Whether you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing Christmas pudding, a budget-friendly alternative to Baileys or a fantastic fizz for less than £12, our independent supermarket food and drink taste tests reveal the best items to put in your trolley this Christmas.
We found it’s possible to bag tasty versions of festive favourites without spending big, uncovering great value options that still scored highly for taste from several supermarkets including Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Lidl.
Keep reading to see all our best value food and drink recommendations for Christmas 2023.
Eat well, live better, stay healthy -Best cheap alternative to champagne
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace, 80% - £11.50 for 75cl.
A branded champagne can set you back more than £50 a bottle, but our taste tests have uncovered some impressive budget bubbly that’s perfect for Christmas celebrations.
Sainsbury’s £11.50 Crémant was named a Best Buy in our sparkling wine test, scoring top marks for its subtle complexity, well-balanced flavour and crisp, dry finish.
You may be able to pick up a bottle for even less, as we’ve seen it on offer for £10.50 previously, and as part of a ‘buy six save 25%’ promotion.
Best cheap Irish cream liqueur
Lidl Deluxe Irish Cream, 75% - £9.99 for 1L.
Baileys is a classic festive tipple, but if you’re looking for ways to indulge without spending big this Christmas, switching to a cheaper supermarket own label could bring some big savings.
Lidl’s Deluxe Irish Cream - the cheapest on test - finished just a smidge behind the big brand in our taste test.
Despite being nearly half the price of (full price) Baileys, our tasters thought its flavour was just as good, making it a great choice for Christmas celebrations.
- we tasted a selection of liqueurs from Hotel Chocolat, Kyro, Coole Swan and more. Discover our surprise bargain hitBest cheap Christmas pudding
Aldi Specially Selected 18 Month Matured Christmas Pudding, 73% - £7.49 for 800g.
Aldi’s Christmas pudding is our best value pick of the supermarket offerings this year.
The traditional-style pud, infused with cider, brandy and Cognac, got high marks from our consumer tasting panel for its moist texture and delicious flavour.
As the cheapest pudding on test, it’s a brilliant budget option if you’re looking to keep costs down without compromising too much on taste.
Best cheap after dinner mints
Morrisons Dark Chocolate Mint Thins, 77% - £1.50 for 180g.Tesco Dark Chocolate Mint Thins, 77% - £1.25 for 180g.
Cheap chocolate mint thins from Morrisons and Tesco beat Nestle’s After Eights in our head-to-head taste test, tying in the top spot with 77%.
Our panel rated them better on flavour, appearance and texture, awarding them high marks for their punchy mint flavour, good strength of chocolate and amount of fondant filling.
If you’re after a cheaper way to get your chocolate mint fix this Christmas, these own label boxes are worth stocking up on.
See the full results from our including how to get the best price on branded After Eights.Best value ready-to-roast potatoes
Aldi Specially Selected Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes, 72% - £2.49 for 1kg.
Aldi’s bargain spuds proved a hit with our panel in our ready-made frozen roast potato taste test.
They finished in joint first place alongside Waitrose and Aunt Bessie’s, impressing tasters with their crispy texture and satisfying flavour.
As the cheapest on test, they’re a fantastic money-saving option.
See the full results from our . - find out which supermarkets were rated best by shoppers for Christmas dinner essentials including turkeys, stuffing and pigs in blanketsBest value extra mature cheddar cheese
Aldi Specially Selected West Country Farmhouse Extra Mature Cheddar, 70% - £2.99 for 350g.
If you’re after a cheap and cheerful extra mature cheddar for your Christmas cheeseboard, Aldi’s West Country Barber’s cheddar is our Great Value pick.
While it didn’t quite match up to the top scoring (and far pricier) champion cheddars, it’s still a decent option that’s worth considering.
Most tasters were impressed with the creaminess and smoothness. Some found the flavour too strong for their liking, so it’s best suited to those who prefer a punchy cheddar.
More great value food and drink for the festive season
As well as our cheap Christmas food and drink highlights, we’ve uncovered plenty of great value options across the rest of our supermarket food taste tests, so you can make sure festive breakfasts and treats are top-notch too.
Here are some other festive picks worth stocking up on:
Best cheap cola: Aldi Vive Cola, 67%Best cheap orange juice: Aldi The Juice Company Orange Juice Smooth, 77%Best cheap crisps: Aldi Specially Selected Sea Salt & Chardonnay Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps, 71% and picksMore ways to save on Christmas food and drink
For more advice, including supermarket price comparisons and how to make the most of loyalty schemes, check out the links below:
You can also head to our for free money-saving advice including tips on how to reduce your broadband, mobile and energy bills. - we round up the supermarket specials for this year, to help you plan your food shopPrices shown based on typical price, excluding special offers. Prices correct as of 29 November 2023. Test scores are not comparable across categories.
To earn a Great Value badge, products must meet strict criteria and be a specified amount lower than the average price of similar products. Where no products in a test category meet this criteria, we have instead featured the best cheaper option.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/best-value-christmas-food-and-drink-2023-aipUP8X93McX