Christmas food 2021: Our guide to this year’s festive offerings from M&S, Sainsbury’s and more

In the words of Love Actually’s Billy Mack: “I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes, Christmas is all around me, and so the feeling grows.”

If you’re yet to get excited then Christmas decorations are the perfect place to start. But, if, like us, your Christmas is all about the food and drink, then planning your menu is sure to ramp up the anticipation, big time.

After last year’s cancelled celebrations, 2021’s festivities should more than make up for it. And judging by the festive food and drink offerings, supermarkets have clearly upped the ante in order to help make sure your parties are anything but subdued.

It’s also worth noting that if you’ve not thought about ordering your turkey already, we urge you to do as reports indicate there may well be a shortage in the run-up to Christmas. But, we’re also pleased to report that the supermarkets in this round-up have catered for vegetarians and vegans more than ever, so there’s certainly something for everyone.

To help make sure you’re the host with the most, we’ve compiled a guide to the food and drink launches and all the details you need to know about.

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From sharing platters and nibbles to a turkey crown and meat-free alternatives, there’s something for every dinner party, festive feast or celebration. Plus, we’ve even spotted some drinks to make your affair that bit more bubbly.

Aldi

Everyone’s favourite budget-friendly supermarket has offered a sneak peek of its Christmas range for 2021, including its extensive hamper range and even gin crackers (£9.99, Aldi.co.uk). While it doesn’t offer a delivery service, it does have a click and collect option available, which we’d recommend using ahead of the Christmas rush. And consumer watchdog Which? has found that it is the most affordable supermarket to buy your festive feast from.

Aldi has launched its festive food collection online, and it has a vast collection of party food, including all-new mini fish and chip cones (£1.99, Aldi.co.uk), baked camembert (£2.99, Groceries.aldi.co.uk) and vegetable wontons (£1.99, Groceries.aldi.co.uk). But our sights are set on Aldi’s pigs in beds (£3.99, Groceries.aldi.co.uk, available from 9 December) – a new creation for 2021 they consist of a mini sausage on a pork patty, nestled on cranberry and wrapped in smoky bacon.

Read more: 6 best gin advent calendars to get you in the festive spirit

Of course you can also expect all the usuals too, including turkey (available from 19 December), a sirloin beef joint (from £14.88, Groceries.aldi.co.uk, available from 19 December) and a selection of sides – loaded yorkshire puddings (£3.19, Groceries.aldi.co.uk, available from 19 December), cauliflower cheese (£2.49, Groceries.aldi.co.uk available from 19 December) and a brussels sprout gratin (£2.49, Groceries.aldi.co.uk, available from 19 December).

The sweet treats selection is equally as showstopping, and we’re obsessed with its chocolate orange bombe (£4.99, Groceries.aldi.co.uk), which is a chocolate orange mousse with a chocolate and hazelnut shell. Similarly, we’ve got eyes on the honeycomb cracker cake (£5.49, Groceries.aldi.co.uk, available from 10 December), which is a chocolate sponge in the shape of a cracker and is filled with honeycomb and chocolate sauce.

What’s more, Aldi’s castellero organic prosecco (£7.49, Aldi.co.uk) landed a spot in our guide to the best proseccos, with our writer noting that it’s “fabulous”, with “refreshing stone fruit flavours and sumptuous floral aromas”. So if you’re on the hunt for a festive fizz, this is the one to buy now.

Visit Aldi.co.uk now

Asda

Known for its pocket-friendly prices, Asda’s new Christmas food range is sure to get you ready for festive feasting. Following the success of its Bruce the brussels sprout cake, it’s added a Betty to the line-up; a chocolate sponge cake with chocolate green icing.

While this sounds exciting, we’re most looking forward to trying the other new launch for 2021: the showstopper that is the blood orange chocolate bauble. The pudding is a dark chocolate shell filled with orange curd, chocolate sponge, chocolate mousse and chocolate-coated honeycomb and chocolate truffles. A sure-fire way to impress your guests.

Read more: 13 best chocolate advent calendars for adults to indulge in a festive countdown

Prefer savoury over sweet? It’s got an impressive cheese selection and its rib joint with madeira, porcini and truffle gravy (£30, Groceries.asda.com) is also likely to be a crowd-pleaser. And it’s not forgotten about vegans and veggies, with the supermarket claiming that this year is its “most inclusive Christmas yet”, with more than 200 vegan and free-from options. It’s the vegan trimmings selection (£3.50, Groceries.asda.com) that caught our eye.

Visit Asda.com now

Iceland

With more than 200 Christmas foodie delights on offer, Iceland has certainly upped the ante. There’s plenty of party favourites, including mini lasagne bites, mac and cheese bites (£3, Iceland.co.uk) and king prawns in blankets (£5, Iceland.co.uk). But you’ll also be able to get your full three-course Christmas dinner – starters include smoked haddock gratin (£4, Iceland.co.uk) and brie and cranberry pasty crowns (£2, Iceland.co.uk).

For the main event, you can expect everything from a turkey crown (£16, Iceland.co.uk) to a lamb leg (£18, Iceland.co.uk), and of course, vegetarians are catered for too in the way of a veggie wellington (£2.50, Iceland.co.uk). Serve these showstoppers alongside all the veggies and trimmings, including red cabbage (£1.50, Iceland.co.uk), carrots (£2, Iceland.co.uk) and brussel sprouts (£1.75, Iceland.co.uk). If you want to satiate your sweet tooth, we’ve got some good news. There’s everything from millionaire’s melting pudding (£6, Iceland.co.uk) to a raspberry and white chocolate gateau (£3, Iceland.co.uk).

Visit Iceland.co.uk now

M&S

This isn’t just any Christmas food and drinks range, this is the M&S food and drink range – and we’re excited about it. Known for going all out during the festive period, their menu this year won’t disappoint, and it launched its food to order service early for 2021.

New for this year is molten cheddar profiteroles, cheesy beans on toast and a Percy Pig pigloo cake, which is in-store now and is sure to get you excited for the big day. Similarly, Colin the Caterpillar (£10, Marksandspencer.com) has been given an elf yourself festive makeover.

If you’re hosting a Christmas dinner party, you’ll want to get your hands on the charcuterie platter of meat and cheese (£15, Marksandspencer.com) or really treat your guests with oysters (£12.50, Marksandspencer.com). As for the mains, M&S has a huge range of turkeys, from a stuffed crown (from £32.40, Marksandspencer.com) to a turkey breast joint (£22, Marksandspencer.com), as well as beef wellington (£65, Marksandspencer.com), lobster en croûte (£50, Marksandspencer.com) and slow-cooked pork belly (£35, Marksandspencer.com).

Read more: 8 best vegan Christmas hampers that make a delicious, plant-based gift

Vegetarians and vegans have been catered for too, and our eyes are on the vegan beef wellington (£15, Marksandspencer.com) and the vegan selection box (£25, Marksandspencer.com), which includes all the trimmings you need for a plant-based Christmas dinner, from roast potatoes to vegan pigs in blankets and stuffing balls.

Dessert is not to be missed, with highlights including the classic yule log (£20, Marksandspencer.com), Christmas pudding (£12, Marksandspencer.com) and a vegan melt in the middle chocolate pudding (£10, Marksandspencer.com).

Finally, we’ve got good news if you’re looking for a festive tipple or nightcap. The sell-out snow globe gin is back, as is its light-up snow globe rum liqueur (£20, Marksandspencer.com), and its Conte Priuli prosecco rosé (£72, Marksandspencer.com). All of which will make for a very merry Christmas.

Visit Christmasfood.marksandspencer.com now

Morrisons

There’s plenty of festive fun to be had in the food department at Morrisons this year. The supermarket’s range of party food and nibbles is extensive and ideal for all your Christmas hosting needs. We’re eyeing up the mozzarella sticks (£2.50, Morrisons.com), tempura prawns (£4, Morrisons.com), vegan platter (£2.50, Morrisons.com) and large continental grazing platter (£15, Morrisons.com) for our next party.

