Good Food Christmas Taste Awards 2024

This has nice thick slices with a classic, crowdpleasing smoked flavour that would work well in sandwiches.

Available in-store at Booths

Runner-up: Sainsburys Taste the Difference Treacle Scottish Smoked Salmon, 100g (£4.75)

This smoked salmon is thick with sweet maple notes that add a beautiful depth – it would be a great addition to a grazing board.

Best hot canapé

Winner: M&S Collection Barber's Extra Mature Cheddar & Ham Hock Scone, 290g (£7.50)

The scone has a great flavour and a lovely, crispy texture. The ham works beautifully with the creamy roux and buttery, cheesy notes – it's easy to eat and perfect for nibbles with drinks.

Available in-store at M&S

The main event

Best turkey crown

Winner: Waitrose Glorious Treacle Glazed Turkey Crown, 2.5kg (£60)

This juicy turkey has excellent flavour, complemented by the herby chestnut stuffing and a lovely saltiness from the bacon.

Available from:
Waitrose (£60)

Best alternative Christmas main

Winner: Aldi Specially Selected Wagyu Wing Rib, 1.8-2.8kg (£24.99 per kg)

This impressive-looking joint would make a fantastic showstopper. The meat has a good texture, and the outside sears well.

Available from:

Aldi (£24.99 per kg) from 19 December

Best gammon

Winner: Aldi Specially Selected Sugar Baked Crackling Gammon Joint, £18.99

A clear winner for the judges – this centrepiece gammon is complete with crunchy crackling and juicy, tender meat.

Available from:

Aldi from 6 December

Best pigs in blankets

Winner: Morrisons The Best pigs in blankets, 210g (£3.25)

Caramelised onions give these a touch of sweetness, with pleasing crispy bacon and good texture to the sausagemeat.

Available from:

Morrisons (£3.25) from 14 October

Runner up: Lidl Deluxe Spiced Apple Pigs in Blankets, price TBC

These have a sweet initial flavour from the spiced apple, balanced by herby notes. The sausage has good texture and the bacon offers slight crunch.

Best cranberry sauce

Winner: M&S Cranberry Sauce (fresh), 400g (£3.25)

This cranberry sauce has a nice sweetness, a distinct cranberry flavour and a pleasing tartness. It's perfect for making sandwiches with your Christmas leftovers.

Available in-store at M&S

Vegetarian and vegan

Best vegetarian main

Joint winner: Waitrose Ultimate Plant-based Festive Wellingtons, pack of two (£7.50)

This vegetarian mushroom wellington has a flavourful umami kick, crispy pastry, lovely mushroom and thyme notes, and warming gravy.

Available from:

Waitrose (£7.50)

Joint winner: M&S Collection Handcrafted Honey Glazed Vegetable & Barber’s Cheddar Galette, 400g (£12.50)

This hearty galette impressed the judges: it is incredibly flavoursome, enjoyably cheesy and has plenty of veg.

Available in-store from M&S

Runner up: Aldi Plant Menu Vegan No Turkey Crown, 490g (£4.99)

For a vegan meat alternative, this no-turkey crown does a great job of replicating the texture of the real deal. It would go down extremely well with some potatoes and a generous helping of gravy.

Available from:

Aldi (£4.99) from 19 December

Best vegan main

Winner: Tesco Finest Roasted Vegetable & Cranberry Star, 340g (£6)

This attractive centrepiece features beautifully nutty and umami flavours with notes of thyme, marjoram and sweet onion. It has buttery, flaky pastry and festive star shapes.

Available in store at Tesco from 9 December

Festive desserts

Best Christmas cake

Winner: No.1 Hand-Decorated Matured Rich Fruit Cake, 1.5kg (£18.50)

This Christmas cake has a generous amount of marzipan, a slightly crumbly texture – which guests might take as homemade – and a pretty, impressive appearance with good, solid icing.

Available from:

Waitrose (£18.50)

Runner up: Aldi Specially Selected Rich Iced Fruit Cake, 907g (£8.99)

With plenty of juicy fruit and some pieces of nuts, this has good overall texture and flavour. The simple decoration is pretty and the marzipan tastes good.

