It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and in that time-honoured tradition, high-street food chains have launched their festive menus.
And, of course, The Daily Mail was first in the queue to try their sandwich offerings — putting them under our nutritional microscope.
Those on offer this year include Christmas dinners stuffed between a baguette, pigs in blanket toasties and even a sweet mince pie wrap.
In a mammoth audit analysing the festive options from 14 high street shops and supermarkets, the Daily Mail found some of the worst offenders contain over 700 calories — and that’s before adding a drink or snack.
Others sold at the likes of Sainsbury’s, Starbucks and Leon can be packed with as much sugar as two Krispy Kreme doughnuts or as salty as 12 packets of Walkers crisps.
Full results of the Daily Mail’s dietician-backed probe, involving 90+ festive-themed sandwiches, wraps and baguettes, are published in a fascinating table, which allows you to search for your favourite lunchtime option.
Some of the UK’s leading diet experts, however, told the Daily Mail that even the worst ranked sandwiches for calories, salt and sugar have other surprising health benefits.
In a separate nutritional analysis, they have given their full verdict on those ranked best and worst.
Specialist dietician Dr Nichola Ludlam-Raine, told the Daily Mail: ‘Christmas sandwiches are very much a seasonal, one-off purchase for most people, and enjoying one occasionally isn’t something to worry about.
‘However, it is helpful to be aware of what’s inside them because the nutrition can vary enormously — some are closer to a balanced meal, while others provide very high levels of salt, sugar or saturated fat.’
Dr Carrie Ruxton, a dietitian and co-founder of Salt St Andrews gym, added: ‘Surprisingly, several of the plant-based options — which you would think are super-healthy — were high in salt.
‘It’s probably because plant options taste more bland and a pinch of salt is a cheap, easy way to pep them up, although adding herbs or spices would be a healthier way.’
According to the audit, Pret’s Boxing Day Sourdough Toastie and Sainsbury’s Kitchen Deli Festive Chicken Wrap hit the top spots for calories, with 732 and 725 respectively.
Packed with mature cheddar cheese, turkey, pulled ham, and a herby pork stuffing, the Pret sandwich is finished with a dollop of caramelised onion chutney and sage mayo.
Sainsbury’s wrap contains chicken breast, pork sage and onion stuffing, black pepper mayonnaise, smoked bacon, cranberry sauce and lettuce in a tortilla wrap.
But calories alone never tell the full nutritional story, experts caution.
As a guide, men should eat no more than 2,500 calories a day. For women, they’re advised to stick to 2,000 or below.
The NHS also advises that lunch and dinner should each contain around 600 calories.
Gail’s Smoked Turkey and Swiss Cheese Sandwich, meanwhile, topped the highest salt content chart, with 4.8g.
It accounts for 80 per cent of an adult’s daily recommended salt allowance — equivalent to 12 bags of Walker’s ready salted crisps.
Eating too much salt can raise blood pressure by increasing the amount of water the body retains, putting extra pressure on the blood vessel walls. This can, over time, increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Health chiefs advise adults stick to less than 6g of salt per day. Kids should eat even less.
By comparison, Tesco’s Port and Kentish Apple Cider Sauce wrap contained just 0.84g of salt — 14 per cent of an adult’s recommended daily allowance.
While sandwiches are typically lower in sugar than most festive treats, the Daily Mail’s audit did find some contained nearly twice as much sugar as go-to sweet snacks.
Sainsbury’s sweet Mince Pie Brioche Style Wrap contained 26.1g of sugar. For comparison, a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnut has 12g.
NHS guidance sets the maximum daily intake at 30g of free sugars a day, or 210g per week.
The NHS sugar limits only apply to free sugars — those added to products — rather than those found naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables. Some of the sugar content of festive sandwiches will be from natural sources.
As well as the 30g of free sugars per day limit, the government recommends these sugars should not make up more than 5 per cent of the calories a person gets from food and drink each day.
But the sugar in Sainsbury’s mince pie wrap offering comprised 18 per cent of its total calories.
Two of Pret’s options, meanwhile, its Truffle and Brie Bloomer Toastie and Truffle and Brie Sourdough Toastie, contained just 1 and 1.2g of sugar respectively, accounting for just 1 per cent of its total calories.
Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist and author of Unprocess Your Life, told the Daily Mail: ‘In these lower-sugar options, the fillings rely more on savoury ingredients rather than sweet sauces, and that makes a huge difference.
‘If sugar is something you keep an eye on, choosing sandwiches made with whole ingredients and minimal chutneys or dressings can help keep things in check.’
He added: ‘Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons all have festive options under 1.1g of salt, which is very reasonable.
‘These sandwiches still deliver Christmas flavour with turkey, cranberry, stuffing but without tipping you into your daily limit.
‘If you’re planning on eating festive sandwiches more frequently across December, these lower-salt choices are the more balanced way to go.’
Gail’s Smoked Turkey and Swiss Cheese Sandwich topped the highest salt content chart, boasting 4.8g – 80 per cent of an adult’s daily intake
The expert’s full verdict
Gail’s Smoked Turkey & Swiss Cheese Sandwich, £7.50
At 700-odd calories, Gail’s festive offering is over the recommended 600 calories for a main meal and contains a mighty 4.8g of salt.
It also boasts 15g of saturated fat — almost three quarter’s of a woman’s daily allowance and half of a man’s.
‘Salt is one nutrient that can catch people out because you don’t taste all of it,’ Mr Hobson says.
‘Much of it comes from the sandwich’s cured meats, cheese, and the sauces Gail’s uses.
‘For most healthy adults an occasional high-salt meal won’t do any harm, but if you’re someone who needs to manage blood pressure or heart health, these high numbers are worth being mindful of.’
But, the sandwich’s 31g of protein, along with fibre and filling carbs, should mean you shouldn’t be tempted to snack later on.
Turkey is a naturally leaner meat, which is a great source of high-quality protein compared to red meats like beef or pork.
Sourdough bread, too, can be healthier than other breads due to a fermentation process that makes it easier to digest and improves nutrient absorption.
The sandwich also contains less than two teaspoons of sugar, mostly provided by the bacon jam — far less than in an average ploughman’s sandwich.
Dr Ludlam-Raine says: ‘For someone choosing a festive sandwich as a meal replacement, this one does have redeeming qualities, but the salt content is the main concern.’
At 732 calories, the sandwich sits at the top of the worst offender list for calories and not heaps better for salt, with 3.26g
Pret Boxing Day Sourdough Toastie, £5.99
No one would expect a toastie stuffed with cheddar cheese, pulled ham, pork stuffing and smothered with caramelised onion chutney to be low-ish calorie option — and it isn’t.
At 732, it sits top of the worst offender list for calories and not heaps better for salt, with 3.26g.
‘But a sandwich may be high in calories but still offer benefits in other areas,’ Dr Ludlam-Raine says.
‘This includes providing good-quality proteins, whole-food ingredients and fibre, all of which contribute to fullness and stable energy levels.’
Mr Hobson, adds: ‘This Pret option is a big, hearty meal, but nutritionally it has more going for it than several of the lower-calorie options.’
Its nutritional information shows the toastie contains a promising amount of fibre — as much as a third of a tin of chickpeas — and 45.9g of protein.
Roughly equivalent to one-and-a-half chicken breasts’ worth of muscle-building protein, it won’t leave you hungry later.
Mr Hobson told the Daily Mail: ‘Yes, it’s energy-dense, but you’re getting plenty of nutritional value for it.
‘It’s very different from a high-calorie sandwich that’s simply heavy on cheese and mayo with very little fibre.
‘If you want something filling that doesn’t leave you snacking all afternoon, the combination of high protein and fibre makes this toastie a strong choice.’
It’s no surprise that this controversial new festive sandwich option from Sainsbury’s contains a concerning amount of sugar
Sainsbury’s Mince Pie Brioche Style Wrap, £3.40
It’s little surprise that this controversial new option from Sainsbury’s contains a concerning amount of sugar.
At 26.1g, this is equivalent to more than six teaspoons in a single sandwich.
But the concern, experts say, is that the festive option comes as part of a meal deal package, meaning people could pick up a sweet drink and snack, raising sugar content to dangerously high levels.
The wrap, however, does contain very little salt at 0.88g, just 14 per cent of an adult’s daily allowance.
