In 1990 when Muller Rice first appeared in the UK they seemed like quite an innovative new snack. This was possibly connected to the increasingly widespread use of microwave ovens, as Muller Rice comes in a microwaveable pot, although I much prefer to eat mine cold. Strawberry was one of the original flavours with many more being added to the list as the Muller corporation grew ever more successful.

The packaging on the one I have just eaten says it contains 20 per cent of the recommended daily amount of calcium, has less than 3 per cent fat and has no artificial colours or preservatives, the calorie count is quite reasonable too at 220 per pot, all of which makes it seem like a healthy snack, but a glance at the ingredients shows that, as the taste would suggest, it is pretty high in sugar. Still, as an option for the lunchbox it's probably healthier than some of the popular alternatives. It's quite cheap; usually under 50 pence a pot in my area, (the cheap North East), and very often involved in special offers such as three for a pound or half price deals in supermarkets.

Okay, let's take the lid off and have a lick. A swirl of red sauce is visible on top of the thick milky rice, but most of it is at the bottom and needs to be mixed in to spread the flavour. The taste is very sweet, creamy, comforting and indulgent. I've never actually thought about tasting the strawberry sauce on its own until just now and it doesn't actually taste very strawberry-y. I expected it to taste a bit like strawberry jam but it's actually fairly bland, the flavour isn't that strong although it is there. The success of Muller Rice must lie more in the amount of sugar and cream. Strawberries make up 5 per cent of the ingredients, with rice making up only 7 per cent which surprises me, as the rice content seems more substantial, but the thick milk makes up the bulk of the product. My husband gets loads of these in for his bait, (North East slang for lunch box), and always chooses strawberry as he reckons it's the best flavour, I have to agree with him, although I am also quite partial to the newer blueberry flavour. I don't eat them as often as he does as I find I get a bit bored with them and so just have the occasional one, but overall I would say that a pot of Strawberry Muller Rice is a quick convenient food that slides down all too easily to make a satisfying snack.