Move over Good Housekeeping - there’s a new Christmas taste tester in town.
The Vacherin head office team undertook the arduous task of taste testing the high street’s finest Christmas offerings, so you don’t have to.
From mince pies to smoked salmon, we’ve rated everything based on appearance, taste, value for money, and the all-important “sparkle factor.”
Here’s how they stacked up:
Crisps
- Lidl Deluxe Baked Camembert & Hot Honey £1.15 150g
Lidl’s crisps fell flat, with tasters describing an unpleasant artificial cheese flavour that “burns your mouth.” These crisps lacked appeal in both taste and appearance. - Waitrose Turkey & Stuffing Flavour Tortilla Crisps £2.00 200g
While visually appealing, these crisps needed a dip or pairing to fully shine. The Christmas tree shape gave a fun festive touch. Fun for a buffet, but not a standout snack. - Tesco Pigs in Blankets £1.20 150g
Crunchy with a decent golden hue, these crisps tasted overwhelmingly of bacon. One tester likened their colour to “Donald Trump’s tan.”
Sainsbury’s Turkey Gravy £1.50 150g
Although a bit scrappy in appearance, these crisps had a natural, authentic taste which everyone identified as ‘turkey’ and stood out for their crunch and flavour.
Sparkle Factor: Waitrose crisps brought the fun, but Sainsbury’s delivered on taste.
Best Buy: Sainsbury’s—flavourful, festive, and great value.
Mince Pies
- Sainsbury’s (£2.99 for six)
These pies struck the perfect balance of filling and pastry, topped with a festive snowflake design. A consistent crowd-pleaser with great value for money. - Asda (£2.75 for six)
Asda’s mince pies were the most affordable, but their pale pastry and overly sweet filling left testers unimpressed, despite a pleasant citrus note.
- Waitrose (£3.99 for six)
Praised for its generous filling-to-pastry ratio and for having a marzipan flavour, Waitrose’s offering was a sophisticated take on the classic. Pastry was golden and buttery. However, the richness of the mince pie divided opinions, with one taster noting it “felt more like a dessert.” - Gail’s (£16 for six)
Rich, buttery, and packed with a well-balanced and slow-cooked filling, Gail’s mince pies exuded luxury. However, the price made them a splurge item, rather than an every day treat.
Sparkle Factor: Impress the in-laws with Gail’s, but for feeding a crowd, Sainsbury’s is unbeatable.
Best Buy: Sainsbury’s—festive flavours and fantastic value.
Smoked Salmon
- Tesco (£4.60 100g)
Overpowering and overly fishy, Tesco’s smoked salmon failed to impress. Tasters found it too strong and overwhelming for most palates. - Lidl (£2.99 100g)
Surprisingly good, Lidl’s salmon had a nice texture, gentle smokiness, and visible colour differentiation from the smoking process. - Sainsburys (£4.75 100g)
- Heavily smoked and slightly oily, Sainsbury’s salmon was decent but inconsistent in texture.
- Waitrose (£6.50 100g)
A top-tier choice with a clean, delicate flavour, and a great texture. The smoked salmon was well balanced, earning high praise for its quality.
Sparkle Factor: For indulgence, go with Waitrose, but Lidl is the budget-friendly winner.
Best Buy: Lidl—quality smoked salmon at a great price.
Festive Sandwiches
- M&S Turkey Shawarma Wrap £4.50
Initially seen as a wild card entry, this wrap delivered a well-balanced ‘sandwich’ that combined fresh, but still festive flavours, and a satisfying crunch. It was a surprise favourite for all the team. - Starbucks Christmas Sandwich £4.85
Visually neat but lacking Christmas magic, this chicken-and-bacon sandwich didn’t feel festive enough to justify its place in the lineup. - Pret Christmas Sandwich £4.99
- A lunchtime classic for many, Pret’s sandwich was reliably festive but let down by soggy onions and an overload of cranberry sauce.
- Pret Veggie Christmas Sandwich £4.50
Majority of the panel found this way too sweet and an overriding flavour of cardamom. The sandwich fell apart and was difficult to eat. Nice colours though with the orange, green and purple. One of the team stated that this sandwich is a good reason to not be veggie at Christmas.
- SandwichSandwich Christmas Special £12.50
The most divisive option, this is a HUGELY extravagant sandwich packed with so much filling you need two hands to pick up one half and could easily feed two people. The dunking gravy pot is a fun edition and has big bits of turkey in it but it’s pretty overpowering and quite salty.
Sparkle: For a knockout sandwich that has the wow factor it has to the be SandwichSandwich, but probably best to have some Rennies to hand and a sofa close by for a post lunch snooze
Verdict: The M&S wrap was the surprising show stealer with it’s alternative take on the Christmas sandwich
Festive Fizz:
No Christmas celebration is complete without a bottle of bubbly, so the Vacherin team popped the corks on some of the high street's finest sparkling wines. Here’s how they fared:
Tesco Gratien de Loire (£13.00)
With a soft palate and slight sweetness, Tesco’s fizz offered a light and crisp drinking experience. While easy to sip, it didn’t have the depth of the pricier option.
Lidl Cava (£5.50)
The most budget-friendly option, Lidl’s sparkling wine fell flat with tasters. Lacking flavour and depth, it failed to deliver the festive sparkle. But at half the price of the other bottles it would be good for spritz or to pull out once the good fizz has been drunk.
Sainsbury’s Crémant de Loire (£12.00)
Though reasonably priced, Sainsbury’s offering disappointed. Described as lacking body and mouthfeel, it didn’t leave a lasting impression on the team.
Waitrose Cave de Loire (£16.99)
Dry, rich, and full-bodied, Waitrose’s fizz stood out as a luxurious option. Its notes of grapefruit, grass, and brioche paired beautifully with smoked salmon. The elegant label and upscale feel made it a strong contender for special occasions.
The Verdict
Sparkle Factor: For a touch of luxury, Waitrose’s Cave de Loire was the clear winner with its rich flavours, richer colour, and festive fizz.
Best Buy: Tesco’s Gratien de Loire offered a slightly lighter option with good crispness at a more accessible price.
And after all that the Vacherin team need a little lie down…
