After five months of festive tasting, the Good Housekeeping Institute has revealed its best Christmas food buys for 2025 across a range of categories.
The consumer testing organisation has tasted more than 680 festive products from over 107 brands and retailers including all of the UK’s major supermarkets, to come up with its own definitive guide to the best festive treats.
Testing everything from the best canapes to crowd-pleasing pigs in blankets, all of the traditional festive favourites have been put to the test by the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) expert panel.
The Good Housekeeping Institute 2025 Christmas Taste Test named Waitrose as its 2025’s official winner, with 11 of the brand’s products appearing in first or second place across all categories. It scooped the top spot five times in total – for Stollen, Vegetable Sides, Starter and Sharers, Flavoured Mince Pies and Alternative Christmas Meat Centrepieces.
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Second-placed was Asda, which was rated best for Canapes, Red and White Wine, Turkey Crown and Yule Log.
But it was Aldi that took the pigs in blanket crown – whose ‘Specially Selected Double Wrapped Pigs in Blankets’ were crowned the winners as well as best value. And Aldi’s ‘Specially Selected The Ultimate Specially Selected Wagyu Fat Roast Potatoes’ were also unrivalled in their category.
Meanwhile Iceland claimed the ‘classic’ Mince Pie crown – with its ‘Luxury 6pk All Butter Mince Pie’, which scored 80/100, just pipping Co-op’s Merry Mince Pies.
Callum Black, Deputy Head of Testing at the Good Housekeeping Institute, said:“It’s been a fantastic year for innovation in all its forms – we’ve seen an excellent selection of twists on traditional favourites with the popular food trends of 2025, especially from our winning supermarket with a phenomenal pistachio stollen alongside pistachio liqueurs and a stunning pistachio Panettone.
“But there’s no less of the love of nostalgia we’ve seen of the past few years – the flavours of Black Forest, Tiramisu and sticky toffee are cropping up in Christmas puddings, cheesecakes and even gingerbread houses meaning those classic comfort foods are never far away this Christmas.”
Today, the GHI have revealed their findings, with their full results available to view on the Good Housekeeping UK website now. But here we take a look at some of the main winners by category.
Results of Good Housekeeping Institute 2025 Christmas Taste Test
Smoked Salmon – Classic
Winner: Fortnum & Mason – Smoked Salmon (£15.00 / 200g), 85/100
Runner-Up: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Rich & Intense Scottish Smoked Salmon (£4.52 / 100g), 84/100
Value: Tesco – Finest Scottish Smoked Salmon (£4.75 / 200g), 83/100
Pigs in Blankets – Classic & Flavoured
Winner (Classic & Best Value): Aldi – Specially Selected Double Wrapped Pigs in Blankets (£2.49 / 250g), 88/100
Winner (Flavoured): Lidl – Deluxe Pigs in Blankets – Honey & Mustard (£2.79 / 210g), 82/100
Roast Potatoes
Winner: Aldi – Specially Selected The Ultimate Wagyu Fat Roast Potatoes (£2.99 / 800g), 88/100
Runner-Up: Tesco – Finest Maris Piper Roast Potatoes with Salted Butter & Confit Garlic (£5 / 800g), 84/100
Value: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes with Herb Seasoning (£2.75 / 800g), 78/100
Vegetable Sides
Winner: Waitrose – No.1 Ultimate Cauliflower Cheese (£7.50 / 700g), 85/100
Runner-Up: Tesco – Finest Extra Mature Cheddar, Leek & Sprout Gratin (£4 / 400g), 84/100
Value: Iceland – Maple Glazed Chantenay Carrots (£2.50 / 500g), 73/100
Whole Turkey
Winner: Riverford Organic Farmers – Turkey XL (£170.50 / 6.5kg), 83/100
Joint Runner-Up: Kelly Bronze – Organic Whole Turkey (medium, £125 / 5–6kg), 82/100
Joint Runner-Up: Morrisons – The Best Signature Collection Giant Double Stuffed Whole Turkey with Smoked Bacon (£72 / 6kg), 82/100
Value: Co-op – Medium Turkey (£38.50 / 4.75kg), 75/100
Turkey Crown
Winner: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Heritage Slate Turkey Crown with Caramelised Apple & Cranberry Stuffing and a Honey & Maple Glaze (£37.53–£62.55 / 1.5–2.5kg), 85/100
Runner-Up: Aldi – Specially Selected British Roast-in-the-Bag Roly Poly Stuffed Turkey Crown (£31.48–£48.28 / 1.5–2.3kg), 84/100
Value: Co-op – Basted Medium Turkey Crown (£36.50 / 2.5kg), 77/100
Christmas Pudding – Classic
Winner: Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference 18-Month Matured Christmas Pudding (£9 / 800g), 86/100
Runner-Up: Meg Rivers – Traditional Christmas Pudding (£21 / 800g), 85/100
Value: Aldi – Specially Selected 24-Month Matured Christmas Pudding (£7.99 / 800g), 77/100
