Aldi’s £8 Xmas pud wins festive taste test… but M&S comes out on top in supermarket battle
Posh magazine Good Housekeeping has put their taste buds to the test to reveal the tastiest supermarket Christmas food
BUDGET supermarket Aldi has beaten off competition from other supermarkets to be crowned the best Christmas pudding in a prestigious annual taste test.
But if you were hoping to get the tastiest Christmas dinner for the cheapest price, they you may be disappointed.
Last year, budget supermarkets swept the board on the taste test, but this year premium retailers are taking back the top spots.
Even though nine Aldi products made the shortlist this year, 14 different types of festive food from M&S also made the list, meaning this year it looks like posh nosh tastes better.
It's not all bad news for budget brands because Iceland Luxury 10 Pigs In Blankets came first in its category, scoring 82 out of 100 and costing £3, beating Aldi's Butcher's Select and M&S Outdoor Bred Pigs In Blankets.
Asda also came first in the vegetarian stuffing category with their Extra Special Chunky Christmas Pudding Stuffing, which costs £2.98.
Aldi products also came first in their categories with their meat stuffing, their vegetarian main course alternative, their Christmas pudding and a bottle of vintage port.
But an expensive M&S British Oakham Turkey Crown with Pork, Sage & Onion Stuffing with Bacon Lattice took the crown for the main course - and it will set you back £27.
Here's how the food buffs over at Good Housekeeping ranked the rest of the Christmas dinner.
Prosecco under £15
A £10 bottle of M&S rosecco came first in the category and was followed by Tesco Finest* Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco NV also £10.
Lidl's Allini Prosecco Spumante Conegliano scored the same as the Tesco bottle and costs less at £7.99.
NV Brut Champagne under £40
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference NV Champagne Brut, £18, scored 79 out of 100, and came out on top of this category, closely followed by Sainsbury’s Winemaker’s Selection Blanc de Noirs Champagne Brut NV, £20, with 78 out of 100.
M&S Oudinot Brut Champagne NV came in at joint second with 78 too and is more expensive than the Sainsbury's bottles of bubbly at £27.
Smoked salmon
Waitrose 1 Chestnut Smoke Salmon, £5.99, came in first place but Lidl Deluxe Scottish Smoked Salmon with Ben Bracken Whisky & Honey, Beetroot and Orange & Champagne also £5.99, just missed out on first place.
Morrisons The Best Whisky Bronze Smoked Salmon was also a runner up and cost over £1 less.
Frozen Turkeys & Crowns
M&S British Oakham Turkey Crown with Pork, Sage & Onion Stuffing with Bacon Lattice, £27, serves four to five people and won the Christmas dinner main crown.
M&S British Whole Turkey came in second whilst COOK Stuffed Crown of Turkey came in second but will set you back £45.
The cheapest runner up in this category was Tesco’s British Frozen Medium Turkey Breast Crown which costs £13.
Meat Stuffing
Aldi Specially Selected 6 Pork & Carmelised Red Onion Baubles Wrapped in Bacon, £2.29, scored almost 100 per cent and came out on top.
Tesco Family Festive Christmas Tree Stuffing (85/100), £4.50, and Aldi Specially Selected Outdoor Bred Gingerbread and Apricot Stuffing Portions £2.29 led the runners up.
Vegtarian Alternatives
This is a new category for the taste test and saw Aldi Specially Selected Vegetable Parcels – Spinach, Leek & West Country Cheddar win. They will set you back just £1.99.
Aldi Specially Selected Vegetable Parcels – Mushroom Trio, £1.99, and Marks & Spencer Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Rosti, £6, came in at second and third.
Vegetarian Stuffing
Asda Extra Special Chunky Christmas Pudding Stuffing came first in this catergory.
The supermarket's twist on the veggie side costs £2.98.
Tesco Cranberry, Apricot and Clementine Stuffing, £3, came in third place.
Cranberry Stuffing
A posh M&S Cranberry & Port Sauce, £3, took the top spot in the taste test, while Stokes Cranberry & Orange Sauce, £3.50, came in second.
Pigs in Blankets
Frozen food specialists Iceland scooped the top spot with their Luxury 10 Pigs In Blankets, £3, while Aldi’s Butcher’s Select 12 Bacon Wrapped Sausages, £1.99, came in second.
Aldi Specially Selected 10 Sausages Wrapped in Bacon, £2.19, was also made a runner up.
Christmas Pudding
Aldi Specially Selected Golden Topped Christmas Pudding costs just £7.99 pipped M&S to the post with their Collection 12 Month Matured Vintage Christmas Pudding, £14.
Another Aldi Christmas pud came in joint second place. The Specially Selected Exquisite Vintage Christmas Pudding costs £9.99.
Morrisons The Best Pedro Ximénez Sherry and Pear Christmas Pudding, £8, also made it to be a runner up.
Brandy Butter
M&S scooped both top places in this category, with their Christmas Brandy Butter, £3, and their premium version, The Collection Brandy Butter, £2.50, coming in second.
Stilton Cheese
For your after dinner cheese fix, Sainsbury’s TTD Tuxford and Tebbutt Blue Stilton, £2.50, was voted the best tasting stilton.
Co-op Long Clawson Dairy Potted Blue Stilton, £4, came second and Tesco Finest* Mature Blue Stilton, £4, was voted third place.
The last runner up was the Booths Potted Blue Stilton, which costs more than five times the winner at £13.
Late Bottled Vintage Port
Once again, German supermarket Aldi took first place Maynard’s LBV Port 1992, £9.99, while Taylor’s LBV 2011, £14, available on Amazon, came in second.
Mince Pies
Supermarket premium range Tesco Finest* 6 Mince Pies, £2, beat off competition from Iceland 6 Luxury Mince Pies, £1.50 and Lidl Deluxe 6 Luxury Mince Pies, £1.49.
Mulled Wine
There were only two finalists in this category with Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Mulled Wine, £5.50, beating off competition from Ocado Mulled Wine, £4.99.
Christmas Cake
Betty’s Soft Iced Star Christmas Cake, £30 (or £40 with a tin) was voted the tastiest Christmas cake out of those tested.
Marks & Spencer Collection 6 Month Matured Snowflake Bauble Cake, £20, Morrisons The Best Poinsettia Cake, £12, and Iceland Luxury Christmas Cake All Over Iced, £7.50, were all listed as runners up.
You dont just have to take Good Housekeepings word for it.
Cheaper products on the shelves of Aldi and Lidl have been given the stamp of approval from posh lifestyle magazine, Tatler.
Most read in money
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 78 24516