Like many of you, we think Christmas really is the most magical time of the year, and nothing brings the season to life quite like amazing food. Whether you’re planning the works for a big family feast, a cosier festive lunch or a full-on Christmas party, this is the moment to go all out. But with supermarket shelves packed with new launches and limited-edition treats, it can be tricky to know what’s actually worth popping in your trolley. That’s where the Woman & Home Festive Food Awards come in. We’ve done the tasting (and the debating!) so you can shop with confidence and serve only the best this Christmas.
Over the past few months, hundreds of products have landed in our Test Kitchen for judging. Our food team, who between them have years of cooking, tasting and creating under their belts, sampled everything blind and prepared exactly as the makers intended. From melt-in-the-mouth mince pies to the ultimate pigs in blankets, every product had to earn its place on our winners list.
So whether you’re after the best of the best for your festive spread or just a little inspiration, consider this your ultimate Christmas shopping guide from our table to yours.
Our judges
The tasting took place at our foodie epicentre, the Woman & Home Test Kitchen in Winnersh, where plenty of lively discussions and second helpings decided this year’s champions.
Our panel included Group Food Director Jen Bedloe, Food Editor Jess Meyer, Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks, Food Writer Georgia Sparks, and kitchen assistants Catrina Gell and Lucy Kirkpatrick - all equally passionate about finding those stand-out products that will make your Christmas meals unforgettable.
The best Christmas food 2025
Best mince pies
The pastry is golden and buttery, and extremely delicious with a melt-in-the-mouth feel. We loved the filling, which has a good acidity and is not sickly sweet. Rose said, “The pastry is much more refined than many of the other entries. The whole product seems handmade with care.”
Nice crumbly pastry, with a very traditional style filling that’s well balanced whilst being jam-packed with fruit. Warmed up, Aldi's Specially Selected All Butter Mince Pies would be delicious served with cream or ice cream. We like the snowy powdered sugar finish and pretty snowflake design.
These look extra special with gold flecks adorning a chocolatey topping. Deep-filled and indulgent, which makes them perfect for those who don't love mince meat but have a sweet tooth. Georgia was wowed by the premium packaging that these came in, “They look so special and taste just as fab!”
Hands down the winner in this group with a perfect pastry texture and jam-packed filling. Completely free from so stash these in your cupboard for any visitors. Jen said, “These stood out for the pastry and juicy filling, we couldn’t believe they were gluten-free!”.
Best Christmas cake
We could not resist this cute fruit and nut-adorned cake. Just as good (if not better) than making your own. There was plenty of fruit balanced with nostalgic, warm spiced flavor. Rose loved the decoration on this cake and said, “It’s a classic that tastes just as good as it looks.”
Best Christmas pudding
Citrussy, moist, and will cut well to serve in neat portions. It’s a tricky balance to get right, but we loved this super traditional version, with a kick of booze it’s classic, sweet but not sickly.
Jen was a big fan of this one and thought the booze and flavour balance was just right.
This has a classic flavour profile and doesn’t compromise on texture. Georgia thinks, “Any gluten-free guest will enjoy this pud, and it being prepared as individual portions means that everyone at the table can enjoy a taste of Christmas.”
This one was a hit with the judges for being light enough to serve after the main meal. We loved that it had a good boozy hit with indulgent creamy layers and a coffee pick-me-up!
Lucy said, “I love a classic tiramisu and there’s no reason not to give it a festive twist and enjoy it at your Christmas table!”
Doubles up as a dessert if you don't like traditional Christmas pudding. Light sponge with wonderful fresh cream swirling through. Lovely textured icing with a gold show-stopping lustre. The whole taste team couldn't stop going back for more! Lucy said, “This is exactly what I look for in a yule log, it has a wonderfully rich flavour and a moorish moist texture.”
Perfect for a party centre piece. This selection is simply delicious, with a truly melt in the mouth quality that’s hard to resist. The premium packaging contains a nice selection of flavours in separate compartments. The testers loved these chocolates and couldn’t stop diving in for more all day.
Treacley, like a gingernut, with a nostalgic flavour that is warm and comforting and tastes like homemade. Jen said, “The fantastic chewy texture, with lots of spice would rival a mince pie with a cuppa.” Great for gifting thanks to the cute festive musical box.
Best turkeys
An attractive, good-looking turkey with crisp golden skin. The meat is nice and juicy, and our tasters thought the leg meat was similar to tender duck. The pack suggested a longer cooking time than was required - we suggest you use a digital probe so you don’t dry it out.
We loved this turkey so much that we called in more samples and used them for recipe testing in the weeks following the taste test, it was just as fantastic every time!
Gorgeous whole bird, that when roasted, reveals a bronzed crisp skin. The pan juices are delicious, and the meat is tender and juicy, and the brown meat is not too gamey. This one comes with a thermometer and unique cooking instructions.
Lucy Kirkpatrick said, “It was super easy to cook to perfection thanks to the clear and specific instructions it came with. A great experience from kitchen to table.”
A turkey crown is a great option for a smaller crowd. We loved the flavour of this smaller joint. You wouldn’t feel like you were missing out on the brown meat if you cook plenty of trimmings. The meat had a clean flavour that was super moist and tender, and there were still some good pan juices for gravy.
Rose, who has carried out many a Christmas taste test, said that this was the best turkey crown that she can remember trying. No mean feat!
Sainsbury's turkey crown with pork, apricot, pear, cranberry, and candied ginger stuffing is a winner for busy cooks. This roast stood out from the crowd, with moist turkey meat and a sweet stuffing. The golden glaze and juices would create a lovely gravy because the added treacle flavour balances the sweetness.
