Christmas food taste test: This year’s best supermarket offerings from sticky toffee pudding cheese to halloumi in blankets

Finding the best festive food can be a tough gig, so our Christmas expert, Lauren Robertson, embarks on the ultimate taste test to make it stress-free for you…

It’s that time of year again – the time when I can’t walk into a supermarket without popping something cinnamon-scented or clad in a shiny red label into my basket.

I love Christmas dinner as much as the next person, my plate piled high with roast potatoes, turkey, pigs in blankets, Brussels sprouts and an obscene flooding of gravy. But, at the end of the day, it’s the same every year.

Where I really come alive is in the run up to Christmas when it would appear as if the supermarkets are competing to bring us the most bizarre festive food you could possibly imagine.

Crisps in wacky flavours from sprouts to stuffing, mince pies adorned with everything from caramel to crumble and enough mulled wine flavours to render the Edinburgh Christmas markets tipsy.

And so, armed with only a dream and Michael Buble’s Christmas album playing in my ears, I headed around the supermarkets to find the best – and the quite frankly oddest – they had to offer. Strap yourself in for a taste test complete with mulled wine alternatives and sticky toffee pudding cheese…

M&S

Rodney Reindeer Pies, £3

Now, I do enjoy a mince pie but I know many people don’t. These are a really fun alternative. The pastry is made with caramelised brown butter so it has a delicious flavour to it. Instead of a mincemeat filling, these are filled with a lovely rich brownie. They are scrumptious as they go, but 10 seconds in the microwave and they are gooey perfection.

Turkey Feast Pasta, £3.20

I can’t say I have ever had a pasta salad with a pot of gravy included before. Once I got over the fear of the cold gravy though, this was great. With turkey, stuffing and bacon, it has all the best bits of a Christmas dinner and the maple in the dressing adds a hint of sweetness. A great lunch alternative to a festive sandwich.

White Mulled Wine, £6

This is my new go-to. I am not a red wine drinker but do enjoy a mulled wine at Christmas. This white version is so much lighter and easier to drink, with flavours of pear and vanilla shining through among the usual festive spices. I just know people who come round to my house over the festive season will be impressed.

Penguin and Polar Bear Steamed Buns, £7.50

I won’t lie, I absolutely picked these up for how cute they looked gazing up at me from the shelf. I was pleased to find they weren’t style over substance. The buns are filled with vegetables in a sticky hoisin plum sauce which was just the right balance of salty and sweet. My vegetarian friend loved them and it was nice to be able to offer her a festive snack that wasn’t boring.

Halloumi in Blankets, £5.50

One of my favourite finds of the year. These are cubes of halloumi wrapped in salty smoky bacon, smothered in a gorgeously sweet hot honey sauce. The halloumi was bouncy and they were perfectly bite-sized. A must-have for any Christmas parties – though I won’t be saving them for then.

Tesco

Orange Flavour Drinking Chocolate, £3

Flavoured hot chocolates are often sickly sweet, but this one wasn’t. I made it with milk and it was creamy. The orange flavour comes through nicely so it is a great alternative to a regular hot chocolate at this time of year.

Pork, Apple and Cranberry Pigs in Blankets, £2.50

I can be a little funny about fruit and meat together, so I wasn’t sure how much I would like these. The answer is: very much! The apple and cranberry are definitely there, but they aren’t too chunky or sweet. I cooked these for a little longer than instructed so they were extra crispy and they went down a treat.

Roast Turkey and Stuffing Snack Mix, £1.75

You may be familiar with a very popular combo mix bag of crisps from M&S. I shared this bag with my dad and he didn’t believe me when I said they were from a different supermarket. Whether or not they are intended to be a dupe, they definitely are, and a great one at that. The flavour is lovely and punchy, but not in the way you feel like you might be tasting it for days afterwards.

Sticky Toffee Cheddar, £1.25

You read that right. Sticky Toffee Cheddar. As in the cheese. If I had eaten this with my eyes closed, I would have been very confused as to whether I was eating something sweet or savoury. It has actual pieces of toffee in it, along with raisins and dates, and is very sweet as a result. I’ll give it this, the texture was gorgeous and creamy. I don’t think I will repurchase, but it was a very fun one to try.

Sainsbury’s

Custard Cream Twists with a Gingerbread Flavour, £0.65

Some people would be absolutely appalled that Sainsbury’s has dared to put a twist on a classic, but I for one am glad that they did. The combination of the custardy filling with gingerbread flavour is lovely and almost warming – exactly what you want at this time of year. I dunked one straight into my tea, then proceeded to demolish most of the packet. At only 65p too, they are an absolute bargain.

Brussels Style Pate with Cranberry, £3

This smooth pate is a good way of spicing up what is a staple on many people’s Christmas starter spread. It has little bits of cranberry through it as well as a layer of cranberry jelly on the bottom. I tried this with crackers and on a thick slab of sourdough and thoroughly enjoyed the flavour.

Christmas Spiced Chutney, £1.85

Full transparency here, I am not a chutney fan. I think it comes down to the fruit and savoury combo again. I got this out while I had friends round for a festive craft evening though and they couldn’t get enough. They had it with cheese and biscuits and commented on the balance of spices and chunky pieces of apple and pear.

Mini Mince Pies, £3

As previously mentioned, I do enjoy a mince pie, but they can be a little much with how sweet and rich they tend to be. These mini versions are a perfect solution to what is of course a very important problem. I like mine warmed with a dollop of cold cream, and these stood up to the test well. The pastry was flaky and not too sweet and the filling packed with spices and a nip of brandy.

Aldi

Lebkuchen Assortment, £2.19

I always forget how good lebkuchen are. If you don’t know, they are traditional German gingerbread-like treats that are often made with honey and spices. These ones were lightly iced which I liked as it added sweetness to what was a very spiced treat, as well as a little crisp outer layer. This bag was huge and came packed full so they will last ages. A perfect pairing for a cuppa.

Mulled Zero, £1.89

I still can’t believe how good this was for the price. There is always someone driving at a Christmas party – especially when you live in the Highlands like I do – so I like to have non-alcoholic options available that don’t feel like dull alternatives. This Mulled Zero tasted exactly like an alcoholic mulled wine with fruity, aromatic and spiced notes. You can absolutely drink it as is, but a little slice of orange takes it to the next level. My kitchen smelled incredible after warming this through too.

Milk Chocolate Reindeer, £0.89

I bought this because it bore a striking resemblance to a certain branded gold-wrapped chocolate reindeer that is popular at this time of year. This one’s gold wasn’t quite as gold, but you know what it’s meant to be. I was really impressed by the quality of the chocolate, it wasn’t at all chalky like cheaper chocolate can be. Instead, it was smooth with a deep chocolate flavour rather than just a sugary one. I will be trying the dark version too.

Smoky Chilli and Honey Baking Camembert, £1.89

Another thing that went straight to the top of my favourites list. Camembert is close to unbeatable in my eyes and I always drizzle a little honey over mine before baking. This was like that, but better. The chilli and honey sauce was spicy, sweet and luxurious, a great match for the strong cheese. I reluctantly shared this with friends and we almost fought over who would scrape out the last bits with fresh bread. I will be buying many more of these this month.