About the BBC Good Food Christmas Awards
From smoked salmon and turkey, to Christmas cake and cranberry sauce, our expert panel blind-tasted more than 180 products to find the best UK supermarket buys to grace your table this holiday season.
We love finding the best Christmas supermarket buys for you, from turkey to mince pies. Find our full winning results at our Christmas Taste Awards winners page.
Who was invited to enter?
Supermarkets with more than 25 branches or a comprehensive e-commerce offering, which sell own-brand, fresh, frozen and dry goods are eligible to enter these awards. 13 supermarkets were contacted to enter.
How we did it
We invited 13 supermarkets to enter their best Christmas products for consideration across 18 categories. All food was prepared and cooked following pack instructions, then presented to our panel by two independent home economists. Packaging was removed and judges tasted all items blind. Judges submitted their comments and a score out of 10 for each product in the category via anonymous online forms.
In addition to the winning products here, the judging team also awarded ‘highly commended’ status to high-scoring favourites that they felt also deserved recognition.
Categories
- Gammon:
Your best joint of ham that comes either semi-cooked (to be finished off in the oven or on the hob) or ready-cooked (to serve cold). The ham can come with a glaze made from other flavourings.
- Smoked salmon:
Your best sustainable smoked salmon, served sliced or as a whole piece.
- Pigs in blankets
Pre-prepared sausages wrapped in bacon, ready to cook in the oven. Variations of pigs in blankets, for instance flavours, coatings or unconventional shapes, are permitted.
- Cranberry sauce
A pre-made cranberry sauce, ready to spoon onto turkey or use in sandwiches. The sauce can be flavoured, as long as the primary flavour is cranberry.
- Gravy
The ultimate corner-cutting Christmas buy – gravy that tastes like it’s homemade but takes only minutes to prepare. We’re looking for a fresh gravy that requires heating – not gravy granules. The gravy should complement the traditional festive dinner, but a vegetarian option can be submitted if preferred.
- Best turkey crown
Your best carve-able turkey crown to be a Christmas centrepiece. This can include plain, wrapped or stuffed turkey crowns or parcels. We are not looking for whole plain birds.
- Alternative Christmas main
Not everybody is a fan of turkey – we’re looking for the best alternative meat to serve up on Christmas Day. This could be venison, a rib of beef, a Wellington, fish or seafood, a luxurious spin on roast chicken – show us your best.
- Vegetarian main course
Christmas is all about inclusivity, so we want to serve a vegetarian main that’s tantamount to meaty alternatives. The vegetarian main course can be individually portioned or a sharing size and should serve two or more.
- Vegan main course
Christmas is all about inclusivity, so we want to serve a vegan main that’s tantamount to meaty and veggie alternatives. The vegan main course can be individually portioned or a sharing size, and should serve two or more.
- Best hot canapé
Your best hot canapé to serve at a Christmas party or have with drinks before Christmas dinner. This could be anything from mini mac and cheese, to pakoras, pies or sliders. Must be served hot – either microwaved, pan fried to reheat or heated in the oven.
SWEET
- Mince pies
Your best classic mince pies with a traditional fruit filling (please specify whether vegetarian when packaging is unbranded), and a lid. Pies without a pastry lid can have an alternative (for example nuts, fruit or crumble), as long as the pie filling is fully enclosed. We look for quality tasting, full-flavoured mincemeat and perfect pastry.
- Flavoured mince pies
Your best non-traditionally flavoured mince pies. They must have a lid (either made from pastry or an alternative such as nuts or crumble). Focus is on impressive flavour, whether that’s salted caramel, creative use of fruit or chocolate versions of this festive favourite, as well as excellent pastry. This product should still be sold as a ‘mince pie’, but should have a twist.
- Gluten-free mince pies
Special-diet mince pies to rival the original. Pies should feature a traditional fruit filling with a lid. Pies without a pastry lid can have an alternative (for example nuts, fruit or crumble), as long as the pie filling is fully enclosed. Please clearly label dietary details.
- Christmas pudding
A basin pudding that can be cooked in a pan, oven or microwave. This should be a fruit-based pudding (please specify on unbranded packaging whether it is vegetarian). Please send a full-sized pudding.
- Christmas cake
Your best traditional Christmas cake. The number-one cake to slice and serve at Christmas, the cake should be iced and decorated, ready to present to guests.
- Showstopper dessert
A sharing dessert of any budget – something to wow guests on the big day or at Christmas parties. Must serve 4 or more. Can be frozen or fresh, served warm or cold.
- Free-from dessert
A traffic-stopping free-from pudding to serve after the main event. This should be gluten-free or vegan, or both! Part of a free from range. This can be frozen or fresh, served iced, warm or cold. Focus is fantastic, multi-dimensional flavours and visual appeal.
- Christmas biscuit tin
The best special tin of biscuits to take as a gift this Christmas. We’re looking for something that feels indulgent, is perfect for sharing and eating in front of Christmas television.
Comments, questions and tips
