Two supermarkets triumph in annual Christmas food taste test
Marks & Spencer was the top performer in the annual Christmas supermarket taste test, while Morrisons also impressed with emphatic victories in three coveted categories.
M&S won in six of the Good Food test’s 17 categories, including best turkey crown, best gammon and best Christmas pudding.
Judges praised the £50 M&S Oakham hot maple glazed turkey crown for its “sticky, peppery hot maple glaze and fruit-filled filling”; while joint winner Sainsbury’s impressed the panel with its “flashy” Taste the Difference British free-range bronze turkey crown with pork, apricot, pear, cranberry and candied ginger stuffing, worth £22.75 per kg.
Building on its success, M&S won the best Christmas pudding award for its Collection 12-month aged version with walnuts and panettone; It was priced at £16 and was described as “delicious” with “plenty of fruit and large chunks of nuts”.
Morrisons scored five wins overall, including best fancy dessert, best classic and best flavored mince pie for its Cherry Bakewell version; the first had a “soft, buttery pastry” and a filling that was “juicy and citrusy with a strong orange flavor.”
Tesco won for best pigs in blankets, while Lidl took the award for best trifle and Aldi won alongside M&S for best smoked salmon.
The judges judged Aldi’s Specially Selected salt-ripened Himalayan smoked salmon, priced at £3.99, as “a wonderful example of classic smoked salmon”; The £6 M&S Collection cherry and chestnut smoked salmon impressed with its “rich taste and attractive dark color from the cherry and chestnut wood smoke”.
As well as being joint winners of the best turkey award, Sainsbury’s also won best biscuit tin.
Around 13 supermarkets entered a total of 185 of the best Christmas products across 17 categories for blind review by Good Food-appointed judges.
Good Food general editor Lulu Grimes said: “This year’s Christmas Supermarket Taste Test shows you can have a great festive treat without breaking the bank.
“Supermarkets offer fancy main courses and nostalgic puddings, saving you time in the kitchen so you can focus on adding flavor to your family’s favorite Christmas recipes and creating your own treasured food memories.”
Cassie Best, food manager at Good Food, said: “Our Christmas kicks off in August when we taste all the hundreds of items sent out and from then on there is anticipation as to who will make it to the winners list.
“This year there was some serious competition between the 13 participating supermarkets as they all had a fantastic range of festive food.
“We believe our latest list of winners showcases the best that supermarkets have to offer this season. Combining supermarket buys with home-cooked meals from our Christmas recipes that have been extensively tested by Good Food means everyone can enjoy a fabulous and affordable Christmas feast.”
