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The Healf Source
The Strawberries & Cream Sandwich: A Wimbledon Win Or Nutritional Nightmare?
Written by: Natalie Louise Burrows
Written on: July 13, 2025
Few things say British summer quite like strawberries and cream, especially during the Wimbledon fortnight. Each July, the familiar sound of tennis balls on grass is accompanied by mountains of ripe strawberries topped with cream, a tradition as quintessentially British as Pimm’s or a rain delay.
This year, however, M&S has taken things a step further, launching a Strawberries & Cream Sandwich. You read that right: sweetened full fat soft cheese and creme fraiche, on soft brioche-style bread, topped with freeze-dried strawberries.
Some call it nostalgic genius; others... hmmm, not so much.
As a cardiometabolic nutritionist, Natalie Louise Burrows, Clinic Director of Integral Wellness, is always curious when food trends spark debate. In this article, she explore the fun and the facts behind this headline-hitting sandwich.
Stats behind the Wimbledon and British summer tradition
Wimbledon and strawberries go way back - all the way to 1877, when the first tennis championship was held and strawberries were already being served to spectators. Today, that simple combo has turned into a logistical feat. Each year, over 38,000kg (approximately 140,000 punnets) of strawberries are served during the two-week tournament, alongside more than 13,000 litres of cream. That’s 200,000 portions devoured courtside; this year for £2.70 a bowl.
Why the obsession? It’s partly tradition, partly seasonality and partly the joy of a refreshing, light treat on a summer’s day.
British strawberries are at their peak in June and July. The British strawberry market is worth over £1.7 billion and equates to 239,243 tons of berries - basically, 114 London Eyes in weight. It’s huge and M&S has clearly tapped into this cultural icon, bottling it, quite literally, into a sandwich.
So, what was the verdict?
The M&S Strawberries & Cream Sandwich has been trending online, with responses ranging from “a nostalgic delight” and “a pleasant surprise” to “a soggy crime against food” and “a bit claggy”.
And that’s just the taste; mixed views on the price of the sandwich have also been shared across the media with some feeling the £2.80 (or £3.20 in central London) price a bit steep for half a sandwich.
Love it or hate it, it’s creative, limited edition timed to maximise Wimbledon mania and inspired by the signature Japanese snack - a fruit sandwich which could include strawberry, clementine, kiwi, pineapple or banana.
Made with soft sweetened white bread, full fat soft cheese, creme fraiche and freeze-dried strawberries, it’s a sweet-savoury hybrid that’s hard to categorise. Is it a dessert? A snack? Lunch? Opinions are divided and a calls for it to hit with dessert tax were real.
But novelty aside, what does this sandwich actually offer in terms of nutrition?
Per pack, the single slice sandwich contains approximately:
290 calories
12.7g fat (of which 7.18g saturated)
35.3g carbohydrates (of which 9.8g sugar, including added sugar)
2.07g fibre
7.45g protein
The ingredients include:
Strawberries (27%), *Wheat flour, Full Fat Soft Cheese (Milk) (23%), Water, Crème Fraîche (Milk) (4.5%), Sugar, Rapeseed Oil, Yeast, Salt, Emulsifier: E471, E472e, Vinegar, Cornflour, Wheat Gluten, Palm Oil, Natural Flavouring, Palm Fat, Turmeric, Flour Treatment Agent:Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). *Fortified with Calcium, Iron, Vitamins B3, B1 and Folic Acid.
It’s fair to say that this is a treat, not a regular meal. Most of its calories come from refined carbohydrates (white bread), sugar (literal added sugar as well as naturally occurring form dairy and strawberries), and saturated fat (from the dairy and less nutritionally beneficial, palm oil and fat) with very little in the way of protein and fibre. Essential micronutrients have been fortified which is common in refined highly-processed bread flours.
If I’m being honest, you’re likely to get a quick blood sugar spike followed by an unpleasant crash, without much lasting satisfaction from this sandwich - even if the flavour was up your street.
From a nutritional standpoint, it’s closer to a slice of cake than a balanced sandwich so I can see why they may need to pay dessert tax on it.
A nutritionist’s view: sweet, but not substantial
Here’s the thing: one sandwich won’t make or break your wellbeing. Food is about more than fuel, it’s also about enjoyment, nostalgia, and seasonal moments too. And I’m not here to demonise the small percentage of choices we make on this basis. That’s what wellbeing is all about at the end of the day.
But I also believe in making informed choices, understanding hype from health, and choosing nutritionally dense foods the majority of the time.
While this sandwich is a fun nod to summer tradition, it’s not a nourishing option for your regular lunchtime line-up. It’s low in fibre, which means it won’t support digestive health or satiety. It’s also low in protein, which helps stabilise blood sugar and supports everything from inflammation and energy to hormones and mental health.
Alongside 10 grams of sugar... that’s a third of your recommended limit of free sugar (NHS recommend no more than 30g free sugars a day for adults and less for children).
So yes, have it if you’re curious. Savour it, it’s part of the fun. But know what it is: a seasonal dessert in disguise.
A healthier Wimbledon-inspired idea...
If you love the idea of strawberries and cream but want something that genuinely fuels your day, try this instead:
● Fresh British strawberries
● A few spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt
● A sprinkle of crushed pistachios or pecans or ground chia seeds
● A drizzle of good quality British honey
This combination gives you natural sweetness, gut-friendly fibre, protein, and healthy fats; all in a bowl that keeps you going far longer than a white bread sandwich. And yes, you could eat this far more frequently than strawberries doused in cream too.
Final serve
Food doesn’t need to be perfect but we do benefit from being conscious of what’s on our plate. The M&S Strawberries & Cream Sandwich is a fun, fleeting nod to a much-loved British tradition. But nutritionally, it’s best enjoyed as a one-off Wimbledon picnic moment, not a daily go-to. Your body deserves more than that!
This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Healf