Mr Hobson says: ‘Some of the sweetest festive options this year are edging into dessert territory.
‘It’s worth saying that not all of this wrap’s sugar will be added sugar. Ingredients like dried fruit naturally contain sugar, but it’s the sauces and chutneys that tend to drive the numbers up.
‘These don’t bring much nutritionally to the table beyond flavour, so they’re easy to overdo.
‘And because this wrap sits inside a meal deal, it’s very easy to pair it with a chocolate bar and a sugary drink, which could push your total sugar intake for lunch well beyond what you’d get from an entire day of balanced eating.
‘It’s absolutely fine as a once-in-a-while festive treat, but I wouldn’t lean on it as a regular lunch option, especially if you’re pairing it with a sweet drink or snack.’
Leon’s festive meat sandwich option contains the highest amount of sugar among all its savoury counterparts
Leon Twisted Trimmings Sandwich, £7.99
Baharat-roasted butternut squash, grilled halloumi, and a rich apricot & pine nut stuffing, pickled red cabbage. What’s not to love?
The panini’s sugar content, according to the experts.
Leon’s festive meaty option contains the highest amount of sugar among all its savoury counterparts.
It also isn’t far behind Gail’s turkey sandwich for high salt content, with 4.11g. But it does have redeeming features.
‘It’s definitely salty, there’s no getting around that. But it also ticks boxes for fibre and protein thanks to the chickpeas and plant-based ingredients,’ Mr Hobson says.
‘For most people having it once isn’t an issue, but if you already eat a lot of salty foods like cured meats, takeaways, ready meals or you’re advised to watch your blood pressure, I’d treat it as a one-off treat rather than a go-to option.’
Dr Ludlam-Raine, added: ‘Nutritionally it isn’t all negative. It’s high in protein and contains apricots and some vegetables too, which boosts both fibre and micronutrients.
‘If someone really enjoys it, it’s fine as a one-off seasonal treat, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a regular lunch purely because of the salt level.’
Ranking first for both calories and salt, the Morrisons Festive Baguette is a good options for those who prefer small lunches, experts say
Morrisons Christmas Festive Baguette, £3.75
For a low calorie and low salt option, look no further than Morrisons.
Ranking first for both, it also sits in the middle of the table for sugar level, with 4.17 grams and contains very little saturated fat.
‘This light festive sandwich is a good option for people who prefer a smaller lunch or who are trying to keep things modest during December,’ Mr Hobson says.
Yet, experts also cautioned that the option is low in both protein and fibre and a ‘lower calorie sandwich isn’t automatically the more nutritious choice’.
Dr Ludlam-Raine adds: ‘It does include processed red meat, such as bacon or sausage, which is something we generally advise keeping to smaller amounts due to its association with increased long-term health risks when eaten frequently.
‘It’s also relatively low in protein and fibre, so despite being low in calories, it may not keep you full for very long. This is a good example of why ingredient quality often matters more than calories.
‘Pairing it with something that boosts protein and fibre, such as yoghurt, nuts, fruit or veg sticks with hummus, can help turn it into a more satisfying and balanced meal.’
The Pret flatbread is a no-meat version of the classic Christmas lunch sandwich and features roasted butternut squash, chestnut and herb stuffing and pistachios
Pret Roast Butternut, Chestnut Stuffing and Pistachio Flatbread, £4.99
A no-meat version of the classic Christmas lunch-sandwich: a flatbread filled with roasted butternut squash, rocket, chestnut and herb stuffing, crispy onions and pistachios.
The nut and seed content, along with the squash, helps this Pret option deliver almost a third of the daily recommended fibre — essential for digestive health and keeping you fuller for longer.
Nuts also make it higher in protein — as much as a boiled egg — while being low in saturated fat and sugar.
While veggie doesn’t always necessarily mean slimming, at 622 calories, the flatbread is virtually bang-on the recommended calorie count for a main meal.
‘The fibre content is really good at almost 9g,’ Mr Hobson says.
‘But I would be looking for a high protein snack or other meal options across the day to boost protein intake.
‘It’s a balanced, plant-forward option that will be satisfying without being overly heavy.
‘If you’re choosing a festive sandwich on its own as a full lunch, this is one of the best all-rounders.’
