Marks & Spencer emerged as the top performer in the yearly BBC Good Food Christmas dinner taste test. The supermarket excelled in six out of 17 categories, securing the top spot for the joint best turkey crown, best gammon, and best Christmas pudding.
M&S’ Oakham hot maple-glazed turkey crown priced at £50 impressed the judges with its “sticky, peppery hot maple glaze and fruit-packed stuffing.” It shared the top position with Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference British free-range bronze turkey crown featuring pork, apricot, pear, cranberry, and candied ginger stuffing, priced at £22.75 per kg, lauded for its “golden, glossy glaze and crispy bacon.”
Additionally, M&S clinched the title for the best Christmas pudding with its Collection 12-month matured variant containing pecans and panettone at £16, described as “delicious” with “abundant fruit and large nut chunks.”
Morrisons excelled in three categories, including best showstopper dessert, best classic, and best flavored mince pie with its Cherry Bakewell version, praised for being “soft with a delightful almond taste that’s not overly sweet.”
Among other winners, Tesco secured the best pigs in blankets title, Lidl claimed the best trifle award, and Aldi jointly triumphed with M&S for the best smoked salmon. A total of 185 Christmas products across 17 categories were rigorously evaluated.
Lulu Grimes, the managing editor at Good Food, expressed, “This year’s Christmas Supermarket Taste Test demonstrates that a fantastic festive spread can be achieved without breaking the bank.” She highlighted that supermarkets offer standout mains and nostalgic desserts, allowing individuals to save time in the kitchen and focus on enhancing their favorite Christmas recipes.
Head of food at Good Food, Cassie Best, mentioned the intense competition among the 13 participating supermarkets and emphasized that the winners’ list showcases the best festive offerings this season. She recommended combining supermarket purchases with homemade dishes from Good Food’s tested Christmas recipes to create a spectacular and affordable Christmas feast.
