FIRE up the oven, Christmas cracker hats at the ready…the best festive foods have been crowned in the annual Good Housekeeping Institute taste test.
Among the winners this year are Aldi’s £2.49 pigs in blanket and £3 mince pies from Iceland.
Lucky tasters spent five month testing 680 products from over 107 brands for this year’s awards.
The grub is assessed on appearance, aroma, flavour and texture, and then rated out of 100.
Overall, the winner was Waitrose – topping the list in 11 categories but next in line was Asda, winning five.
Top trends this year include pistachio and nostalgic flavours such as black forest and sticky toffee.
Callum Black, from the Good Housekeeping Institute said: “It’s been a fantastic year for innovation in all its forms – we’ve seen an excellent selection of twists on traditional favourites with the popular food trends of 2025, especially from our winning supermarket with a phenomenal pistachio stollen alongside pistachio liqueurs and a stunning pistachio Panettone.
“But there’s no less of the love of nostalgia we’ve seen of the past few years – the flavours of Black Forest, Tiramisu and sticky toffee are cropping up in Christmas puddings, cheesecakes and even gingerbread houses meaning those classic comfort foods are never far away this Christmas.”
Full list of winners
Prosecco
Winner: Della Vite – Superiore D.O.C.G Prosecco (£21.75 / 75cl), 84/100
Runner-Up: Lidl – Prosecco Valdobiadne Congeliano (£7.99 / 75cl), 83/100
Value: M&S – La Vita Prosecco (£7 / 75cl), 71/100
Champagne
Winner: Pommery – Brut Royal Champagne NV (£45 / 75cl), 87/100
Runner-Up: Asda – Extra Special Vintage Champagne (£27.98 / 75cl), 84/100
Value: Aldi – Veuve Monsigny Premier Cru Champagne (£21.99 / 75cl), 76/100
Brandy
Winner: Jean-Luc Pasquet – L’Organic 07 Grande Champagne Cognac (£54.75 / 70cl), 86/100
Runner-Up: Baron de Sigognac – 10 Year Old (£50.95 / 70cl), 84/100
Value: Asda – Napoleon French VSOP Brandy (£13.12 / 70cl), 81/100
Christmas Hero Red Wine
Winner: Asda – Extra Special Amarone (£19.97 / 75cl), 95/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 Langmeil Winery Barossa Valley Shiraz (£14 / 75cl), 89/100
Value: Co-op – Irresistible Fairtrade Casablanca Pinot Noir (£9.65 / 75cl), 81/100
Christmas Hero White Wine
Winner: Asda – Extra Special Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc (£23.98 / 75cl), 86/100
Joint Runner-Up: Asda – Exceptional by Asda White Burgundy (£11.13 / 75cl), 85/100
Joint Runner-Up: Tesco – Finest Chablis Premier Cru (£24 / 75cl), 85/100
Value: M&S – Found Feteasca Alba (£7.50 / 75cl), 79/100
Smoked Salmon – Classic
Winner: Fortnum & Mason – Smoked Salmon (£15.00 / 200g), 85/100
Runner-Up: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Rich & Intense Scottish Smoked Salmon (£4.52 / 100g), 84/100
Value: Tesco – Finest Scottish Smoked Salmon (£4.75 / 200g), 83/100
Smoked Salmon – Flavoured
Winner: Aldi – Specially Selected Smoked Salmon – Christmas Cure (£3.79 / 100g), 84/100
Joint Runner-Up: Abel & Cole – Severn & Wye Mulled Spice Smoked Salmon (£16.20 / 200g), 81/100
Joint Runner-Up: M&S – Collection Beetroot & Dill Smoked Salmon (£6.00 / 100g), 81/100
Value: Morrisons – The Best Pastrami Salmon (£4.50 / 150g), 78/100
Sherry
Winner: Solera – 1847 Cream Sherry (£18.25 / 75cl), 85/100
Joint Runner-Up: Croft – Original Pale Cream Sherry (£13.25 / 75cl), 84/100
Joint Runner-Up: Asda – Cream Sherry (£10.77 / 1L), 84/100
Value: Aldi – Baron Amarillo Cream Sherry (£7.69 / 75cl), 79/100
Port
Winner: Sandeman – 10 Year Old Tawny Port (£29.75 / 75cl), 88/100
Runner-Up: Taylors – Late Bottled Vintage Port (£20.50 / 75cl), 85/100
