It’s time for Part 3 of our best value Christmas foods for 2018, and we’re now moving on to festive crisps, snacks, cheeses and buffet foods. Yes, all the delicious nibbly stuff that you can’t resist. By the way, Part 1 of the 2018 guide is here, and Part 2 of the guide is here, just in case you missed the best of the starters, mains and trimmings and desserts.

So, without further ado, let’s break out the award winning and taste test approved crisps first.

Crisps and snacks

I’m going to out myself as a general hater of novelty Christmas crisp flavours, and trust me there were some absolute abominations on the supermarket shelves this year. But let’s leave that behind us in the December dust – instead I’m sticking with the best of the best and keeping it positive…

• Asda Mature Cheddar & Winter Chutney Crisps | 85p for 100g, A Penny’s Pick and also an Observer Food Monthly Christmas taste test 4*. Buy here.
• Iceland Luxury Sea Salt & White Wine Vinegar Crisps | £1.00 for 180g, The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. Buy here.
• Asda Spicy Masala Naan Chips | £1.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas winner. Buy here.
• Co-op Irresistible Parmesan and Black Truffle Hand Cooked Parsnip Crisps | Quality Food Awards Christmas commended and a savoury, moreish Penny’s Pick. In store only.
• Lidl Deluxe Oregano & Garlic Root Vegetable Crisps | 85p, The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special Paprika Smoked Nut Mix | £3.25, Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. Buy here.

And a couple of sweet snacks:

• Asda Extra Special Hazelnut Snowballs | £3.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. Buy here.
• Asda Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Rolls | £1.00, Penny’s Pick for being an interesting gluten free budget option with a balance of salt and sweet. Buy here.

Cheese

2018 has been a really, really good year for delicious cheeses. Have a peek at the best options…

Stilton & other blue cheese

• Iceland Luxury British Blue Stilton | £2.00, Good Housekeeping winner. Buy here.
• Lidl Deluxe Bleu D’Affinois | The Grocer Own Brand Awards innovation winner. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special Triple Crème Blue | £3.00, Great Taste Awards *2 and British Cheese Award silver medal winner, as well as a Penny’s Pick. Buy here.
• Booths Potted Blue Stilton | £10.00, Good Housekeeping joint runner up, and I really loved this when I tried it. Pricey, but would make a nice gift. Buy here.
• Co-op Long Clawson Dairy Potted Blue Stilton | £4.50, Good Housekeeping joint runner up, this was a tasty treat at their festive showcase. In store only.
• Iceland Luxury French Roquefort Cheese | £2.00, Quality Food Awards highly commended. Buy here.
• Lidl Deluxe Mature Blue Stilton | £1.49, Good Housekeeping #6 and cheapest in their top 10. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Mature Blue Stilton | £2.85/£1.45, The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion and Good Housekeeping #7. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Blue Stilton (Tuxford & Tebbet) | Great Taste Awards 2*

Other British cheeses

• Lidl 30 Month Mature Vintage Cheddar | Quality Food Awards Christmas winner. In store only.
• Lidl Scottish Vintage Cheddar | Great Taste Awards 1*. In store only.
• Lidl Deluxe Somerset Crunchy Vintage Cheddar | The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. In store only.
• Lidl Mature Cheddar & Balsamic Onion Waxed Truckle | £1.99. The Grocer Own Brand Awards innovation winner. In store only.

Imported cheeses

• Asda Extra Special Aged Spanish Cheese with Black Truffle | £4.00. A really complex, delicious addition to your festive cheese board, and a Penny’s Pick. Buy here.
• Asda Extra Special Vintage Gouda | £2.50. The Grocer Own Brand innovation award winner, and another Penny’s Pick for the strong flavour with a hint of caramel. Buy here.
• Aldi Specially Selected Brie de Meaux | Great Taste Awards 1*. In store only.
• Aldi Exquisite 1000 Day Old Gouda | £2.99. A Penny’s Pick for being savoury, nutty and moreish. In store only.
• Lidl Vintage Gouda | £1.89. Great Taste Awards 1*. In store only.
• Lidl Deluxe Morbier | £2.99. Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended. In store only.
• Lidl Deluxe German Epoisses | £2.99. A Penny’s Pick runner up for anyone who likes stinky cheese. Lovely stuff. In store only.
• Iceland Luxury French Petit Reblochon Cheese | £3.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended. Buy here.

