Christmas party food

[ayegazumba]

Every year me and my DSIS always say how it's a shame we never buy the Christmas party food and it all looks so delicious. We simply don't have room to eat it all on Christmas Day once we're done with dinner, dessert and of course cheese. So this year I'm putting on a Christmas party food party at mine on Christmas Eve. I cannot wait! I plan on visiting marks, Tesco, Aldi and Lidl to explore a wide range of what the supermarkets have on offer this year. So my question is, any recommendations? Has anyone tried any of this years offerings yet? Please share your best party food buys so we're not disappointed and can make this a new family tradition

Aldi does the best mozzarella sticks, but the worst halloumi fries! Lidl’s halloumi fries are pretty good.
Don’t bother with any supermarket own-brand quiches, unless it’s the pesto one from Morrisons. It’s worth paying a little more for a Higgidy one.

Some specific recommendations for Tesco:

• Onion bread wreath and camembert (all supermarkets seem to do a version of this now, the Aldi one was pleasant this year)
• Mini Yorkshire puddings with beef & horseradish
• Thai Prawn Snowballs
• Orange steamed duck bao buns

I know you haven’t mentioned M&S, but they have Snowmen Bao Buns in their party range which were cute and would be fun if you have young ones around.

You’d be able to make a decent cheeseboard from Aldi if that’s something your family would like. Aldi also do a lovely feta and mint dip which goes nice with crisps/breadsticks/nibbles etc. Aldi also do a garlic doughball tree which is lovely. We have tried a couple of the festive sausage rolls from Aldi but weren’t too impressed - would recommend avoiding the Wensleydale and Cranberry ones!

Hope you manage to find some lovely stuff and have a great time!

I would recommend making your own sausage rolls because you can freeze them beforehand and cook from frozen and they taste amazing.

M&s do an amazing pork pie. I have bought the snowman bao buns because they look cute but no idea on taste.

Smoked salmon for canapés - can never go wrong.

Also love duck spring rolls, prawns in filo pastry, prawn ring.

I buy blinis (which need heating a bit) then top with sour cream, bit of smoked salmon and chives.

Sausage rolls I make myself using bought rolled puff pastry (cut in 2), a bit of cranberry sauce, chopped chestnuts, sausagement with added chopped sage, onion and black pepper. I then seal with egg and crimp with a fork, cut into.cocktail size and freeze. Egg wash and cook from frozen in 15-20m.

Spicy samosas from Aldi this year are lovely

Aldi mini beef wellingtons were lovely. In the chilled section but you can freeze and cook from frozen. Proper chucks of beef in them.

I found last year's M&S expensive so be careful, it's easy to overspend. Not sure about the other stores but the M&S ones all go into the oven with the same temperature, so it's fairly easy to do.

Maybe bulk with normal cheese cuts and fresh bread and charcuterie boards plus olives, houmus

Waitrose are 3 for 2 at the minute I got 6 packs of party food for £23.

King prawn selection, pigs in blankets, mini yorkshires with beef, hoisin duck spring rolls, prawn toast and cheese bites 😊

I don’t know if you live near a Booths but their party food is incredible and 4 for 3!

Ooh this is great thanks everyone. No plans to make anything, all shop bought party food for this one! Keep em coming!

Also glad to see there's some decent Aldi options too. Beef wellington is def on the list!

The party food offerings individually are all tasty and lovely. Put them all together and the buffet can beme a bit beige and samey. Have a think about how you can add colour and texture to your table

No buffet is complete without a hedgehog of pineapple, pickled onions and cheese 😂

The duck straws and prawn toast from Morrisons were really tasty.

We also put together a really nice cheeseboard from Sainsbury's this year.