Best Value Tawny: Aldi – Fletcher’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port (£13.49 / 75cl), 82/100
Best Value Ruby: Lidl – Armilar Ruby Port (£8.29 / 75cl), 75/100
Pigs in Blankets – Classic & Flavoured
Winner (Classic & Best Value): Aldi – Specially Selected Double Wrapped Pigs in Blankets (£2.49 / 250g), 88/100
Winner (Flavoured): Lidl – Deluxe Pigs in Blankets – Honey & Mustard (£2.79 / 210g), 82/100
Roast Potatoes
Winner: Aldi – Specially Selected The Ultimate Wagyu Fat Roast Potatoes (£2.99 / 800g), 88/100
Runner-Up: Tesco – Finest Maris Piper Roast Potatoes with Salted Butter & Confit Garlic (£5 / 800g), 84/100
Value: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes with Herb Seasoning (£2.75 / 800g), 78/100
Vegetable Sides
Winner: Waitrose – No.1 Ultimate Cauliflower Cheese (£7.50 / 700g), 85/100
Runner-Up: Tesco – Finest Extra Mature Cheddar, Leek & Sprout Gratin (£4 / 400g), 84/100
Value: Iceland – Maple Glazed Chantenay Carrots (£2.50 / 500g), 73/100
Christmas Pudding – Classic
Winner: Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference 18-Month Matured Christmas Pudding (£9 / 800g), 86/100
Runner-Up: Meg Rivers – Traditional Christmas Pudding (£21 / 800g), 85/100
Value: Aldi – Specially Selected 24-Month Matured Christmas Pudding (£7.99 / 800g), 77/100
Christmas Pudding – Flavoured
Winner & Best Value: Aldi – Specially Selected Orange and Maple Christmas Pudding (£9.99 / 800g), 90/100
Runner-Up: Tesco – Finest Sticky Toffee Panettone Christmas Pudding (£11 / 700g), 85/100
Mince Pies – Flavoured
Winner: Waitrose – No.1 Golden Mince Pies with Limoncello (£4 / 4-pack), 91/100
Runner-Up & Best Value: Co-op – Irresistible Gingerbread & Maple Mince Pies (£2.85 / 4-pack), 85/100
Christmas Cake
Winner: Tesco – Finest Jewelled Topped Fruit Cake (£15 / 650g), 82/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 Hand-Decorated Matured Rich Fruit Cake (£20 / 1.5kg), 81/100
Value: Aldi – Specially Selected All Over Iced Rich Fruit Cake (£9.49 / 907g), 70/100
Mulled Wine
Joint Winner: Selfridges – Selection Mulled Wine (£15.99 / 75cl), 89/100
Joint Winner: Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference Mulled Wine (£6.25 / 75cl), 89/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – Rosé Mulled Wine (£6 / 75cl), 87/100
Value: Tesco – Vineyard Mulled Wine (£3.50 / 75cl), 78/100
Mince Pies – Classic
Winner: Iceland – Luxury All Butter Mince Pies (£3 / 6-pack), 80/100
Runner-Up & Value: Co-op – Merry Mince Pies (£1.50 / 6-pack), 79/100
Yule Log
Winner & Value: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Chocolate Yule Log (£5.48 / 467g), 85/100
Runner-Up: Cake or Death – Biscoff-Filled Yule Log (£42 / 1.4kg), 79/100
Panettone – Classic & Flavoured
Winner (Flavoured): Tesco – Finest Gingerbread Panettone (£12 / 750g), 92/100
Winner (Classic) & Value: Aldi – Specially Selected Classic Panettone (£4.99 / 750g), 90/100
Celebration Cheese for Christmas
Winner: Haute Fromagerie – French Cheese Selection (£10 / 400g), 92/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 Vintage Cheddar Bake with Turkey, Bacon & Sage (£5.50 / 180g), 91/100
Value: Iceland – Luxury Baking Camembert with Caramelised Red Onion Sauce (£4.35 / 290g), 80/100
Meat-Free Mains
Joint Winner: Lodge Farm Organic – Festive Cheese & Leek Wreath with Red Onion Relish (£25 / 1.9kg), 85/100
Joint Winner: Cook – Nut Roast (£7.95 / 540g), 85/100
Best Vegan Main: Sainsbury’s – Christmas Mushroom Wellington (£10 / 500g), 84/100
Value: Quorn – Vegetarian Roast (£3.95 / 454g), 78/100
Stollen
Winner: Waitrose – No.1 Pistachio & Cherry Stollen Wreath (£14 / each), 92/100
Runner-Up: Meg Rivers – Christmas Tart (£19.60 / 500g, 6inch), 89/100
