olive Christmas supermarket awards 2024

The olive team chose 18 categories to test. The supermarkets then selected the products they wanted to nominate (we allowed them one entry per category). Every product was prepared according to pack instructions and our expert panel of judges blind-tasted them, rating each on taste, texture and appearance. We then chose our winning products in each category, plus runners-up where worthy.

Best smoked salmon

Winner: Booth's Strong Oak Smoked Scottish Salmon 200g, £8.00

This features thick slices with a classic, crowd-pleasing smoked flavour, perfect for sandwiches or canapés such as smoked salmon and cream cheese blinis.

Best hot canapé

Winner: Waitrose No.1 12 Crispy Bacon Carbonara Cups £8.00, 12 servings

These crispy bacon carbonara cups are a perfect canapé size, delivering a comforting and crowd-pleasing taste. With lovely cheesy and herby notes, the rich cream sauce combined with crisp, salty bacon creates a luxurious bite.

Best starter

Winner: Lidl Deluxe Cornish Sea Salt Lobster Tails, TBD

These lobster tails have a beautifully buttery texture with light, flaky meat. They’re a delightful and satisfying seafood option.

Best turkey crown

Winner: Waitrose Glorious Treacle Glazed Turkey Crown £60.00, 2.5kg

This juicy turkey boasts excellent flavour, perfectly complemented by herby chestnut stuffing and a delightful saltiness from the bacon.

Best alternative main

Winner: Aldi Specially Selected Wagyu Wing Rib, £24.99 per kg, average weight 2kg

This large cut looks impressive and remained juicy all the way through after cooking – just make sure to season generously.

Best gammon

Winner: Waitrose No.1 Free range Sweet Cured Bone-in Gammon with Muscovado Sugar & Wildflower Honey, £25/kg, 2.2kg

This gammon looks great and is very easy to slice, with a nice smoky flavour and a treacle glaze that adds a good layer of subtle flavours you’ll keep coming back for more.

Best vegetarian main

Joint winner: Waitrose 2 Ultimate Plant-based Festive Wellingtons £7.50, 400g

This vegetarian mushroom Wellington is delicious, offering a flavourful umami kick with lovely mushroom and thyme notes, wrapped in crispy pastry and complemented by a warming gravy.

Joint winner: M&S Collection Handcrafted Honey Glazed Vegetable & Barber’s Cheddar Galette £12.50, 400g (serves 2)

This hearty galette impressed the judges with its incredible flavour, rich cheesiness, and a generous amount of vegetables.

Best vegan main

Winner: Tesco Finest, Roasted Vegetable & Cranberry Star, £6, 340g

This vegan pastry showcases beautifully nutty and umami flavours, accented by thyme, marjoram, and sweet onion notes. The buttery, flaky pastry and festive star shapes make it an eye-catching centrepiece.

Best side dish

Joint winner: Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Sprout, Leek and Cavolo Nero Gratin, £5.50, 600g

This gratin offers a nice contrast of textures with a creamy sauce, crunchy topping, and a refreshing veggie layer of cavolo nero, adding some well-needed greenery as a side to your hearty Christmas dinner.

Best pigs in blankets

Winner: Morrisons The Best Pigs in Blankets, £3.25 or 2 for £5 Promo, 210g

These pigs in blankets feature a beautifully meaty sausage wrapped in crisp bacon. They’re the perfect size for a herby, salty bite, making them an irresistible addition to your roast.

Best classic mince pie

Winner: M&S Collection 6 Mince Pies £4, 334g

These classic mince pies feature a beautifully unique design with a well-patterned top, buttery pastry that offers a delightful mouthfeel, and a well-spiced filling with distinct, juicy pieces of fruit.

Best flavoured mince pie

Winner: M&S Collection 4 Sloe Gin Crumble Mince Pies £4, 188g

These sloe gin-flavoured mince pies feature a tempting golden crumble topping that adds a delightful crunch and a rustic, homemade appearance.

Best showstopper dessert

Winner: LIDL Deluxe Polar Express Train, TBD

This striking Christmas showstopper would wow any table. It features a delicious combination of textures, with a rich chocolate base and a good balance between salted caramel and chocolate brownie.

Best vegan dessert

Winner: Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Taste the Difference Chocolate Cookie Torte £11, 500g

This visually sophisticated dessert features dark chocolate curls and a dusting of cocoa powder. The Oreo-style biscuit base is crunchy and moreish, pairing excellently with the creamy, chocolatey mousse. Despite its vegan nature, it delivers a rich and satisfying chocolate experience.

Best Christmas cake

Winner: Waitrose No.1 Hand-decorated Matured Rich Fruit Cake £18.50, 1.5kg

This impressively decorated Christmas cake has a generous amount of marzipan. It has a deep, rich flavour reminiscent of a well-made homemade cake, and the stiff icing adds a delightful contrast in textures. The slight crumbliness also contributes to its homemade feel

Best Christmas pudding

Winner: Waitrose No.1 Jewelled COINTREAU® & Cranberry Christmas Pudding £15.00, 800g

This Christmas pudding has a rich flavour and a pretty fluted shape, topped with cherries and whole almonds. The texture from the edge is pleasantly chewy and offers a delightful citrusy and spicy flavour.

Best box of chocolates

Winner: Asda Swiss Chocolate Blonde Truffles, 205g, £4

The gold wrapping on these chocolate truffles adds a touch of luxury, and the dense chocolate centre delivers a strong, satisfying blonde chocolate flavour perfect for white chocolate lovers.