---Intro---
I used to deliver training on a voluntary basis, and the big perk for me (and the payback for taking a day's leave from my then day job) was getting a 'free' lunch, and of course the coffee and biscuits.

Now that delivering training is my paid job, I'm even more eager to find ways to cut costs for the charity I work for (and maximise profit which goes back into the service), and one of these ways is by finding venues for training which allow us to bring our own refreshments, and more recently our own food full-stop. It saves a fortune, and also means we aren't tied to designated times or people disrupting us with noisy refreshment trolleys at really sensitive times!


---Tesco Everyday value jaffa cakes---
While shopping for refreshments, after picking up chocolate digestives and rich tea biscuits (also in the Everyday Value range - NOTE, this is the new range replacing Value, so packagaing is different) I spotted the Tesco Everyday Value jaffa cakes which cost 79p for a pack of 24, making them just over 3p each. Looking on the Tesco website, this compares with REAL McVities Jaffa Cakes at about 9p per cake (or biscuit - whatever!)

I haven't had REAL Jaffa Cakes for a good few years, so I can't really make an accurate comparison. I am willing to bet that from a taste point of view the Tesco Value ones would lose, and I think that if I was buying them for pure indulgence then I'd probably go with the branded ones. However, the delegates are generally just grateful for getting any sort of refreshments, and it did seem that they were actually enjoying them (not just out of sheer hunger).

The jaffa cakes are in the usual Tesco Everyday Value packaging which I feel is much more attractive than the old style Value packaging (as shown in dooyoo picture). Inside the box they are split into two plastic wrapped packs of 12.


---What's in them?---
Each jaffa cake contains 44 calories (2% of rda - which I suppose isn't too bad really), 5.9g sugar (7%), 1g fat (1%) - 0.6g saturates (3%) and a trace of salt. They contain Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Plain Chocolate, sugar...and various other things. They are suitable for vegetarians, but do contain wheat, gluten, egg and soya, and may contain traces of milk.

They should be stored in a cool dry place (and once opened in an airtight container), and judging by mine have a shelf life of approximately 2 months.


---The eating experience---
The jaffa cakes are described as "Golden sponge base with an orange flavoured centre half coated in plain chocolate." For those not acquainted with what jaffa cakes are, this does describe what they are. The half coated bit refers to the chocolate being only on top.

I was left with 4 jaffa cakes to bring home - one I had with my orange squash when I got home (OMG, I am such a child!), and am now eating the other three for the purpose of writing this review.

The smell is mostly of plain chocolate with a hint of orange. I have to admit that the smell isn't enough to make me feel the urge to stuff them in my face NOW, but slightly tempting nonetheless.

Take a bite, and I have made a moon (remember the adverts!). The orange flavour is both bitter and sweet, and compliments the dark chocolate. I'm not a huge dark chocolate fan, but milk chocolate would be too sickly. And I have to say that when I made millionaires shortbread the other week I used Tesco Everyday Value plain chocolate, and it worked REALLY well. Sometimes the cheap stuff works just as well. The cake base is dryish, perhaps slightly more so than the branded ones, but I'm not sure.

I really enjoyed eating the jaffa cakes for this review, and the review writing process makes me feel a bit better about the unnecessary sugar after already eating too much today! I could easily eat more, but luckily don't have the temptation.


---Finally---
I probably wouldn't buy these for personal use (I don't really tend to buy biscuits or cakes of any sort, I tend to bake them instead), but would definitely get them again for training days - I feel that they are of good quality and taste nice. They're a bit different from usual biscuits (some might even consider them to be cakes), and I'll be very happy if I come home with a few at the end of the day! Unlikely though I imagine, the only reason any were left was because we missed out the afternoon break as people wanted to see the Olympic torch procession.