Being bored with my usual food choices, I've taken to trying out the Tesco Value range a lot more.
Pottering through the Tesco aisles, I spotted their Value range of meatballs, and at 38p per tin, I thought I'd give them a go.

Product:

The value range of packaging is pretty standard and easily recognisable. They appear to have put slightly more effort into the packaging than a few years back; treating us with a picture of the product! I'm easily pleased...

The tin tells it like it is; 'Meatballs in tomato sauce'.

The nutritional values per serving (half of a 392g can) are as follows:

Calories - 240
Sugar - 6.3g
Fat - 13.1g
Sat Fat - 3.3g
Salt - 1.6g

So obviously not something to be stuffing your face with on a regular basis, but similarly could be a lot worse calorie-wise.

Ingredients:

Chicken Meatballs (42%), Water, Tomato Puree (23%), Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Modified Maize Starch, Onion Powder, Turmeric, White Pepper
Chicken Meatballs contain: Chicken (75%), Wheat Flour, Water, Chicken Fat, Potato Starch, Salt, Wheat Starch, Stabilisers (Sodium Triphosphate, Disodium Diphosphate), Ginger, Mace, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Mace Extract, Ginger Extract

Obviously these are chicken based rather than pork (as some of the higher priced brands are), but I imagine this helps keep the price lower.

The can doesn't have a ring pull, but I really can't say this is an issue for me, as I'd rather save a few pence for the sake of having to use a tin opener!

On opening the can, you a greeted with a fairly generously filled portion of meatballs. I was expecting the can to be around half full and topped up with sauce, but this wasn't the case.

I tend to microwave these for around 3 minutes (obviously depending on your microwave strength), but they can be cooked on the hob which I find tends to thicken the sauce very slightly.

So what are they like...?

On pouring them into the bowl, I was a bit dubious of the sauce. It looked quite oily and some parts did seem to have separated slightly.

The meatballs themselves were a good size (fairly standard of what I'd expect from tinned meatballs). Some were a bit of a funny shape, but unless you're planning on attempting some sort of 'Come Dine With' "I made them myself" farce, I'm sure irregular balls won't offend too much! ;-)

I'm sure most people are aware that the 'meat' in this sort of thing isn't exactly the best quality, but I was pleased to find no nasty lumps of anything untoward.
The meatballs aren't exactly a flavour explosion, but they are pleasant and inoffensive enough (would be a great thing to bung with some spaghetti & some herbs for a quick tasty meal).

Although I had my initial reservations about the sauce, it actually tasted fine. Enough tomato without being too sweet or sharp. I would however prefer it if the sauce was slightly thicker to help it stay on the meatballs, rather than sloshing around a bit at the bottom of the plate/bowl.

All in all, not a bad product for 38p; I'd buy these again at that price.
Comparing to the pricier brands, I would say there isn't a great deal of difference in taste, only that the sauce in the value meatballs is a bit thinner and slightly more oily.