We’ve already gone through the biggest award-winning supermarket Christmas food offerings for smoked salmon and starters, and champagne, prosecco and other sparkling wines. Let’s now turn the spotlight onto those festive table main course stars, including traditional turkey and trimmings, other meats, fish, and vegetarian and vegan options.

It’s still difficult to get along to showcases, or arrange tastings, and some publications haven’t done their usual rankings this year, but there’s still enough information out there to get a good idea of where the hits and misses are hiding. Let’s start with the best Christmas turkeys for 2021…

Turkey, whole & other

All the main supermarkets scored well with at least one turkey, turkey crown, joint or parcel – but there were three that reached the top of the tree this year.

Best of the best:

Aldi Specially Selected Free Range Organic Capestone Whole Turkey, 5kg | Approx £49.95. More info here. In store only.

Quality Food Awards whole turkey winner. A large oat-fed free range Pembrokeshire Black Turkey. “Slow grown to full maturity giving an unrivalled depth of flavour and succulence.” << BEST VALUE TOP TIER WINNER

M&S The Perfect Turkey Joint, 2kg | £45.00. Buy at Ocado.

BBC Good Food turkey winner, Olive magazine joint winner. “The turkey is moist (even when it goes cold, so ideal for Boxing Day leftovers), with crisp, flavourful bacon protecting the tender meat.” << MOST TOP AWARDS

Waitrose The Best of Both: Free Range Bronze Turkey Crown with Thighs, 2.97kg | £65. Buy here. Available 20 – 24 Dec.

Olive magazine joint winner. “The turkey tastes high quality and flavour comes through strongly, with dark and light meat both cooked well.”

Mid-ranking award winners

The ‘big three’ winners above may not be right for your specific requirements (total price, extra large or small bird, best cost per kg, nearby shop or home delivery service, etc), so here are some other options that still scored well and you might prefer:

Tesco Finest British Free Range Heritage Narragansett Whole Turkey, 5.26kg-6.51kg | £65.10. Buy here. Good Housekeeping whole turkey 2nd place 79/100. A huge turkey that feeds 13 to 15 people.

Aldi Specially Selected Exquisite Hand-Finished Chesham Bronze Turkey, approx 5kg | £49.95 approx. More info here. Quality Food Awards whole turkey highly commended, Good Housekeeping 70/100. Free range turkey with giblets.

Iceland Luxury Easy Carve Extra Tasty Turkey Crown 2.2kg | £20.00. Buy here. Good Housekeeping joint 2nd place turkey crown 75/100. << BEST NO-FUSS OPTION

Tesco Finest British Free Range Bronze Stuffed Crown with Tender Cooked Stuffed Thigh, 2.1kg | £35.00. Buy here. Available for collection or delivery 20-23 Dec. Good Housekeeping joint 2nd place turkey crown 75/100.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Bronze Turkey Crown with Sage & Onion Stuffing, 2-2.49kg | £44-54.78. Buy here. Collect 22-24 Dec. Good Housekeeping joint 2nd place turkey crown 75/100.

Morrisons The Best Twin Stuffed Turkey Parcels with Blood Orange Glaze, 550g | £6.00. Check stock here. Quality Food Awards turkey crown or parcel highly commended. << BEST MEAL FOR 2

Co-op Irresistible Organic Pembrokeshire Turkey 4-5.5kg | £45. In store only. Good Housekeeping 73/100.

Best of the rest:

• Lidl Deluxe Stuffed Free Range Bronze Turkey Crown with Stuffing and Bacon Lattice, 1.5-2.5kg | £16.99. In store only. Quality Food Awards turkey crown or parcel commended. << BEST BUDGET OPTION
• ASDA Extra Special Turkey Crown with Honey, Bacon & Thyme Stuffing, approx 2kg | £34.00. Buy here. Requires slot booked for 21-23 Dec. Good Housekeeping 70/100.
• Morrisons The Best Stuffed Turkey Crown, 1.8-2.2kg | Approx £34.00. Buy here. Delivery from mid Dec. Good Housekeeping 70/100.
• Aldi Specially Selected Roast in the Bag Free Range Stuffed Roly Poly Bronze Turkey Crown, 1.5-2.3kg |Approx £32.28. More info here. Good Housekeeping 70/100.
• Waitrose & Partners Free Range Bronze Feathered Whole Turkey with Giblets 4-6kg | From £49.00. Buy here. Available 20-24 Dec. Good Housekeeping 70/100.

