A Festive Sandwich Feast

The British sandwich industry has once again proved that it is adept at bringing Christmas cheer to the High Street well in advance of the festivities getting underway.

Indeed, Christmas sandwiches have become as iconic as the high street decorations and the Christmas coffee cups, a sure indicator that the festive season is upon us.

This year sandwich makers have once again shown their ingenuity in creating a range of tantalising seasonal flavours to suit all tastes.

This year the British Sandwich Association sent a team out to look at the offerings and they found plenty to enjoy.

One of the first to hit the High Street this year was Boots, which launched their Christmas range in October

While traditional turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce remains the most popular filling there are some fascinating twists to some of the recipes this year, such as a Yorkshire pudding carrier and alternative fruity accompaniments.

There are also some interesting twists to ranges this year. For example, Dunelm Mill have added a bubble and squeak sandwich to their Christmas range while Pret’s addition of pistachio nuts and rocket to their Christmas sandwiches adds an interesting additional texture.

There are also lots of options for vegetarians and vegans this year. M&S have, for example, created a meatless “No Turkey Feast” using soya protein that has been scientifically developed to replicate turkey in terms of taste and texture.

The addition of a gluten free option in most ranges is also a welcoming sign of the times.

And for those that want to enjoy a traditional Christmas feast in its full glory, there are some triple options available that go the full distance, such as Asda’s, Christmas Triple Sandwich which replicates the three-course Christmas dinner with a prawn sandwich to start, a Turkey sandwich for main and a cheese sandwich for the cheeseboard option.

As the British Sandwich and Food to Go Association, our test was more to look at what the Christmas offering is this year rather than to make judgements – and with over 50 sandwiches to choose from, we found plenty to choose from and plenty of evidence that our industry continues to drive innovation.

The following is a full list of the options we found: