Best Christmas food 2024: The woman&home Festive Food Award winners

It may be a cliché, but we firmly believe Christmas is the most wonderful time of year, deserving of the very best food for your festive table. Christmas is also a time of year when the supermarkets are saturated with new food launches all fighting for your attention. If you're often overwhelmed by the choice and want to ensure you only buy the best, the woman&home Festive Food Awards are designed to help you curate the most fabulous feast.

Hundreds of products were submitted to woman&home and our panel of experts who boast many years of experience cooking and tasting new and innovative food and drink products only select the best.

The judging takes place at our Test Kitchen, based in the Testing Centre of Excellence in Winnersh, near Reading. We taste all entries blind, cooked or served to the manufacturers' specifications. Everything is tastiest at its freshest and best - and there’s often much deliberation over each category such as who has won the coveted best mince pie, Christmas pud or pigs in blankets for 2024.

Meet the judges

The woman&home Festive Food awards are judged by our experts in the food team. This consists of Group Food Director Jen Bedloe, Food Editor Jess Meyer, Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks, Food Writer Georgia Sparks and Freelance Food Writer and Food Stylist Nicola Roberts.

The best Christmas food 2024, as chosen by woman&home Food Editors

The best mince pies

Arguably the most important Christmas food, these mince pies were our favourite. A crisp pastry case is generously filled with a tangy citrus mincemeat.

Nicola Roberts, freelance food writer said, “These have a really nice, well flavoured pastry with good colour. The filling has a delicious orange tang which works well with the plump fruit”.

Consistently scoring top marks, in our awards these Biscuiteers pies have deep-filled buttery pastry and nutty frangipane topping.

Georgia Sparks, Food Writer, commended the “Nice thick layer of frangipane” and enjoyed the deep filling. Although slightly on the pricier side they would make a great gift- don’t worry about wrapping, they come in a pretty box!

No need to miss the magic of a mince pie if you are gluten intolerant.

Judges enjoyed the crisp, buttery pastry Georgia Sparks said, “These stood out for the pastry and juicy fruit filling, we couldn’t believe they were gluten free!”.

With a shallow case and pretty snowflake design, these pies look bakery-worthy.

Jen Bedloe, Food Director said, “Pastry is very good and much more refined than others we tried.” The snowflake holds the delicious brandy and cider-soaked fruits, with festive pops of red cherries. Serve warm with cream for a more substantial pudding.

The best Christmas cake

Adorned with a gilded stag and elegant tartan ribbon, this cake has a real wow factor. Nicely spiced, packed with plump juicy fruits, toasty nuts, and generously doused in French brandy.

Rose Fooks, Deputy Food Editor, commented, “The addition of nuts makes this one stand out and the tartan bow is a classy touch. Nicola Roberts agreed that this cake was, “Gorgeous looking” adding “It’s the best bought cake I’ve had. Yum!”

A delicious gluten-free option that everyone can enjoy. A rich and juicy fruit filling is sandwiched between layers of light and fluffy almond sponge.

Georgia Sparks was pleasantly surprised with the texture saying, “Gluten free cakes often have a powderyness to them from the gluten-free flour, but these are lovely and moist and have a great texture!”. Judges also liked that it didn’t taste overly sweet like others they had tasted.

The best turkey

Raised to high welfare standards and it shows! Abel & Cole KellyBronze roam wild and forage in the woods, dry-plucked by hand and hung for two weeks to improve the texture. This creates a more flavoursome, tender and moist meat which the judges described as sensational, clean and rich.

As well as giving a great flavour it also allows a much faster cooking time, meaning you’ll have extra space in your oven once it’s cooked too!

Rose Fooks said, “Miraculously, this 6.2kg turkey cooked in under 2 hrs. The extra fat means it cooks faster and gives a delicious turkey flavour. As well as tender juicy meat and a jus that can be made into a glorious gravy.” Whilst this bird is on the pricier side, judges considered this excellent bang-for-your-buck.

For an easy main, pop this turkey in the oven in its tray and you’ll be rewarded with super-juicy, succulent meat, and a herby chestnut and bacon stuffing.

Georgia Sparks said, ‘This turkey was juicy and succulent and has a good amount of stuffing.’ As well as tasting great, the attractive lattice of treacle-cured bacon adds a salty and sweet flavour that complements the meat.

The best ham

This giant feed-a-crowd ham is worth every penny! No faff, simply unwrap and put on your festive table or set up on a grazing sideboard.

The judges rated the sweetened cure of the meat as wonderfully tender and savoury, without being overly salty. Jess Meyer, Food Editor, described it as “Delicious! Well balanced and seasoned. The glaze is subtle and adds a little sweetness which carries through the whole joint, not just at the top. Would serve 20-30 but there are smaller joints available for a more modest gathering.”

Veggie main

Filled with a tasty mix of butternut squash, parsnips, chestnuts, cranberries and herbs, the meat eaters will want to tuck in too!

The pastry is rich and flaky, Jen Bedloe, described it as “Tasty” adding “The puff pastry works well and the attractive star shape lends itself to the festive spread. The flavour is traditional and works as an extra stuffing.”

The best alternative roast

If you’re looking to switch up your usual turkey dinner, this would make an impressive alternative. Succulent and tender, the cut of meat had a good fat marbling.

Jen enjoyed this “wonderfully tasty piece of meat” and Jess was impressed too saying “This is rich and tender with a great depth of flavour from the Cornish sea salt and peppercorns that add a subtle seasoning”. This well-seasoned joint leaves plenty of room for additional flavour from your sides.

The best side of salmon

The glaze adds a festive flourish and fresh orange zing that’s just right with the fish. An impressive centrepiece on the Christmas table (it would serve six or more as part of a buffet spread).

Our taste-test cooks noted that it required less cooking time than suggested. Rose Fooks says “This salmon is really easy to cook. It comes with an orange glaze to smother on top before cooking which adds a festive feel and means the salmon stays juicy as it cooks.”

The best condiments

Our winning condiments will amplify your Christmas spread. These are our winners…

A delicious addition to your festive spread, this creamy sauce was a hit with the judges. They particularly enjoyed the lightly spiced flavours, that weren’t overpowering compared to others they had tried.

Georgia Sparks said, “Nice and creamy with subtle nutmeg and clove flavours that are not too intense”. Plus this can be popped in the microwave just before serving so saves on washing up too!

Add a pop of colour to your plate with this tart and sweet sauce that would work well with traditional Christmas dinner.

Jen Bedloe commented, “This tasty sauce has a great balance of flavours, not too sour or sweet. It also has a good consistency, similar to homemade!”

Crunchy, tangy and sweet, garden vegetables are tossed in a zingy mustard sauce spiced with turmeric. This would make a great addition to a Boxing Day feast.

Jess Meyer said, “This is one of the best shop-bought condiments you can buy. The veg has retained its crunchiness and the zingy flavours are so well balanced.” If you’re as much of a fan of it as we are, you can also buy it in a 480g Kilner jar for £12.50.

The best trimmings

Our winning trimmings would be a great addition to your festive feast….

The best pigs in blankets

Juicy, savoury and a winner with our judges – the higher welfare cocktail sausages wrapped in smoked black treacle bacon stood up to the blind taste test.

Jen Bedloe said, “I loved these, my star buy for a really good pig in blanket, they are well seasoned and the bacon is not too sweet.” Jess Meyer also said, “The bacon crisped up nicely, adding a welcome crunch”. The ultimate PIB, we say!

The first pig on the high street to be double-wrapped! Extra snug in a double layer of bacon, Jen Bedloe said, “These have a more smoky flavour and reminded me of a Frankfurter. The meaty bacon was great and we later discovered that's because it's double-wrapped!”.

Jess Meyer suggested they “Would be good dressed up with a sweet glaze and stuck on a cocktail stick for an easy canape”.

The best stuffing

Traditional sage and onion stuffing that will add plenty of flavour to your festive feast.

Jen Bedloe said, “I love this, it’s such a classic sage flavour which makes a lovely alternative with a lighter pork filling. It makes a great alternative to more sausagemeat-led stuffing available on the market.”

Nicola Roberts added, “This is less greasy in comparison to others we’ve tasted. It also comes as a block of stuffing rather than balls making it a good option for stuffing a bird.”

Tasty parcels of goodness that judges praised for their looks as well as flavour.

Rose Fooks commented, “These taste delicious and look pretty, with a rosemary and cranberry on top, the tart cranberry adds a nice contrast to the fattiness of the meat”.

The best veggie sides

Add extra indulgence to your trimmings with these golden delights. Light and crisp, judges also enjoyed the flavour from the beef dripping.

Jen Bedloe added, “I liked these, they’re not too heavy, quite light and crisp. The beef dripping is tasty without being too greasy.”

Tossed in a sweet honey glaze and coated in batter, judges applauded these tasty parsnips.

Jen Bedloe said, “Crisp and tender, these are almost fluffy inside. They would make a great addition and reduce hassle on the day.” Rose Fooks added, “Really tasty with a nice balance of sweetness.”

Vibrant shredded cabbage is given a festive twist with warming blackberry and cherry glaze with flavours of cinnamon, allspice and ginger.

Judges enjoyed the balance of spices and liked that the cabbage still had a bit of crunch.

Georgia Sparks said, “The flavours of this cabbage are well balanced, it’s not too sweet or tangy like others have been.” It’s also served with a delicately spiced honey butter that rounds off the flavours nicely.

The best seafood starters

The smoked salmon category is always a tough competition, but this was our favourite! With a smoky aroma and mild flavour, it's perfectly cured for a great balance of flavour and texture.

Nicola liked the “Nice cure that made the edges have a slight contrast in texture without being chewy.” A bonus is that it comes in a generous pack size with nice thick slices. For something a little different, we also highly rated Booths Yuzu, Shiso & Ginger flavoured option.

For an indulgent start, serve these scallops in a rich and cheesy, winey sauce, topped with a silky-smooth mash that just crisps at the edges.

Jen Bedloe liked the “Good level of seasoning and the wine flavour” and suggested serving with a chilled glass of vino. They’re also cooked from frozen, a bonus!

A delicious whole smoked side of salmon that comes ready-sliced. Rose Fooks enjoyed the “Clean and subtly smoked flavour and the great texture”.

Make this party-ready by garnishing with dill and lemon and serve with thin slices of buttered brown bread. Perfect for everyone to tuck in!

Push the boat out for Christmas with this fresh, sweet and plentiful starter. Layered in individual pots with brown and white crabmeat, juicy cold water prawns, oodles of Marie Rose sauce and topped with succulent British lobster.

Jess Meyer commented, “These are a nice portion size, and the sauce is rich and creamy with a bit of a kick. I found the seafood flavoursome and think the layering is attractive.”

The best delicious desserts

For a light and refreshing finale to your meal, we were big fans of this zingy lemon ice cream topped with soft meringue.

Briefly pop under the grill or use a blowtorch to toast the meringue on the top and leave the underneath frozen for a contrast.

Jess thinks this would be a good dessert on Christmas day explaining, “The Lemon Meringue Baked Alaska is refreshing and zingy, this is just the ticket for finishing off a rich Christmas meal.”

A giant chocolate-mousse-filled house complete with Santa. Lovely and rich this makes a fun novelty dessert perfect for all ages.

Rose Fooks says, “This is a lovely milk chocolate mousse that the whole family would enjoy. The top isn't excessively sweet and the crispy popcorn base is a novel twist which we enjoyed.”

A fudgy sponge with rich chocolate buttercream. We didn’t spot that this cake was also vegan until the reveal!

Although Rose did point out “This is distinctly more plank than log. But any points it lost in looks more than made up for in taste.”

A great gluten-free option, this is bulging with juicy vine fruits and nuts.

Georgia thinks, “Any gluten free guests will be happy with this”. It’s gently laced with alcohol, but once it has been doused in flaming brandy, we think it would be just right!

Sticky toffee and white chocolate will charm all ages. A crisp chocolate exterior surrounds a wonderful toffee sponge. Serve instead of Christmas pudding or enjoy with a cuppa for a crowd-pleasing alternative to Christmas cake.

Jen says, “This fun little snowman is sticky toffee flavour. Not too sweet, or sickly and the design will appeal across the generations”.

The best Christmas pudding

We tasted so many puddings this year we almost turned into one, but this was our standout favourite.

It has all the hallmarks of a classic with a nostalgically boozy rich flavour that all the judges loved, plus a pleasing, traditional domed shape. Jen was a big fan of this one. She liked the level of booze and described the texture as, “Smooth and unctuous”.

The best festive food hampers

This spectacular hamper charmed the judges. Packed with 22 Italian specialties including 5 bottles of wine and a selection of other treats from The Fattoria, a two-century-old Tuscan farm that makes its own delicious produce.

We thought it was great value! This can only be bought directly from lavialla with free P&P.

This incredibly generous hamper from DukesHill is packed full of tasty goodies to enjoy around the festivities. Sensational quality, everything is utterly delicious.

The mince pies were some of the best we tasted, and a DukesHill ham and smoked salmon is always a highlight.

The best cheese

We tasted a lot of very good cheeses, and this selection stood out for both its quality and choice.

It’s a flavour journey around the cheeseboard, starting with an oozy goat’s cheese, a nutty Gruyère, a creamy French Camembert, vintage British Cheddar and finishing with a creamy blue made in Bavaria. We couldn’t believe the price!

Jess Meyer says this is “A lovely selection for the cheese lovers who want to make their board extra special at Christmas. Excellent value for money with a wide selection of artisan cheeses that are familiar but slightly elevated. The camembert was deliciously soft and flavoursome, and the creamy blue”.

This would be a great cheese selection for a party grazing board, or equally lovely as a gift.

It comes with a pair of melty cheese bakes, two Cheddar truckles and two chutneys, as well as a box of fig crackers. Rose Fooks says this would also be “a nice thing to send as a gift to the Cheddar lover in your life, great for a boxing day get together or pepper it through the festive season for a savoury supper.”

The best party food

Great food plus good cheer equals an amazing party. And when the food is this easy it really will be a blast.

A selection of our favourite savoury and sweet with some larger options for a buffet style party, canapes and nibbles. So whatever your style there is a great option to be had.

Unbelievably good pastry, filled with a savoury and slightly sweet filling. Jen Bedloe described this as, “A lighter take on trad pork pie. It’s a nice size to add to a spread of cheese and bread.”

Jess Meyer enjoyed the filling and pastry saying, “The spice is subtle but nice and the butternut squash that adds both sweet and savoury notes is a welcome addition. The pastry was a triumph - proper old fashioned water crust with a pleasing crunchy texture. Not too fatty or rich, this is a winner!”

We loved these sweet delights, served in their pots straight from the fridge, making them super easy to serve.

Rose Fooks said, “These little pots are delicious! The coffee-soaked sponge isn’t too overpowering and the creamy mascarpone balances out the flavours perfectly.”

Gently warming these in the oven reveals a squidgy, chocolatey bake that’s a hit with all ages.

Jess Meyer said, “A nice 2-bite delight, these are a treat for the mince pie-averse at your Christmas gatherings. Tasty warm or straight from the packet, they are super chocolatey and rich, without being too sweet.” Make these more substantial by serving with a dollop of cream or custard.

If these don’t scream Christmas, we don’t know what will!

Handmade pastry cones filled with fragrant Thai-flavoured chicken and veg get the ultimate Christmas makeover as Santa Hats.

Jen Bedloe said, “The mildly spiced Thai curry filling is fresh and aromatic and the crunch from the outer shell is extremely satisfying. Great with a beer or sparkling wine.”

This tasty selection includes sliders with cheese and chimichurri sauce options as well as horseradish-spiked bon bons.

Jess Meyer commented, “A nice selection for a party, there's a good variety of flavours. The sliders look tasty and the flavours work well.” Made with Wagyu beef, they are slightly fiddly to assemble, but judges thought they were well worth the effort. Rose Fooks added, “These are worth the faff! Delicious!”

Better than homemade, according to one of our judges, this is great as it is, or halve and fill with ham and more cheese to warm as tasty sliders.

We loved the festive tree design – it would look great as part of a spread or for Boxing Day turkey sarnies.

The best festive nibbles 2024

These Jolly tree-shaped tortillas will be a hit with children and adults alike! With a meaty turkey flavouring, why not try a festive take on nachos?

Sweet caramel popcorn with a dusting of cinnamon for a festive treat. The perfect addition to a Christmas movie marathon.

The perfect mix of salty and sweet, with pretzels, popcorn, nuts and chocolates. Keep out of arm’s reach or resist the temptation to snaffle the whole pack!

A classic Christmas choc-orange flavour combo in a different guise: almonds enrobed in milk chocolate with an added zesty zing. Super moreish, these stood out from the crowd with our judges.

The Best Drinks

The drinks category was a hard one to judge as there is so much variety, but we have included five of the best across the spectrum, so hopefully there’s one you will love, too.

Great for gifting, this includes a variety of individual serves, from classics like Negroni to new twists like Kumquat Margarita, ready to shake or pour over ice and complete with garnishes.

A great non-alcoholic alternative to mulled wine – who needs a kick of booze when you have a kick from fiery ginger? Serve chilled or warm.

This scrumptious apple liqueur is made in Hampshire from local apples and matured over two years.

Warm with apple juice for a longer mulled drink or serve with cheeses as an alternative to port.

All the flavours of Christmas in drink form. A spice-infused vodka-based tipple with flavours of citrus, cardamom and chocolate. Serve over ice with a slice of orange or add to hot chocolate for a boozy chai twist.

Tastes as good as the bottle looks. A rich, smooth liqueur made with Irish whiskey and fresh dairy cream.