Turkey trimmings

Buying the traditional trimmings ready-made can save a lot of time and hassle, but you also want to choose the best ones to get value for money if you’re spending the extra.

I’m looking at cranberry sauce, pigs in blankets and pork stuffing here, and as you can see this year, more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better.

Cranberry sauce

Waitrose Christmas Cranberry Sauce, 300g | £2.25. Buy here. BBC Good Food winner. Plump, juicy cranberries, ruby port and a hint of orange zest.

Aldi Specially Selected Cranberry Sauce, 300g | £1.49. Order here. From 15 Dec. Quality Food Awards highly commended, BBC Good Food highly commended. Tart, tangy, with port and cinnamon.

Pigs in blankets

Aldi Specially Selected Pigs in Beds, 210g | £3.99. Order here. Quality Food Awards pigs in blankets winner, Olive magazine highly commended. Pork sausage meat with apple, topped with pork cocktail sausages and cranberries, then wrapped in smoked bacon.

Asda Extra Special 10 pigs in blankets, 210g | £2.75. Buy here. BBC Good Food winner, Olive magazine highly commended. Traditional style, good quality ingredients.

Lidl Deluxe 2 Footlong pigs in blankets (400g) | £3.99. In store only. Olive magazine winner, BBC Good Food highly commended.

Aldi 6 Loaded Yorkshires 315g | £3.19. Order here. Quality Food Awards pigs in blankets highly commended. Yorkshire puddings, stuffing and pigs in blankets for a filling side dish that would make a smaller turkey stretch further.

Stuffing

Two of this year’s pigs in blankets winners above also included stuffing, but here are two more.

Aldi Specially Selected Stuffing Slab, 350g | £1.99. Order here. Quality Food Awards stuffing winner. Quality pork stuffing with extra Bramley apple and honey. << BEST VALUE

Asda Extra Special Pork, Honey & Oak Smoked Bacon Wreath, 550g | £5.00. Buy here. Quality Food Awards stuffing highly commended. Gluten free. Blended with dates, honey, ginger and smoked sage, topped with rosemary.

Meat main courses

Of course, not everybody likes turkey, and some large families also serve a ham alongside a traditional main course. Here are Christmas 2021’s best alternative meat main courses, including beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and game.

Beef

Aldi Exquisite King Arthur Aberdeen Angus Sirloin-Rib Joint, 1.2-3kg | 24.99 per kg, approx £57.48. Order here. Available from 19th Dec. Quality Food Awards Christmas beef winner. Dry-aged bone-in joint, finished with bone marrow gravy and mustard butter.

Waitrose Entertaining Beef Wellington 1.42kg | £60.00. Order here. BBC Good Food beef wellington winner. Buttery pastry and a mushroom duxelle topping.

Co-op Irresistible Beef Picanha Joint with Porcini Butter, 956g | £23.00. In store only. BBC Good Food alternative Christmas main course highly commended.

Pork & gammon

Best of the best:

Aldi Hog Roast with Stuffing, 2kg | £9.99. Order here. Available from 19 Dec. Quality Food Awards Christmas pork winner. With pork, sage and onion stuffing, and a side of Bramley apple sauce.

Morrisons The Best Gammon Crackling Joint, 2kg | £15.00. Buy here. Collect from 21 Dec. Quality Food Awards Christmas gammon winner.

Lidl Deluxe mulled wine gammon joint, 1.2kg | £9.99. In store only. BBC Good Food best gammon winner.

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Bake & Glaze Ham Joint with Maple & Marmalade, 1.3kg | £20.00. Buy here. Olive magazine ham winner.