Value: Aldi – Specially Selected Luxury Topped Stollen (£5.99 / 600g), 76/100
Christmas Meat Centrepieces
Winner: Waitrose – No.1 Wagyu Topside (£26 / 800g), 87/100
Runner-Up: Co-op – Irresistible Slow Cooked Beef Brisket with Truffle & Red Wine Gravy (£17 / 913g), 86/100
Value: Iceland – Three Hog Roast (£8 / 1kg), 75/100
Starters & Sharers
Best Starter: Waitrose – No.1 Scallop & King Prawn with Roasted Garlic West Country Butter (£7.50 / 160g), 84/100
Best Sharer: Tesco – Finest Pork, Smoked Bacon & Maple Sausage Roll Wreath (£9 / 580g), 84/100
Value: Iceland – Luxury Caramelised Onion & Goat’s Cheese Tarts (£3.50 / 240g), 81/100
Festive Liqueurs
Winner & Best Value: Lidl – Toffee Yum Yum Cream Liqueur (£7.29 / 700ml), 91/100
Joint Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 Blonde Cream Liqueur (£14 / 70cl), 89/100
Joint Runner-Up: Mozart – Coconut Chocolate Liqueur (£18.25 / 50cl), 89/100
Dessert Centrepieces
Winner: Morrisons – The Best Signature Collection Belgian Chocolate & Praline Star (£15 / 800g), 85/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 The Nutcracker (£20 / 760g), 83/100
Value: Co-op – Irresistible Gingerbread & Maple Cake (£7 / 702g), 73/100
Whole Turkey
Winner: Riverford Organic Farmers – Turkey XL (£170.50 / 6.5kg), 83/100
Joint Runner-Up: Kelly Bronze – Organic Whole Turkey (medium, £125 / 5–6kg), 82/100
Joint Runner-Up: Morrisons – The Best Signature Collection Giant Double Stuffed Whole Turkey with Smoked Bacon (£72 / 6kg), 82/100
Value: Co-op – Medium Turkey (£38.50 / 4.75kg), 75/100
Turkey Crown
Winner: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Heritage Slate Turkey Crown with Caramelised Apple & Cranberry Stuffing and a Honey & Maple Glaze (£37.53–£62.55 / 1.5–2.5kg), 85/100
Runner-Up: Aldi – Specially Selected British Roast-in-the-Bag Roly Poly Stuffed Turkey Crown (£31.48–£48.28 / 1.5–2.3kg), 84/100
Value: Co-op – Basted Medium Turkey Crown (£36.50 / 2.5kg), 77/100
Canapés & Party Food – Meat Canapés
Joint Winner: Aldi – Specially Selected Ham & Cheese Scones (£4.99 / 300g), 92/100
Joint Winner: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Butter Chicken Mini Naans (£5/ 160g), 92/100
Runner-Up: Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference Crispy Mushroom Tartlets (£5.50 / 12-pack), 91/100
Best Value: Iceland – 12 Onion Bhaji Bombs Mango Chutney (£2.50 / 300g), 77/100
Christmas Crisps
Winner: Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference Turkey Roast Dinner Flavour Hand-Cooked Ridge Cut Crisps (£1.50 / 150g), 86/100
Runner-Up: Morrisons – Best Spicy Prawn Cocktail Ridge Cut Crisps (£1.30 / 125g), 84/100
Value: Aldi – Specially Selected Crisps – Roast Turkey & Thyme Butter Crisps (£1.15 / 150g), 70/100
Christmas Grazing Boards & Charcuterie
Winner: Abel & Cole – The Italian Antipasti Selection – Organic (£31 / 820g), 91/100
Runner-Up: London Smoke & Cure – Charcuterie Box (£29.45 / 500g), 89/100
Value: Morrisons – Starcuterie Centrepiece (£18 / 794g), 76/100
Biscuit Tins
Winner: Bettys – Biscuit Tin Selection (£25 / 570g), 96/100
Runner-Up: Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference Chocolate Chip Shortbread Present Tin (£8 / 250g), 91/100
Value: Tesco – Finest Sticky Toffee Cookie (£8.50 / 390g), 89/100
Gingerbread & Confectionery Houses
Winner: Aldi – DIY Gingerbread House Kit (£5.99 / 950g), 90/100
Runner-Up: Cadbury – Dairy Milk Christmas Chocolate House Kit (£14 / 840g), 89/100
Value: Morrisons – Decorate Your Own Gingerbread House Kit (£3 / 632g), 82/100
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.
“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
