well.

The bars were good to have at elevensies or before a workout as a little boost, and the sweet treats feel almost criminal because they taste so good, but are low in calories.

The coffee syrups were a highlight for me as they can really elevate your morning coffee without adding on loads of calories, as were the chocolate spreads (yum) and the protein bread.

The sauces really weren't my favourite, they were far too sweet, but someone with a different palate might enjoy them.

So, does it live up to the hype? I think Skinny Food Co's offering is great if you need to lower your sugar intake, watch your blood sugar levels, are following a certain diet (vegan, keto) or are just looking to find some lower-calorie alternatives to your favourite food items.

Many of these products do contain sweeteners, so you should consult your GP to check if any of these products will be the right fit for your lifestyle.

Everyone's tastebuds are different, so what I enjoyed/disliked is entirely personal. I'd recommend sampling a few different bits from the huge range available to find your favourites.

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