Christmas is coming and that means you get to tuck into something tasty on your lunch break as supermarkets and cafes launch their popular festive sandwiches.
M&S, Asda, Tesco, Pret and more have revealed their Christmas menus for 2022 and there's something for everyone, whether you like a traditional turkey sandwich, a cheesy feast or a tasty vegan treat. With six weeks until Christmas, there's plenty of time to try them all but which ones are worth your money?
This week, we've done the hard work for you; taste testing a range of festive sandwiches from some of the big names on the high street. There's nothing more disappointing than tucking into Christmas sandwich, only for it to be a festive flop, so take a look through our guide and see which ones scored top marks:
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Pret's Christmas Lunch
My nearest Pret had a bit of a sorry selection of festive sandwiches on my visit this week and having checked out the website, I'm definitely heading back soon to try and get hold of the delicious looking Pigs In Blanket Roll. This time, however, I did manage to get the Pret Christmas Lunch, which is its signature festive sandwich, filled with all the trimmings.
It looked great through the packaging and really full of filling, which is exactly what you want from a Christmas sandwich. Once I tucked in, I was in heaven.
The turkey slices were lovely, thick and not dry or rubbery. It had a herby pork stuffing, which gave it that lovely festive roast dinner flavour and I loved the addition of baby spinach leaves to stop it from looking too beige and make it feel a bit healthy!
The sandwich also has a port and orange cranberry sauce, which was quite subtle in flavour and the sweetness cut nicely through the meat. What I really loved was the addition of crispy onions, which gave the sandwich a bit of crunchy texture.
These were quite strong in flavour, so if you're not a fan of onions it might not work for you, but it certainly did for me. A great effort from Pret that I'd happily eat again and again ahead of Christmas.
Price: £4.75
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Pret stores or order online
Tesco Brie and Cranberry
My local Tesco didn't have much of a festive sandwich selection when I managed to pop in but as luck would have it, its Brie and Cranberry sandwich was tucked away on the top shelf - and it was just the one I'd been wanting to try. I'm all for festive foods so I was keen to give it a go.
The sandwich is encased in bright red festive wrapping and made it stand out from the crowd. It featured thick slices of French brie, chunky sweet cranberry sauce and spinach on malted bread.
The brie was thick and creamy without being too overwhelming or stodgy, while the sweet cranberry sauce worked to give the sandwich some moisture and an extra tang that made it perfect. My only issue was the spinach - while I do like it, it was an unexpected addition and I found it took away from the taste somewhat. However, the sandwich was definitely still delicious and I'd try it again.
Price: £2.75
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy: Your local Tesco or order online
Boots Vegan No Turkey Feast
I love anything festive, so the arrival of Christmas sandwiches in the shops never fails to excite me. In my opinion, Boots is the best place for meal deals, so I was keen to give one of its seasonal offerings a go.
I'm vegetarian, so opted for the Vegan No Turkey Feast. The sandwich is made on wholemeal bread and contains a generous amount of filling. I was really excited to try the sandwich and, after taking a bite, I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
The turkey substitute was nice and tasty, and I thought that the combination of the fillings went well together. I'm not usually a fan of cranberry sauce flavours, but I thought it made a nice addition to this sandwich. I'd definitely eat it again.
Price: £3.00
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy: Your local Boots store
Asda's 'Jolly Festive Feast'
In my opinion, this time of year is the absolute best for sandwiches. I absolutely love festive food, and when it's all combined in a huge sandwich I'm basically in heaven.
I'm all for a festive boxed sandwich from a supermarket, but they're not always guaranteed to taste great. I've never come across anything horrible, but they can sometimes be a little dry.
I took a trip to my local Asda to see what sandwiches they had in store. I had the choice of a 'Boxing Day leftover' sandwich or a 'Jolly Festive Feast' - so naturally, I went for the feast.
The sandwich contained turkey breast, pigs under blankets, stuffing, gravy mayo and a cranberry and port sauce on malted bread. That all sounded absolutely delicious at first glance - but how did it taste?
I took a bite into the absolutely stuffed sandwich and was generally really impressed. The sandwich wasn't dry in the slightest and was absolutely bursting with flavour.
The cranberry and port sauce really came through, but it wasn't too overpowering so it didn't take away the flavour of the meat. I was little skeptical about the turkey because it can be quite dry, but this was just perfect.
As a whole the sandwich was lovely and fresh and tasted like the definition of Christmas. I'll definitely be making the trip to Asda to get this sandwich again.
Price: £3
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Your local Asda store or online.
Marks and Spencer Brie & Cranberry
As a vegetarian, I got into the festive sandwich craze relatively late, as the options available to me were relatively lacklustre until recent years.
Now, there's a whole host of vegetarian and vegan friendly options, which is music to my ears. I absolutely adore Christmas and completely buy into the hype, stocking up on all manner of festive products like a slightly manic and obsessive Christmas elf.
Marks and Spencer sandwiches are the best of the bunch, in my humble opinion - if I could afford it, I'd get my lunches from there every day - so I was keen to sample one from its festive line-up. There's plenty to choose from but I opted for its Brie & Cranberry.
I'm not the biggest fan of faux meats, though I do appreciate their value, and after sampling M&S's Brie & Cranberry sandwich, I can't say I'll bother trying any others - inventive faux turkey or otherwise - because I'm hooked on this one.
There's generous slabs of brie, and a rich and tangy cranberry sauce on soft oatmeal bread. The cheese is perfectly creamy, while the sweetness of the cranberry sauce is the perfect partner; the flavours working together to create a festive feast for the senses.
A few years ago, Marks and Spencer did a Brie & Grape sandwich that was quite possibly the tastiest sandwich I've ever eaten, and I'm sad its yet to make a return. This one, however, is a worthy competitor and while it's not quite as delicious as its predecessor, it's still extremely enjoyable. I will absolutely be buying it again.
Price: £3.50
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Your local Marks and Spencer store
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