Christmas Pudding – Flavoured
Winner & Best Value: Aldi – Specially Selected Orange and Maple Christmas Pudding (£9.99 / 800g), 90/100
Runner-Up: Tesco – Finest Sticky Toffee Panettone Christmas Pudding (£11 / 700g), 85/100
Mince Pies – Flavoured
Winner: Waitrose – No.1 Golden Mince Pies with Limoncello (£4 / 4-pack), 91/100
Runner-Up & Best Value: Co-op – Irresistible Gingerbread & Maple Mince Pies (£2.85 / 4-pack), 85/100
Christmas Cake
Winner: Tesco – Finest Jewelled Topped Fruit Cake (£15 / 650g), 82/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 Hand-Decorated Matured Rich Fruit Cake (£20 / 1.5kg), 81/100
Value: Aldi – Specially Selected All Over Iced Rich Fruit Cake (£9.49 / 907g), 70/100
Mulled Wine
Joint Winner: Selfridges – Selection Mulled Wine (£15.99 / 75cl), 89/100
Joint Winner: Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference Mulled Wine (£6.25 / 75cl), 89/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – Rosé Mulled Wine (£6 / 75cl), 87/100
Value: Tesco – Vineyard Mulled Wine (£3.50 / 75cl), 78/100
Mince Pies – Classic
Winner: Iceland – Luxury All Butter Mince Pies (£3 / 6-pack), 80/100
Runner-Up & Value: Co-op – Merry Mince Pies (£1.50 / 6-pack), 79/100
Yule Log
Winner & Value: Asda – Exceptional by Asda Chocolate Yule Log (£5.48 / 467g), 85/100
Runner-Up: Cake or Death – Biscoff-Filled Yule Log (£42 / 1.4kg), 79/100
Panettone – Classic & Flavoured
Winner (Flavoured): Tesco – Finest Gingerbread Panettone (£12 / 750g), 92/100
Winner (Classic) & Value: Aldi – Specially Selected Classic Panettone (£4.99 / 750g), 90/100
Celebration Cheese for Christmas
Winner: Haute Fromagerie – French Cheese Selection (£10 / 400g), 92/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 Vintage Cheddar Bake with Turkey, Bacon & Sage (£5.50 / 180g), 91/100
Value: Iceland – Luxury Baking Camembert with Caramelised Red Onion Sauce (£4.35 / 290g), 80/100
Meat-Free Mains
Joint Winner: Lodge Farm Organic – Festive Cheese & Leek Wreath with Red Onion Relish (£25 / 1.9kg), 85/100
Joint Winner: Cook – Nut Roast (£7.95 / 540g), 85/100
Best Vegan Main: Sainsbury’s – Christmas Mushroom Wellington (£10 / 500g), 84/100
Value: Quorn – Vegetarian Roast (£3.95 / 454g), 78/100
Stollen
Winner: Waitrose – No.1 Pistachio & Cherry Stollen Wreath (£14 / each), 92/100
Runner-Up: Meg Rivers – Christmas Tart (£19.60 / 500g, 6inch), 89/100
Value: Aldi – Specially Selected Luxury Topped Stollen (£5.99 / 600g), 76/100
Prosecco
Winner: Della Vite – Superiore D.O.C.G Prosecco (£21.75 / 75cl), 84/100
Runner-Up: Lidl – Prosecco Valdobiadne Congeliano (£7.99 / 75cl), 83/100
Value: M&S – La Vita Prosecco (£7 / 75cl), 71/100
Champagne
Winner: Pommery – Brut Royal Champagne NV (£45 / 75cl), 87/100
Runner-Up: Asda – Extra Special Vintage Champagne (£27.98 / 75cl), 84/100
Value: Aldi – Veuve Monsigny Premier Cru Champagne (£21.99 / 75cl), 76/100
Christmas Hero Red Wine
Winner: Asda – Extra Special Amarone (£19.97 / 75cl), 95/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 Langmeil Winery Barossa Valley Shiraz (£14 / 75cl), 89/100
Value: Co-op – Irresistible Fairtrade Casablanca Pinot Noir (£9.65 / 75cl), 81/100
Christmas Hero White Wine
Winner: Asda – Extra Special Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc (£23.98 / 75cl), 86/100
Joint Runner-Up: Asda – Exceptional by Asda White Burgundy (£11.13 / 75cl), 85/100
Joint Runner-Up: Tesco – Finest Chablis Premier Cru (£24 / 75cl), 85/100
Value: M&S – Found Feteasca Alba (£7.50 / 75cl), 79/100
Festive Liqueurs
Winner & Best Value: Lidl – Toffee Yum Yum Cream Liqueur (£7.29 / 700ml), 91/100
Joint Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 Blonde Cream Liqueur (£14 / 70cl), 89/100
Joint Runner-Up: Mozart – Coconut Chocolate Liqueur (£18.25 / 50cl), 89/100
Sherry
Winner: Solera – 1847 Cream Sherry (£18.25 / 75cl), 85/100
Joint Runner-Up: Croft – Original Pale Cream Sherry (£13.25 / 75cl), 84/100
Joint Runner-Up: Asda – Cream Sherry (£10.77 / 1L), 84/100
Value: Aldi – Baron Amarillo Cream Sherry (£7.69 / 75cl), 79/100
Dessert Centrepieces
Winner: Morrisons – The Best Signature Collection Belgian Chocolate & Praline Star (£15 / 800g), 85/100
Runner-Up: Waitrose – No.1 The Nutcracker (£20 / 760g), 83/100
Value: Co-op – Irresistible Gingerbread & Maple Cake (£7 / 702g), 73/100
Christmas Crisps
Winner: Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference Turkey Roast Dinner Flavour Hand-Cooked Ridge Cut Crisps (£1.50 / 150g), 86/100
Runner-Up: Morrisons – Best Spicy Prawn Cocktail Ridge Cut Crisps (£1.30 / 125g), 84/100
Value: Aldi – Specially Selected Crisps – Roast Turkey & Thyme Butter Crisps (£1.15 / 150g), 70/100
Dining and Cooking