Georgia Sparks said, ‘This turkey was juicy and succulent and has a good amount of stuffing.’ We loved the presentation with streaky bacon and a flourish of fresh herbs.
Best alternative mains
A centre piece with crisp, generous crackling and tasty succulent pork with spiced/herby stuffing.
Catrina said, “It certainly looks very impressive, and the fennel stuffing has really enhanced the flavour of the pork. The whole joint is so moist and tender.” Our top tip would be to remove the crackling so you can thinly slice the meat.
It’s not the first time our judges have rated this ham the best in show. Jess described it as, “Delicious! Well balanced and perfectly seasoned. It has a superb texture, with a sweet delicious meat that's so easy to prepare.” It serves a large number so is ideal for those that have visitors over the festive season.
Rustic, homemade festive wreath shape with a pretty golden crumb. Our tasters loved the relish that was tart and tangy. It’s well seasoned, with a cheesy, creamy leek flavour.
Lucy described it as, “Very tasty!” adding that, “the attractive wreath shape lends itself to the festive buffet table effortlessly. And what a win that all the packaging is compostable.”
Best starters
The judges were looking for the perfect balance of smoke, texture and mouthfeel. The maple and black pepper added a sweetness and savoury quality that wowed the tasters. Great on its own or used to adorn your blinis, this was a real standout product!
Catrina Gell said, “Delicious! I love the savoury kick of the black pepper and the actual salmon texture is perfect.”
A lovely starter that would look great topped with baby salad leaves to elevate it for easy entertaining. It has a crisp pastry base and creamy sauce. Jess Meyer said, “The fish has stayed so succulent and I love the richness of the cheesy sauce.”
Best side dishes
You have to buy the best to make the Christmas dinner truly unique. These were a real classic, with a neat shape and the perfect balance of savoury seasoned meat, good salty bacon, that isn’t too overpowering or smoky. A must buy!
Jen said, “I loved these, my star buy for a really good pig in blanket, they are well seasoned and the bacon has crisped up nicely.” The ultimate PIB!
These had the quality you find in a good chip. We all loved the wagyu flavour, which gave a clean, crisp finish and the texture wasn't dry or too hard once reheated. The testers were keen to try these out in the air fryer, but we found this dried them out too much - best to cook in the oven in their foil tray.
This won for its perfect stuffing texture, that was neither too bready or too sausage-meaty. The classic sage and onion flavour was well balanced, not too sweet and generously herby and seasoned. Catrina said “I love this, it’s such a classic flavour profile and I much prefer these to the some of the other more sausagemeat-led stuffings.”
This won for its perfect stuffing texture, which was neither too bready or too sausage-meaty. The classic sage and onion flavour was well balanced, not too sweet and generously herby and seasoned.
Catrina said, “I love this, it’s such a classic flavour profile and I much prefer these to some of the other more sausagemeat-led stuffings.”
An amazingly crunchy side that comes in a convenient jar - the flavour works well with your roast dinner or on the buffet table with ham or in leftover sarnies.
Jess said, “This is such a fun alternative to your traditional red cabbage and offers some refreshing relief to have alongside all your richer Christmas trimmings.”
A versatile, zesty cranberry flavour that’s slightly lighter in style than a classic cranberry sauce. Jen thought, “This would go equally well with a cheeseboard, or casseroles as it would with turkey.”
Best party food
A sumptuous starter, juicy prawns with a creamy sauce and crispy crumb topping. The DIY element makes a huge difference here, but don't be put off! What you’ll get is a crisp pastry shell that you fill with juicy prawns and an addictively good sauce. It’s possibly more of a two-bite mouthful - but we loved that it was generous and paired well with a glass of fizz!.
Lucy was really impressed with this bite, “I wasn’t convinced by the self-assembly to begin with, but it makes a huge difference to the final result! The pastry is perfectly crisp and the prawns cook through beautifully.”
An excellent selection of hard, soft and blue cheese that represents the best of Europe. We enjoyed the accompanying buttermilk crackers. Jess said this was, “Perfect for cheese lovers. The artisanal offerings mean there is something for everyone and the addition of tasting notes to guide you through is extremely appealing for your festive cheese course.”
A fun take on a cheeseboard with an interesting selection of ‘forest’, ‘acacia’ and ‘orange blossom’ honey that pairs brilliantly with the 3 cheeses. Comes with lovely little crackers that allow you to make a delicious little canape.
Rose thought this was such a fresh take on your classic cheeseboard and thought, “The honey selection adds something extra special to an already very pleasing product.”
Best festive drinks
Chocolate-mocha flavours, our taste testers enjoyed every sip. Its syrupy mouthfeel and warming spice are great as an after-dinner tipple with your sweets and cheese boards or a rich chocolatey pud. Jess said this tipple was “Rich and indulgent, exactly the type of tipple you need around between Christmas and New Year.”
Appealing pale pink blush colour that looks truly lovely in the glass. Our judges rated it as an elegant and refined easy drinking wine, with just the right level of fizz, that feels really special. Jen Bedloe said, “This would be gorgeous for a canape party or even better with your smoked salmon!”
If you’re looking for a classy Champagne that doesn’t break the bank, supermarket own labels are always worth a look. This one has orchard fruit and citrussy notes and has a refreshing acidity. It was a standout against more expensive bottles with plenty of fine bubbles.
Bright and crisp with just the right touch of acidity and notes of apple and pear. This sparkling will be a crowd-pleaser. Twice-fermented, vegan, and low-calorie, it’s a special choice for all to enjoy.
Rose Fooks was very impressed with this, saying, “It’s great to find such a strong product in the non alcoholic sparkling category. This is such a delicious bottle that would also make lovely spritzes.”
