Best Christmas snacks including Camembert pies and pigs in blanket crisps
THE festive season is all about tucking into tasty food and there are plenty of extra special titbits to whet your appetite this year.
Supermarkets including Aldi, Lidl and Tesco pull out all the stops to produce Christmas mouth-watering snacks for every occasion during December.
From sweet treats to savoury must-haves, there’s something to keep everyone well-fed in between big meals.
Here, we round up the best snacks from the big supermarkets this year…
Aldi
Posh crisps are the festive snack that works for almost any occasion, from watching Love Actually on TV to serving alongside some festive drinks.
Aldi’s festive crisps were the winner of our taste test, scoring highly on both value and taste.
Choose from traditional flavours including turkey stuffing and, pigs in blankets, as well as black truffle, roast duck with spiced rum, or lobster thermidor, £1.15 each.
Aldi’s also has a range of savoury flavours joining its mince pie lineup, including ruby port, fig and cheese, £2.59.
Asda
If you love gooey cheese at Christmas, hot-foot it to Asda.
The supermarket is launching a new range of Camembert products especially for the festive season, including a melt in the middle Camembert pork pie, £9, perfect for a Christmas snack spread.
There’s also a pigs in blankets Camembert wreath, £6.50, another great dish for grazing guests.
You’ll also find Camembert and chutney pastry, £9, as well as Camembert and garlic crisps, £1.
Toffee-apple spice crumble tarts, £2.50, were another standout when we tried Asda’s festive range.
Lidl
Lild has covered a range of fruit and nuts with white, dark and Belgian chocolate to create a special sweet snack mix, £3.49, perfect for leaving in little bowls on the coffee table over Christmas.
We also love the Snack Day Christmas-tree shaped sour cream and chive pretzels, £2.29, as well as lobster cocktail crisps, £1.25.
Morrisons
Morrisons’ range of canapes is due to hit stores on November 27 and the prawn toast with ponzu dip, £6, is a perfect bitesize treat that went down well when we tried its Christmas food.
The supermarket is also bringing out a three cheese tear and share Christmas tree pastry on December 16, £7.50, which is a great addition to more casual get-togethers over Christmas.
If you are looking for a special sweet treat to snack on, Morrisons The Best Marc De Champagne Truffles, £5, are a taste sensation.
Marks and Spencer
For sweet-toothed snackers, M&S has launched a sharing tub of mini bites, £10, featuring a new cranberry and white choc bite that won’t be available individually.
Halloumi in blankets, £5.50, offers a different spin on the Christmas classic seeing the cheese wrapped in bacon rather than sausages. The creation was one of the star features of M&S snacks when we sampled the Christmas collection.
And if you’re looking for a novel dip to serve with crisps or crudites, try the turkey feast dip, £3.25.
It is inspired by Christmas dinner featuring bacon bits, turkey, cranberry and even stuffing.
Sainsbury’s
Each supermarket offers its own take on mince pies at Christmas, but Sainsbury’s offering, £1.70, was the winner in our own-brand taste test.
The supermarket’s orange and candied lemon crumble tarts, £3, will also be going on our Christmas shopping lists this year.
Sainsbury’s is also offering brandy soaked mixed fruit, £5, which will work well alongside nibbles such as salted nuts.
Tesco
Tesco has introduced a new character this Christmas: the Abominable Snowman who features on a wide range of festive snacks, including delicious mallow snowballs, £3.50.
Cheese boards are a must for snacking over Christmas and Tesco has a range of new festive flavours.
The supermarket’s Finest Coastal Bite truffle cheddar, £3 with a Clubcard, impressed us when trying out its festive range of products.
There is also a Christmas-tree shaped black pepper cheddar, £2,75.
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.