I want to know your Christmas food must haves

[worrierandwine]

Just as the title says really. I'm a loyal Aldi shopper as I like to get in and get out but I fear I am missing out on Christmas food essentials at other supermarkets so please if you have any food items you HAVE to buy at Christmas please tell me. I'm planning beef for the big day as I'm fed up of cooking a whole turkey just for it to fester in the fridge for a week only to be eventually thrown away!

Waitrose chocolate trifle.

Cornichons (not fussed where they come from!)
Elizabeth Shaw mint crisps
M&S maple bacon tortilla rolls
Asda Christmas tree crumpets

What are cornichons? I've heard of them but not sure I've ever seen them.

These all sound delicious BTW so thank you

Lidl do jars of cornichons and one is sweeter pickled with honey. I just scoff them all as soon as the jar is open

M&S Clementine and cranberry Buck’s Fizz to have with Christmas Day breakfast.

As you’re already going to Aldi, their champagne Christmas pudding was outstanding last year imho.

Oh, cornichons are sweet little baby gherkin type pickles. Very crunchy

Florentines. And the ones from Aldi are amazing!

As well as usual roast, we are having beef.
Large sweet navel oranges
Granny Smith apples
Satsumas
White Stilton
Marks and Spencer's extremely chocolatey caramels
Salt and vinegar chiplets also Marks
Jar of silver skin onions and red cabbage for the cold meats
Naice ham
Good bread
DP likes pringles
Apart from the above, no chocs or biscuits for the house as I receive a big box of one or the other from work.
Orange juice, lemonade, prossecco.

Aldi 'exquisite ' mince pies in the turquoise box are outstanding. Mince pies with a frangipane topping. I may have already eaten the box already!

Also Aldi chilli flavoured almonds in a tin.

Glazed baked ham
Pickles (various including onions and gherkins)
A good variety of cheeses
Those little savoury niblet things that come in divided packages (can't remember their proper name )
A variety box of chocs - M&S or Sainsburys
Clementines
Trifle

And enough of the following to have leftovers:
Turkey
Stuffing
Roast potatoes
Red cabbage
Bread sauce

Bread sauce and brandy cream.
M&S do nice ones but they are both best home made.
For the bread sauce, stud an onion with cloves and simmer in milk before adding breadcrumbs, touch of nutmeg.
Brandy cream- add dessertspoon of icing sugar to your whipped cream then gradually pour in as much brandy as it will take. At least 3 times more than the supermarkets do.

Hey nice tip about the brandy cream SottoVoc thanks

Stilettos it's my best recipe

Only M&S roast potato sprinkles. They make Xmas roasties different to any other time of year roasties. Everything else is changeable.

Apologies for my tardiness in replying to all your lovely suggestions. Do Mumsnet do alerts? Because nowadays unless someone reminds me I forget as kids have fried my brain.
I LOVE gherkins so these cornichons sound bloody brill, I did look out for them today but couldn't see them. Usual gherkins are above freezers...are cornichons in same place?
I ALMOST bought those fancy mince pies in the blue box so many times last year but never did so this year I'm treating myself for deffo!
Thanks for bread sauce recipe, sounds delicious.
Also, looking forward to the M&S Buck's Fizz on Christmas morning

Sottovoc That's my kind of brandy cream

Red cabbage (store bought or homemade). Buck's Fizz and croissants, Costco are the best. Smoked salmon starter. Baileys!

Bailey's flavoured double cream. They have a caramel flavoured one out this year, I notice. I'm going to get one of each!

Well this is all very interesting.

I was going to say plain old After 8's!

Aldi Lebkuchen are yummy!

Oh and on the subject of Aldi mince pies, they are also doing chocolate orange ones this year!!! DH has torn through two boxes so far.

A mince pie hasn't passed my lips yet this year... I'm actually a little sad about that will try the ones in the posh blue box AND the chocolate orange ones.
I always do gammon Christmas Eve for when we come back from the pub and we always have Fizz on Christmas morning while present opening

Aldi’s specially selected panettone in the green/cream tin is absolutely amazing. By far the best I’ve had over the last few years, and has quickly become a Christmas staple in our house!