Five of the best Christmas sandwiches

Which seasonal sarnies are Christmas crackers and which ones are festive flops? Influence puts them to the test…

Pret Christmas Lunch

Two brown bread sandwiches cut diagonally with meat and salad fillings sat on a pale table with a red background with little circular lights

A perennial favourite which tops many Christmas sarnie taste-tests thanks to its above-average-quality bread and savoury cranberry & port sauce, all nicely rounded off with the satisfying crunch of its pork & apricot stuffing. The Christmas Lunch’s real USP is its near-perfect ratio of filling-to-bread: the hefty slabs of turkey will help line your stomach before the office Xmas party – and maybe soak up the hangover the next day too. Pret has long-had a bizarre devotion to slathering its sandwiches in mayonnaise and it’s no different here; arm yourselves with plenty of napkins unless you want greasy chops afterwards.

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M&S Christmas Sando

Two stuffed sandwiches with mean and salad, red bad of crispts and red bag of nuts and chocolates

M&S leaps upon the K-cuisine trend with this Korean twist on the Xmas sandwich. Fusing KFC-like breaded chicken, gochujang mayonnaise and ginger picked slaw with more trad ingredients such as cranberry chutney and served on brioche-style bread, somehow M&S’s K-ristmas sarnie just about works. The Sando is one of seven M&S sandwiches this year, including Turkey Shawarma Wrap, Very Merry Veggie Roast Wrap and a Turkey & Ham Hock Toastie (there’s a gingerbread milkshake too). Best of all, 5% of sales from its Xmas range go to homelessness charity Shelter.

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Waitrose Christmas Turkey, Stuffing & Bacon Sandwich

Pre-packed carboard packet with a clear panel showing a turkey, stuffing and bacon sandwich with labeling on the front

For a supposedly posh supermarket chain, Waitrose’s Christmas lunchtime lynchpin is decidedly simple: the redcurrant chutney hasn’t been besmirched by sriracha, and they’ve resisted the urge to add smashed stuffing. Instead, it’s just tender turkey breast, some smoked bacon and a nice umami hit from the sage and onion stuffing – all slapped between two slices of inoffensive malted bread. The bacon is a tad unnecessary perhaps, but it’s still likely to spread some festive cheer to a dreary lunchtime al desko.

Discover the Waitrose Christmas Turkey, Stuffing & Bacon Sandwich

Greggs Vegan Turkey-Free & Stuffing Festive Baguette

White baguette filled wiht brown and red filling on a blue table top

Apparently, this baguette has some onion gravy and cranberry and port sauce inside here somewhere, but it might take a team of forensic scientists to find it. Still, the faux-turkey – which is, in fact, sage and onion plant-based goujons – is tasty, if a little on the desiccated side. At present, the Vegan Turkey-Free & Stuffing Festive Baguette is a bit like a Christmas tree without any baubles though. It’s no vegan sausage roll but we’re sure Greggs’ genius PR team will do their magic on it.

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Asda’s Boxing Day Sandwich

Pre-packed red carboard packet with a clear panel showing a Boxing Day sandwich with labeling on the front

One of the joys of festive food is being slumped in front of a 1980s’ movie on TV carbing up on next-day leftovers (hey, there’s nothing wrong with cold brussels sprouts and roast potatoes). Asda realise this and they’ve done a good job of recreating the randomness with its Boxing Day sandwich. Subtly substituting turkey for chicken (you’d never know), it’s got oak-smoked ham, coleslaw and balsamic onion chutney too. The sandwich would work better on wholemeal – rather than white bread – but it’d be Scrooge-like to quibble. Happy Christmas!

Discover the Asda Boxing Day Sandwich

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