Christmas time used to be a lot simpler. Granny made trifle, Brussels sprouts weren’t optional and if you were lucky a Snowball cocktail would be waiting on you after dinner.
Nowadays the Christmas aisle has everything from Brussels sprout topped pizza to Christmas tree flavour crisps.
Whatever your palette, there are some questionable food and drinks in the shops this Christmas. We've tried and tasted all the weirdest products so you don’t have to.
Ice cream is a tough market to break, after all there are plenty of big players to compete with but Aldi’s very creamy Specially Selected Mince Pie Ice Cream is a strong contender for best ice cream at the table this Christmas. The seasonal mince pie flavour doesn’t really pop but will certainly go down a treat with fans of rum and raisin. 3/5
We had high hopes for this mince pie peanut butter but disappointing the spread just doesn’t hit expectations.
As any peanut butter connoisseur will tell you, it’s all about consistency and this peanut butter spread is far too runny to spread, plus there’s barely any hit of mince pie flavouring. 1/5
Brussels Sprout pizza
There are two camps at every Christmas dinner table – the Brussels sprouts lovers and the haters. Whichever team you fall into you though the chances are you’ll probably still enjoy Co-op’s Pizza Natale, or as we’re calling it the Brussels sprouts pizza.
Topped with that notorious green veg, layers of slow-cured Italian pancetta, cranberry and port chutney and mozzarella, it’s surprisingly good and might just change your mind on these veggies once and for all. 4/5
Do you know what a Christmas tree tastes like? Neither do we and we’re not sure Iceland really does either. These very salty hand cooked crisps have a hint of pine wood but overall there’s little comparison between them and your own festive tree.
They’re not bad though plus they contain no palm oil so you can at least munch away knowing these ‘trees’ haven’t contributed to the destruction of the rainforest either. 2/5
It sounds like the drink hangovers are made of but this Mince Pie Martini from M&S is surprisingly good.
Made with dried fruit, citrus peel, spices and a mince pie liqueur, it’s light, refreshing and in true martini style, clear. 4/5
It is the drink no one asked for yet Sainsbury’s have made your worst fears a reality with their pigs in blankets flavour tea. Made with lapsang souchong, apple pieces, sage and rosemary, these innocent enough looking tea bags smell like smokey bacon crisps and will really test your taste buds (and your stomach).
It’s doubtful any veggies would actually want to try this meaty flavour drink but it’s still suitable for vegans anyway. 1/5
