I tried you don't have to.

[GettingStuffed]

I suspect I'm not the only one who does taste tests in the run up to Christmas.I

So far I've tried

Lidl mince pies, pastry is fantastic crisp with a good flavour , let down by the filling just tastes like a mixed fruit pie
Tesco bog standard, pastry is far too crumbly it disintegrated as I took it out of its cup. The filling was much better than Lidl's with a good boozy taste.

Lidl salt and pepper mixed nuts with olives. I've never had crispy olives before but the were a revelation.
Tesco salted caramel party mix. Loving this, it has nuts, pretzel bits, chocolate covered nuts, Malteser type things , chocolate buttons. A must have.

If you've tried anything perhaps you could say what they were and what you thought of them

In the run up to Christmas?! Have I missed November?

I’m glad you enjoyed the mince pies 🥧

Thst is a real community service🤣

I agree with the Lidl mince pies, not as good this year. My husband liked the Lidl butter stollen, he said it was rich with lots of flavour. I tried their apricot jam lebkuchen mini hearts, the dark chocolate wasn't too bitter and the apricot had a good full flavour.

Don't know if this counts but I always buy 24 cans of diet Pepsi for myself for Christmas as I don't booze but they taste like shit now.

I'm going to have to try the nuts! I love olives.

We had a Yule log from Asda just essentials (yellow label) delivered today. I haven't had any but DH and DD declared it as "perfectly acceptable".

Oh and now I'm craving a warm mince pie with thick baileys cream.

Fevertree Italian blood orange is lovely over lots of ice. Given up booze recently & hits the spot. Malteasers in the big box have gone to shite, Dd & I were not impressed.

Ooh I like this thread! Eating and drinking in the interests of others

I have had the Aldi bog-iron mince pies - they seem to have gone back to the old recipe and they're more delicious than last year

Sainsburys own mince pies - pastry is nice and crisp, filling is nice but not boozy. Perfect with a cuppa for elevenses at work 😁

Aldis own mulled wine. I drank the bottle last weekend and I'm not a big drinker by any stretch of the imagination! Delicious, not overly powerful, very tasty. It's a yes from me

Watching intently 👀

Don't know if they are just local ones but our co op does amazing ones!!

place marking 😋

Costa have their mince pies back in their cafés. They are my absolute favourite of all mince pies.

Ooohh I wonder if any of you can help me. We recently moved house and the estate agent gave us a box of bits and bobs.
There was a mixer drink in it which was a bit like cloudy lemonade in colour and it said to add tequila. It was absolutely delicious but I can’t seem to find it anywhere or remember the name.

Waitrose's No. 1 Christmas cake (with snowflakes, about £16) is the best I've had the last few years.
The Sainsburys pigs in blankets Christmas tree looks a lot better than it tastes.
Dislike mince pies (and Christmas pudding(, so I'll leave those to you lot.

Morrison's puff pastry mince pies are as good as ever. Tried Sainsbury's mince pies last week as well and they were good but not remarkable.

We have a bakery locally and their mince pies are legendary. They do shallow, deep filled and ice topped and you have to get in early before they sell out - and they make hundreds each day - and it's not possible to make them better than they do. I've tried!

It's the Christmas topic! Created for this very purpose

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference mince pies are the best if you like a good strong brandy flavour.

Especially good eaten warm with a generous helping of brandy cream.

@mondaytosunday how can anyone not like mince pies??!!

Now I want a mince pie for breakfast!

@mondaytosunday
I hate mince pies.
But i do like Christmas pudding.

Aldi Florentines, crisp and delicious, Lidl large florentines, nutty, fruity and chewy, they taste more festive if you get me , hint of ginger from them but I think over all I prefer the aldi ones

I'm with you on the Aldi florentines

@GettingStuffed the Tesco party mix sounds good, do they have it in the seasonal aisle or with the regular food?
M&S do something that sounds similar but it's about £8 a tin and I am trying not to buy any too early as DH and I will just devour it.

Sounds like a margarita mix. You can get a nice one of those from Costco. (Kirkland brand. Not the ready to drink margarita as that already has rhe tequila mixed in).

I really want to eat the traditional xmas food, but I cant eat nuts, I hate spicy tasting things like cinnamon, I hate raisins, cherries, xmas cake, xmas pudding, stollen and pretty much anything themed as xmas food.

Oh and boozy chocolate 🤮

I'm the anti xmas food, christmas lover 😂