Prepared cooking / baking cheeses

• Lidl Deluxe Baking Camembert with a Caramelised Red Onion Relish | The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. In store only.
• Asda Cheese Fondue with Emmental | £3.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended. Buy here.

Cheese board

• Iceland Luxury Cheese Selection | £2.99, Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. Buy here.

Biscuits

Savoury

• Peter’s Yard Sourdough Cracker Selection Box | £5.56 on offer. A Penny’s Pick, this has three different flavours of crackers in it, designed to go with different types of cheese. Great for people who like to have a special cheeseboard at this time of year. Buy here.
• Lidl Deluxe Biscuits for Cheese, Charcoal and Sesame flavour | £1.99. Quality Food Awards Christmas winner. In store only.
• Aldi Gourmet Sea Salted Savoury Crackers | 79p, The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. In store only.

Sweet

• Asda Extra Special Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies | £1.29, Quality Food Awards Christmas winner. Buy here.
• Asda Extra Special Free From Cookie Selection | £4.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended. Buy here.

Party / buffet foods

Pork pies & other pies

• M&S Festive Turkey, Chestnut & Bacon Pork Pie | £10.00, Good Housekeeping Winner. Buy here. Sorry, these just sold out.
• Lidl Cranberry Topped Pork Pies | £2.99, Quality Food Awards Christmas commended + Good Housekeeping #3. In store only.
• Co-op Irresistible Apricot & Cranberry Topped Pork Pie | £5.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas winner + Good Housekeeping #4. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Hand Crimped Melton Mowbray Pork Pie | £1.85. Great Taste Awards 2*. In store only.
• Aldi Exquisite Fruit Topped Turkey, Pork & Stuffing Pork Pie | £14.99, Good Housekeeping #5. In store only.
• Waitrose Succulent Melton Mowbray large pork pie | £2.70, Good Housekeeping #6. Buy here or at Ocado.

Buffet foods

• Morrisons The Best Smoked Bacon & Camembert Tart | £1.50, The Grocer Own Brand Awards innovation winner, this contains a whole mini camembert cheese that melts in the middle. Buy here.
• Waitrose & Partners feta, spinach and pine nut spanakopita | £7.00. BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Test winner. Buy here.
• Aldi Specially Selected souflettes | £2.99. BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Test highly commended. Vegetarian canapés with red pepper and wild mushroom fillings. I can vouch for these, they’re nice nibbles. In store only.
• Lidl chicken and chorizo cups | £3.49. BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Test highly commended.  In store only.
• Morrisons Thai vegetable filo tartlets | £2.50. BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Test vegan buffet food highly commended. Buy here.
• Sainsbury’s Chicken Liver Pâté | £1.40, Good Housekeeping Winner. Buy here.
• Aldi Specially Selected Black Treacle & Stout Traditional Cured Ham | Great Taste Awards 1* and The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special Iberico Ham | £5.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas delicatessen category winner. Buy here.

And finally, a few sweet buffet party treats:

• Iceland 6 Decorate Your Own Rudolph Macarons | Quality Food Awards Christmas sweet party food winner. Buy here.
• M&S 9 mini cheesecakes | £5.00. BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Test highly commended. In store only.
• Tesco 6 chocolate cookie cups | £2.50. BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Test highly commended. Buy here.

I hope you’ve liked all these reviews and the best of the taste tests. What are you having for your snacks and Boxing day tables this year?