From turkey feasts to bizarre brioche creations, we sample this year’s most outlandish supermarket festive sandwiches

The Christmas sandwich season has once again arrived, and British supermarkets have outdone themselves with ever more extravagant creations. Gone are the days of simple turkey with cranberry sauce; now, festive sandwiches feature everything from brie and brioche to cheesy pigs-in-blankets. Some offerings are a hit, but others fall flat, leaving us wondering how far is too far for the humble holiday sandwich.

The 2023 options seem to have a more refined approach, with many featuring upscale ingredients. Pret A Manger, criticised earlier in the year for its high prices, is offering a rye roll filled with smoked salmon, crayfish, rocket, and lemon mayo for £4.99 – a surprisingly reasonable price. Co-op’s currywurst sandwich with cheddar, sauerkraut, and mustard is another quirky but surprisingly successful creation, priced at £3.85.

Of course, there are still affordable choices for those on a budget. Morrisons’ turkey feast (£3.50), packed with turkey breast, sausages, stuffing, and bacon, is a reliable option, especially with cranberry sauce. Tesco’s vegan spiced veg and chestnut wrap, with a pea protein-based mayo, is another decent, wallet-friendly offering at just £2.85.

However, the majority of 2023’s Christmas sandwiches leave much to be desired. While some begin with interesting ideas, they often end up as dry, underwhelming combinations of uninspired ingredients in poor-quality bread.

We sampled a few of the more outlandish options, including M&S’s “Brie-LT” — a bizarre combination of bacon, brie, and caramelised onion mayo in brioche, which divided opinion on its taste. Starbucks’ festive sub roll, with ham and “festive slaw,” and Tesco’s “Yule Hog,” which pairs pork with gravy, apple sauce, and sage stuffing, also made an appearance in our taste test. Read our full thoughts on these and other festive offerings in our comprehensive guide to this year’s Christmas sandwiches.