Yahoo News The top Christmas supermarket food launches, from giant pigs in blankets to a festive Colin the Caterpillar
This year has been a whirlwind, with most of the summer months spent in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
As much of the year has flown by, Christmas will be here before you know it. Major supermarkets have already started to reveal their food and drink ranges, and it’s not even October.
However, with less than 100 days left until 25 December, it’s never to early to start planning (or salivating over) your Christmas dinner.
We’ve gathered up what’s on offer, from sharing platters, light-up gin (yes, really), alternative meat options to suit all dietary requirements and more puddings, trifles and profiteroles than you can throw a stick at.
No matter how big or small this year’s festivities will be, you’ll be able get prepped and ready for a feast with our guide to all the festive food you’ll need, which we will keep updating as new ones launch.
You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Aldi
Decidedly moreish, budget supermarket Aldi, has gone all out with it’s Christmas range for 2020.
For your main, feast upon its multi bird roast, truffle pigs in blankets, loaded mini Yorkshire puddings that are topped with a sausage stuffing ball, halloumi wrapped in bacon and crab claw meat.
However if you’re a fan of pigs and blankets, you’ll also find a vegan alternative and a two-metre long one, who knew we needed so many?
But that’s not all, for starters, enjoy gin and whisky infused smoked salmon, while for desert there’s mini mince pies, Sicilian lemon tart or sticky toffee pudding.
There’s also an impressive range of cheeses to complete a board, paired with grapes and copious amounts of wine, such as Goosnargh gold double Gloucester, kidderton ash goat's cheese and Stratford blue cheese.
Available in-store soon
Marks & Spencer
If you love Percy pigs, you’ll be pleased to hear as part of Marks & Spencer’s Christmas range, it includes a dedicated merry Percymas biscuit tin (£5), which we’ll be snacking on throughout opening present and as an after-dinner snack in between glasses of mulled wine.
Colin the Caterpillar (£10) has also had a festive make-over. Everyone’s favourite sponge roll is now decorated with chocolate presents and snowmen, but the best part is that Colin is wearing a Santa hat and red booties.
For our main meal, we’ve got our eye on the perfect turkey crown (£60), stuffed with pork and cranberries and wrapped in cured bacon, which is called fool-proof, so even the most amateur of cooks will be able to master a Christmas dinner.
The popular Plant Kitchen no chicken kiev (£5) is also making a comeback if you’re opting out of eating meat this year. The soya based breadcrumbed kiev has a tasty garlic and parsley filling that will have you (and everyone else) coming back for more.
When it comes to desert, the supermarket has gone all out with its black forest gateu ( £10), as well as a raspberry and prosecco panna cotta terrine (15).
Accompany your meal with some festive tipples, our go-to is going to be the light up snow globe gin liqueur (£18) that’s available in two flavours, clementine or rhubarb, and comes in a light-up bottle to reveal a woodland scene with edible snowflakes. Yes, you read that right.
Available in-store from mid September and online from 1 October
Morrisons
One look at Morrisons seasonal offering and you’re guaranteed to be excited already. It’s menu includes tsar cut smoked salmon with soy dressing ( £8) to start, turkey cushions layered with pork, and bacon stuffing, hand-wrapped with maple cured streaky bacon (£23), and a Belgian chocolate orange pudding (£6) to finish.
If you’re after a plant-based Christmas dinner, you’re spoilt for alternative dishes including tempura “no prawns” (£4), a vegetable tarte with winter root vegetables, vegan cheese and apple sauce (£5), a vegan “beefless” wellington (£5) and a vegan trifle (£5).
Tesco
Impress your dinner guests with Tesco’s range this year, which promises impressive meat centrepieces, innovative plant-based dishes and twists on traditional dishes.
Some of its top picks include French trimmed crackling pork loin, with truffle and porcini butter (£15), giant pigs in blankets (£2) or a plant-based succulent and tender no-turkey crown (£5).
Seeing as us Brits can’t get enough pigs in blankets, there’s no shortage here , and there’s even plant-based pigless blankets.
Some of its sweet treats include ginger-spiced chai tea-soaked cake (£9), plant-based mince pies (£1.25) and a free-from, gluten-free Christmas pudding (£1.50).
It’s also revealed that it’s signature flavour this year is maple and orange, a sweet mix you’ll find on its easy carve duck with a maple and orange glaze, chocolate orange and maple bauble cake and orange and maple florentines, to name a few of the products.
Waitrose
For an indulgent meal that spares no detail, head to Waitrose for your Christmas food shop.
Some of its must-haves to add to your menu are the British venison wellington that’s topped with porcini mushroom, brandy and thyme, juniper and blackberry (£30), pork and pancetta Christmas crackers (£14 for 2) for pre-dinner snacking and seafood and lobster thermidor pâté (£20).
If you’re leaving it to a free-for-all buffet for guests to help themselves, we’d recommend dishing up the cider cured ham with apple and bay (£25), and 70-piece party pack (£35), which includes n’duja croquettes, sticky beef teriyaki meatballs and mac and cheese cups.
Finish off your meal with a hearty slice of chestnut and pear with rum panettone (£8).
If you’re vegan, try the festive filo swirls made with Moroccan inspired spiced vegetables with apricots and raisins (£6.99) but for now, that’s all that’s on offer from the supermarkets plant-based meals, so keep that in mind when you’re filling your basket.
Available from 21 September
For more food and drink, read our guide to the best Champagne, prosecco and sparkling wines for all occasions
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