Much like the other supermarkets, it’s also got a huge range of turkeys to choose from. Whether you prefer a stuffed crown (from £18, Morrisons.com), a three bird roast (£20, Morrisons.com) or a whole bronze turkey (from £29.96, Morrisons.com), there’s something for everyone. If you’re a pescetarian, take a look at its seafood offering, which includes a whole cooked lobster (£9, Morrisons.com) and a dressed cornish crab (£8, Morrisons.com).

But our eyes are on its all-new chocolate and gingerbread bombe (£7, Morrisons.com) pudding, which is a gingerbread sponge with ginger sauce and ginger cream cheese frosting. Surely there’s no better centrepiece on your Christmas dessert table?

Visit Morrisons.com now

Sainsbury’s

Recognising our desire to spend Christmas with our friends and loved ones after last year’s subdued celebrations, Sainsbury’s has pulled out the stops for 2021. We’re talking a pork and cranberry wreath (£6.50, available from 8 December), mini baked camemberts (£3.50, available from 8 December) and Plant Pioneers no chicken kievs (£3, available from 8 December).

Read more: 12 best Christmas gifts for Grandma that she’ll adore

As for the main event, Sainsbury’s has gone big on its plant-based offerings – and we’re here for it. You can expect a Plant Pioneers no turkey crown (£5.50, available from 8 December), Plant Pioneers no salmon en croute (£5.50, available from 15 December) and a delicious-looking festive miso-stuffed butternut squash (£4, available from 13 December).

We’ve similarly spent plenty of time eyeing up the desserts – the salted caramel and chocolate star (£12, available from 20 December) had us seriously salivating. It is a Belgian chocolate mousse with a salted caramel centre – thank us later for finding your showstopper.

Visit Sainsburys.co.uk now

Tesco

Tesco’s feasting options will not disappoint, and the supermarket has most definitely taken the pain out of hosting. Its festive starters include pork, cranberry and stuffing candy cane sausage roll (£9, Tesco.com), breadcrumbed truffle mac and cheese balls (£4, available from 8 December) and even Spanish serrano ham (£30, Tesco.com).

As for your mains, whether you’re partial to duck with a maple and orange glaze (£25, Tesco.com), a salmon side (£18, Tesco.com) or a tomahawk steak (£27, Tesco.com), you’re spoilt for choice in the mains department. Vegans, there’s plenty for you too, including mushroom wellington (£6, Tesco.com) or a plant-based Christmas dinner box for two (£35, Tesco.com).

Read more: The best personalised pyjamas for Christmas 2021

Desserts are here to take centre stage too, including a profiterole gateau (£4, Tesco.com), a yule log (£6, Tesco.com) and new for 2021, a triple chocolate cheesecake (£10, Tesco.com).

If it’s a festive beverage you’re after, turn to the gingerbread latte cream liqueur (£12, Tesco.com), which is best served over ice or in a coffee with whipped cream – an ideal winter’s evening tipple.

Visit Tesco.com now

Waitrose

Last, but by no means least: Waitrose. Its partnership with chef Heston Blumenthal serves up experimental takes on Christmas classics, from hidden orange Christmas pudding (£16, Waitrose.com) to a jewelled stuffing baton (£7, Waitrose.com), as well as an all-new espresso martini chocolate torte (£16, Waitrose.com), which we cannot wait to serve up.

As for its more traditional favourites, Waitrose’s entire Christmas food range is second to none. For starters, you can expect a luxury shellfish platter (£40, Waitrose.com) or a classic vol-au-vent selection (£18, Waitrose.com).

For those more interested in their main course, there’s a whopping vegan roast with plant-based pigs in blankets (£9, Waitrose.com), as well as pheasant (£16, Waitrose.com), wellington (£30, Waitrose.com) and of course, the supermarket has a wide range of turkey options available.

With a full range of sides and puddings also on offer, your Christmas will never taste better.

Visit Waitrose.com now

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Want to discover more festive launches? Read our guide to Aldi’s Christmas hamper range