I tried food advent calenders – the £21 winner is perfect for pigging out this Christmas
ONE of the top reasons Christmas is the best time of year is, quite simply, all the food.
So what better way to work your way through the festive season than with an advent calendar which is packed full of delicious treats.
And if chocolate is not your thing, you needn’t worry.
From flapjacks to jam, to crisps and pork scratchings, there is a whole host of tempting options available for 2024.
Here, Lynsey Hope, picks her favourites:
The Snaffling Pig Co Pork Crackling Advent Calendar
- £21, boots.com
If you can’t pig out at Christmas, when can you?
This is packed with 24 bags of pork crackling in different flavours including Pigs in Blankets, Salt Vinegar, Low & Slow BBQ, Black Pepper, Perfectly Salted and Marvellous Maple.
This crackling has been awarded stars in the Great Taste Awards and I can see why, it’s packed with flavour to make the countdown to Christmas extra tasty.
The calendar is plastic-free and recyclable and if you don’t want a bag a day, these will last until March 2025.
- Overall score: 10/10
Flapjackery’s Gluten Free Advent Calendar
- £65, flapjackery.co.uk
A seriously impressive range of artisan flapjacks, with a different flavour to taste each day through December.
Alongside traditional favourites such as Milk Chocolate Flapjack and Billionaire Flapjack, there are also some delicious festive additions including Mince Pie Flapjack, Christmas Tiffin Flapjack and an adorably designed Rudolf Fudge Flapjack.
There are no doors to open but the flapjacks are numbered and you can buy a numbered pouch on top if you’d like.
But the standard out here really is the quality and taste of these amazing treats. They were really, really yummy.
- Overall score: 9/10
Bonne Maman Jam Advent Calendar
- £28, ocado.co.uk
A beautifully designed calendar and each door opens to reveal one of Bonne Maman’s iconic mini jars of jam and preserves.
There are some special flavours not usually available in the UK, including Purple Fig with Cinnamon Reserve and Apricot with Orange Blossom.
And for the first time this year, there are also mini jars of Hazelnut Chocolate Spread and two luscious caramels in Vanilla and Coffee hidden away.
It’s quite a substantial box but its charming and as a special treat you also get a small Christmas ornament on the final day.
A delightful choice for jam lovers.
- Overall score: 9/10
Lakrids by Bulow Advent Calendar
- £45, lakridsbybulow.co.uk
A premium-looking calendar that comes in a sleek black box in a fold-out design.
Behind each door is a chocolate-covered liquorice treat.
The liquorice itself is quite subtle with the flavours of salted caramel, lemon, mango and vanilla being the stars of the show.
I didn’t think I’d like them but actually they are surprisingly moreish.
Each door also reveals an interesting fact about liquorice production, such as how it can take up to 48 hours to make a single piece.
As an added surprise the 24th door hides four bags of delicious treats.
- Overall score: 8/10
Joe & Seph’s Popcorn Advent Calendar
- £30, joandsephs.co.uk
A great alternative to chocolate, this calendar offers 24 bags of handmade gourmet popcorn and is the perfect choice for anyone who wants to mix up their advent routine.
There are 19 unique flavours including tiramisu, toffee apple and brandy butter.
Some I liked more than others, but it was fun trying them all.
The Milk Chocolate Popcorn Bites were a fave.
- Overall score: 7/10
Pringles 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar
- £10, bmstores.co.uk
Once you pop you really can’t stop, but you won’t need to worry about that with this calendar as it gives you one 40g tub of Pringles for 12 days in the run up to Christmas.
It’s cheaper than last year, too.
A mini tub costs £1 each at Tesco and you get 12 here so you’re not paying over the odds for your crisps.
It’s not the most festive of calendars but if Pringles are your thing, you’ll love this.
- Overall score: 7/10
Pukka Tea Advent Calendar
- £11.45, ocado.com
Presented in an attractive envelope that you can hang up, this tea advent calendar features 24 windows filled with Pukka’s finest tea bags.
There’s a different flavour every day so the variety is a delight for tea lovers.
The festive presentation made it look appealing and it didn’t take up too much space which is important at Christmas when space is at a premium.
It’s a good price, too.
You can buy a mixed box for around a fiver, but you wouldn’t get to try the 24 flavours on offer here.
- Overall score: 6/10
Swizzles Sweet Shop Advent Calendar
You get a real taste of nostalgia with this colourful, attractive looking calendar containing a range of family favourite sweeties.
There are Refresher Bars, Squashies, Love Hearts, Drumstick, Fizzers, Parma Violets and More.
But whilst the sweets were delicious, you get less than you would expect here. It’s not really worth £6.
- Overall score: 5/10
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