Available from:

Aldi (£8.99) from 1 November

Best Christmas pudding

Winner: No.1 Jewelled Cointreau & Cranberry Christmas Pudding, 800g (£15)

This Christmas pudding has a rich flavour, a pretty fluted shape, lots of cherries and whole almonds, and a nice spiced citrussy note.

Available in-store at Waitrose

Best showstopper dessert

Winner: Co-op Irresistible Spiced Gingerbread Crown, 600g (£8)

This golden sponge crown boasts a lovely gingerbread flavour with warming ginger and cinnamon notes, complemented by a rich caramel sauce and toffee drizzle. It looks impressive, is easy to serve, and has a homemade, festive taste.

Available in-store at Co-op

Runner up: Waitrose No.1 Red Velvet Bauble Dessert, 730g (£20)

This red velvet bauble dessert is strikingly festive in appearance, making it a great hurrah for the end of your Christmas banquet.

Available in-store from Waitrose

Best free-from dessert

Winner: M&S Chocolate & Orange, Fruit & Nut Brownie, 630g (£12.50)

This gluten-free brownie tastes like it is made from quality chocolate, and the hint of orange isn’t overbearing.

Available in-store from M&S

Festive bakes

Best classic mince pies

Winner: M&S Collection Mince Pies, pack of six (£4)

These classic mince pies have a beautiful, unique design with a well-patterned top, buttery pastry with a good mouthfeel, and a nicely spiced filling with discernible fruit.

Available in-store at M&S

Best flavoured mince pies

Winner: Morrisons The Best Cherry Bakewell Mince Pies, pack of four (£2.75)

These bakewell-flavoured mince pies feature a pretty flaked almond topping and a well-balanced frangipane that's not too sweet. The mincemeat is moist and fruity, creating a pleasant hybrid of a classic mince pie with a nutty, crumbly twist.

Available from:
Morrisons (£2.75)

Best gluten-free mince pies

Winner: Waitrose Mince Pies, pack of four (£2.90)

These gluten-free mince pies have a nice texture that holds together well without crumbling too much.

Available in-store from Waitrose

Best vegan mince pie

Winner: Asda Free From 4 Mince Pies 220g (£2)

These vegan mince pies have a beautiful, uniform appearance with a simple star decoration and feature a lovely, juicy filling. The pastry is crisp with a good crumbly texture and a nice sugary top, making them a delightful treat.

Available in-store from Asda

Best alternative Christmas cake

Winner: Asda Ginger and Caramel Snow Cake, serves 16 (£12)

The gingerbread and caramel cake captures the festive spirit beautifully. Its appearance is charming, both as a whole and when sliced, making it an attractive addition to any holiday spread. The cake boasts a strong gingerbread flavour that is nicely balanced, and the sponge is wonderfully soft and spongey.

Available in-store from Asda

Best biscuit tin

Winner: M&S Collection Shortbread Tin, 400g (£10)

These Christmas shortbreads are melt-in-the-mouth buttery, with a good salty hit and a rich, milky chocolate coating. Their soft, crumbly texture makes them a true winner.

Available in-store from M&S

Best trifle

Winner: M&S Sticky Toffee Trifle, 1kg (£15)

This trifle features a delightful blend of caramel, gingerbread and butterscotch flavours, beautifully paired with whipped cream and luscious custard. The layers are clear and well-textured, with attractive toppings, making it an impressive and tasty dessert.

Available in-store from M&S

Best mulled wine

Winner: Asda Extra Special Mulled Wine, 75cl (£5)

This mulled wine offers a delightful boozy flavour with a rich 'mulled' quality, making it a standout choice for a sweet, spiced experience.

Available in-store from Asda

The judging process

We invited 13 supermarkets to enter their best Christmas products across 18 categories. All food was prepared, cooked (following pack instructions) and presented by an independent home economist. Packaging was removed and judges tasted all items blind. Judges submitted comments and a score out of 10 for each product in the category via anonymous online judging forms. The entire process is overseen by an independent adjudicator.

This year, the team tested 185 different products to find their favourite in each category. As well as the winners you see here, we also awarded ‘highly commended’ status to high-scoring favourites that also deserve recognition. These can be found at goodfood.com.

All prices correct at time of publishing. If you have any questions or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.