Best of the rest:

• Co-op Irresistible Muscovado Baked Gammon Joint, 750g | £7.50. In store only. BBC Good Food best gammon highly commended.
• Asda Extra Special Yorkshire Bred Hog Roast With Chestnut, Bacon, Thyme & Honey Stuffing and a Salted Honey and Apple Sauce, approx 1.7kg | £11.90. Buy here. Book a 21-23 Dec slot before purchase. Quality Food Awards Christmas pork highly commended.

Lamb

• Lidl Deluxe French Trimmed Lamb Guard of Honour with Redcurrant and Ruby Port Sauce | Price TBC. In store only. Quality Food Awards Christmas lamb winner.
• Asda Extra Special Lamb Guard of Honour with Sea Salt and Juniper Rub and a Cassis Jus, approx 1.07kg | £21.40. Buy here. Quality Food Awards Christmas lamb highly commended.

Non-turkey Poultry

• Aldi Specially Selected British Free Range Corn Fed Capestone Cockerel, approx 3.75kg | Approx £22.46. Buy here. On sale from 19 Dec. Quality Food Awards Christmas poultry winner.

Game

• Aldi Specially Selected British Venison Joint, approx 1kg | £17.99. Available 19 Dec. Quality Food Awards Christmas game highly commended. Topped with bacon and served with a cranberry red wine sauce.

Fish centrepieces

Morrisons The Best Lightly Smoked Scottish Salmon Side with Cranberry and Orange, 550g | £9.00. Buy here. Collect from 15 Dec. Quality Food Awards fish centrepiece winner. << BEST VALUE

Sainsbury’s Stuffed Salmon & Trout Roast, 870g | £20.00 . Buy here. Collect 22-24 Dec. Olive magazine fish centrepiece winner.

Vegetarian & vegan main courses

Vegetarian

Best of the best:

Waitrose Vegetarian Mushroom & Cavolo Filo Parcels, 288g | £6.99. Buy here. Olive magazine winner best vegetarian main, BBC Good Food winner. Chestnut mushrooms, cavolo nero kale, mascarpone cheese, Madeira wine and extra mature Cheddar cheese all wrapped in crisp filo pastry. << MOST AWARDS

Lidl Deluxe Two Vegetable Wellingtons – Long Clawson Stilton & Mushroom, 400g | £1.89. In store only. Quality Food Awards vegetarian main course winner. << BEST BUDGET BUY

Best of the rest:

• Morrisons The Best French Camembert Parcel with Cranberry & Port Chutney, 600g | £5.00. Buy here. Quality Food Awards vegetarian main course highly commended
• Lidl Deluxe Two Vegetable Wellingtons – Vintage Cheddar, 400g | £1.89. In store only. Quality Food Awards vegetarian main course highly commended
• Lidl Deluxe Winter Sharing Pie – Vintage Cheddar, Cauliflower & Spinach, 450g | £2.49. In store only. Quality Food Awards vegetarian main course highly commended.

Vegan

Best of the best:

Lidl Deluxe Vegan ‘Pork’ Sausage & Cranberry Wreath, 550g | £3.99. In store only. Olive magazine winner vegan main, BBC Good Food winner. << BEST VEGAN SHOWSTOPPER

Morrisons The Best Nut & Cranberry Roast (vegan), 400g | £3.00. Buy here. Quality Food Awards vegan main course winner.

Best of the rest:

• Waitrose Entertaining Vegan Jewelled Roast & 6 Vegan No Pigs in Blankets, 765g | £9.00. Buy here. Available 22-24 Dec. Olive magazine highly commended vegan main.
• Iceland Luxury Festive Roast, 300g | £2.50. BBC Good Food vegan main runner up. Billed as vegetarian on the site, but I’m certain the ingredients are actually vegan. Very popular with Iceland customers and a bit of a bargain.

What do you think of this year’s supermarket spreads? Are you looking for something traditional or do some of the newer dishes look more interesting? 

We’re going with a mix of turkey, fish and vegan food to keep everyone happy this Christmas. Fingers crossed there’s room in the oven, ho ho ho.

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You may also like:

• Best supermarket smoked salmon, party food, snacks & starters
• Best supermarket champagne, prosecco & other sparkling wines
• Best supermarket showstopper desserts, cakes, puddings & mince pies

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