I tried alternative Christmas sandwiches – the winner is half price compared to last year and beats Aldi’s by a mile
SUPERMARKET and cafe chiller cabinets are now lined with Christmas-themed sandwiches as retailers hope to lure in shoppers for a lunchtime festive treat.
Everywhere from Pret and Starbucks to Aldi and Asda are selling a huge range of flavours and you no longer need to settle for a dull turkey sarnie.
From pesto to smoked salmon and brie and cranberry, there all sorts of flavours promising to get you in the Christmas spirit.
But which will most delight your tastebuds?
We asked Lynsey Hope to try a selection and she reveals her favourites below.
M&S Ho-Ho-Pest-Ho - £3.65
- Calories: 359
- Fat: 13.4g
- Sugar: 11.4g
- Salt: 2g
Read more Xmas taste tests
Pesto doesn't exactly scream Christmas, but this vegan sandwich scores top points for its roasted butternut squash, pickled red cabbage slaw, rocket pesto and tahini mayo.
It's full of fibre, has a super-fresh taste, a nice crunch from the slaw and the bread is enriched with vitamin D for extra health points.
I'd eat this all year round.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 9/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Most read in Money
Waitrose Christmas Pigs Under Blankets - £4
- Calories: 512
- Fat: 22.3g
- Sugar: 8.2g
- Salt: 2.12g
A beautifully flavoursome chutney elevates this from being nothing but a boring sausage and bacon sarnie.
The malted bread is flavoursome, it's not dry like so many of the others and the sausages were good quality.
A lovely alternative to turkey.
- Taste: 9/10
- Value: 7/10
- Overall score: 9/10
Aldi Eat and Go Smoked Salmon and Soft Cheese - £1.99
- Calories: 428
- Fat: 16.8g
- Sugar: 5.2g
- Salt: 1.95g
Sadly this Aldi sarnie was a bit dull and flavourless.
There was a good amount of salmon but the soft cheese was bland and tasteless.
The wholemeal bread was quite dry and the promised lemon juice flavour didn't really materialise.
Not the slightest bit festive and not for me.
- Taste: 3/10
- Value: 3/10
- Overall score: 3/10
Costa Pigs and Blankets Toastie - £5.40
- Calories: 568
- Fat: 26g
- Sugar: 9.4g
- Salt: 2.20g
Loved this toastie, filled with succulent pork sausage, maple cured bacon and a sweet, caramelised onion chutney.
The bread was unusual and was topped with garlic, onion, cheese and sage.
It had a strong aroma and flavour and I wasn't 100% sure I liked it.
I thought there was too much cheese.
There was plenty of sausage though and this definitely made a change from a turkey sandwich.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 5/10
- Overall score: 6/10
Tesco Yule Hog Wrap - £2.85
- Calories: 491
- Fat: 20.1g
- Sugar: 8.5g
- Salt: 1.01g
A lovely soft wrap containing pulled pork in a hickory style marinade with rosemary and turkey gravy mayonnaise, lettuce, sage and onion stuffing and fried onions.
The real winner in this recipe is the Kentish cider apple sauce which finished it off nicely. Very meaty and filling.
This same wrap was pricey at a fiver last year but for £2.85, it's a bargain and a lovely alternative to a sandwich.
- Taste: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
- Overall score: 10/10
Pret Brie, Pistachio and Cranberry Baguette - £4.50
- Calories: 591
- Fat: 29g
- Sugar: 8.3g
- Salt: 2.13g
Loved this baguette, even though it was a whopper with nearly 600 calories.
It contains a generous amount of sliced French brie with mayonnaise, roasted pistachio nuts and peppery rocket in a soft stone baked baguette.
What really stands out and gives it that all important festive feel is the delicious port and orange sauce.
It's reasonably priced too. I'd definitely have another.
- Taste: 10/10
- Value: 8/10
- Overall score: 9/10
Sainsbury's Chicken and Christmas Slaw - £3
- Calories: 425
- Fat: 12.2g
- Sugar: 8.6g
- Salt: 1.28g
This is chicken breast with cooked red cabbage in red wine, gravy mayonnaise, black pepper mayonnaise and shredded carrot and like many others, on malted bread.
The chicken was succulent but I found it a bit too sloppy and a little underwhelming in terms of flavour.
Nothing festive about it, really.
- Taste: 5/10
- Value: 7/10
- Overall score: 6/10
Morrisons Pigs Under Blankets Sandwich - £2.85
- Calories: 495
- Fat: 23.2g
- Sugar: 6.3g
- Salt: 1.84g
No surprises here. It's a straightforward sandwich with Lincolnshire sausages, streaky bacon and gravy mayonnaise on white bread.
I thought the gravy mayo was subtle and stopped the sandwich from being too dry.
The bread is basic but the sausages had a nice flavour and the bacon a nice smokiness to it.
It's no frills, but a good price.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 7/10
- Overall score: 6/10
Lidl Brie and Cranberry Sandwich - £1.85
- Calories: 466
- Fat: 17.9g
- Sugar: 11.7g
- Salt: 1.26g
The cheapest sandwich in our test, this is a great option especially if you don't eat meat.
The brie had a rich and yet delicate flavour and the cranberry was fruity and festive.
The bread could have been softer but for £1.85, who cares. A great option from Lidl.
It won't break the bank, or your waistline.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 10/10
- Overall score: 9/10
Asda Pigs Under Blankets Sandwich - £3
- Calories: 616
- Fat: 29g
- Sugar: 7.9g
- Salt: 3g
This is a whopper, with a staggering 616 calories and 29g fat.
It's very filling and rare I complain about too much in a sandwich, but if anything, this was overstuffed.
The meat was a bit salty and it fell apart as I tried to eat it.
A good price when you consider how much you get for your money but certainly not for the faint hearted.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 7/10
- Overall score: 7/10
Starbucks Brie and Cran-merry Focaccia - £5.30
- Calories: 441
- Fat: 16g
- Sugar: 9.5g
- Salt: 1.10g
My top rated toasted sandwich was definitely this focaccia from Starbucks.
The bread had a lovely crisp texture and a lovely scattering of rosemary.
The cranberry sauce was sweet and tangy and added in just the right quantities plus there was a little spinach to make it feel fresh.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The brie gave the flavour of your Christmas cheeseboard and made this sandwich feel Christmassy too.
- Taste: 10/10
- Value: 9/10
- Overall score: 10/10