Here are the five best supermarkets to stop and shop for your festive food this christmas…
Featured Image; M&S
Trolleys at the ready… Christmas grocery shopping season is well underway, but what to buy? From festive favourites to under the radar delicacies, we have rounded up the most sumptuous supermarket fare to fill the pantry this Christmas.
1. ALDI
Aldi’s Specially Selected Laura’s Christmas pudding is one of the most matured puddings on the market with a recipe that has been handed down through the generations of Stafford Bakers. The rich fruit filling is elevated with an infusion of Irish stout, cider, cognac, brandy and rum and the putting is hand turned during its 20 month maturation to ensure equal distribution of flavour. For Christmas morning fizz, Crémant du Jura is something different to kick start the proceedings and the Specially Selected cheese hamper is fantastic value at €15.99 for 7 Irish cheeses with ploughman’s chutney and gourmet crackers. www.aldi.ie.
2. MARKS AND SPENCER
The undisputed king of luxury supermarket food, Marks and Spencer have led the way in festive feasting for many years, and we have declared 2022 the year of the M&S savoury pie. Pork pies are notoriously fiddly and time consuming to make from scratch, but pie aficionados will be more than pleased with the cranberry topped pork pie is a vision with traditional hot water crust pastry enveloping hearty cuts of seasoned outdoor-bred pork, topped with sweetened cranberries and cranberry and port jelly. It’s festive, easy on the eye and perfect St. Stephens Day lunch fare.
Vegetarian guests will be well fed with a slice of mushroom, camembert and parsnip pie alongside the traditional Christmas trimmings, in fact, carnivores may well find themselves tempted too. www.marksandspencer.ie.
3. DUNNES STORES
It’s all happening at Dunnes Stores this Christmas, with the Simply Better range offering a vast selection of top quality treats for all tastes and budgets. Stock up on Simply Better single source Irish Jersey cream for Irish coffees, mince pies and everything in between.
Cauliflower piccalilli is the perfect condiment to accompany leftover ham. There are some foodie rockstars on the shelves too with Simply Better hand cut Irish garlic roasting potatoes made from Ballymakenny potatoes and fresh desserts from La Patissier. www.dunnesstoresgrocery.com.
4. IKEA
Forget the flat pack furniture, Ikea is a dark horse when it comes to picking up hard to find culinary components. Organic lingonberry jam is perfect for the cheeseboard or to replace cranberry sauce and the orange and elderflower marmalade will pair well with Christmas morning croissants. Likewise, the Ikea selection of syrups (rhubarb, elderflower and lingonberry) will work well in cocktails or as a non-alcoholic alternative; simply top up with sparkling water, add some orange slices and you are good to go. Gräddat thin flatbreads are a cupboard staple and Pannkakor frozen pancakes make pancake breakfasts a breeze when time is limited.
Lastly, the Vintersaga gingerbread dough is genius for anyone who wants to make gingerbread men, with little or no effort. After all, it’s all about the decorating. www.ikea.com/ie/en.
5. LIDL
Cinnamon cronuts, Medjool dates and Irish cream ice cream are just some of the goodies on offer at Lidl this Christmas. The pork and wild boar salami would make a good addition to a charcuterie platter and the Deluxe Negroni, Espresso Martini or Triple Sec will make pre or post dinner cocktails a cinch. The Balsamic Vinegar of Modena P.G.I at just €3.99 is a steal.
Gingerbread mince pies? What’s not to love. www.lidl.ie