Best places to buy turkey, trimmings and more

Cooking Christmas dinner for family and friends can be a little daunting, but you’ll avoid a last-minute turkey terror with our inside guide to the best places to buy your bird.

We surveyed 9,800 Which? members in January 2023 to find out which places they rated best for Christmas dinner essentials based on what they'd recently bought, including party canapés, turkey, pigs in blankets, stuffing, vegetables and desserts.

Our research reveals the top places to buy your festive fare, based on customer ratings of supermarkets and independent retailers. 

Whether you’re after a mouthwatering centrepiece or some tasty trimmings, our guide reveals the best places to stock up on Christmas food.

Eat well, live better and stay healthy - sign up for our free monthly Food & Health newsletter for the latest insights delivered straight to your inbox

Best place to do your Christmas food shop

We asked members to tell us about the taste, quality and value for money of the Christmas food they bought, how satisfied they were and whether they would recommend it to others.

If you’re keen to keep costs down and avoid too much shopping around, our rankings below reveal the best-rated supermarkets overall for your big Christmas shop.

One budget retailer particularly impressed, ranking within the top five in nearly every category, while several other big supermarkets failed to impress.

See our best food and drink guide for the inside scoop on this year’s best mince pies, champagne, sparkling wine, red wine, smoked salmon and much more

Where to buy your Christmas turkey

Whether you want a fresh or frozen turkey, or a smaller cut such as a crown, we’ve got the lowdown on the top shops to buy from – based on ratings from our member survey.

Best place to buy a fresh whole turkey

As in previous years, independent farms/markets and butchers have been rated the best place to buy a fresh Christmas turkey, scoring the full five stars for taste.

When it comes to supermarket turkeys, several retailers impressed – but one big supermarket fell behind, scoring just three stars out of five for taste and quality.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access and see the top shop for a cheap and tasty turkey. 

Best place to buy a frozen turkey

Frozen turkeys are a cheaper alternative to fresh, so they could be worth considering if you’re looking for a more affordable option this Christmas.

Several supermarkets stood out in this category. The top retailer scored 87% overall, with five out of five stars across the board for taste, quality and value for money.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access. 

Best place to buy turkey crowns, breasts and joints

If you don’t want to commit to cooking an entire turkey, or have fewer mouths to feed, a smaller cut such as turkey crown could be the answer. 

As with whole turkeys, independent butchers and farms/markets were rated best in our survey. 

None of the supermarkets matched up on taste or quality in this category, but some really impressed when it came to value for money.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Best pigs in blankets

Pigs in blankets are a classic Christmas side dish, and our survey results show that if you want the best, it’s worth buying them from a farm, market or butcher's.

One budget retailer came top in the supermarket rankings, though it was a close competition with several others not far behind.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Best stuffing

Butchers, farms and markets came out on top for stuffing, impressing members for both taste and quality – however there are still several good options if you’re shopping in a supermarket. 

One budget retailer particularly impressed on value for money, while a higher-end supermarket was among the best-rated choice for taste and quality.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Best fresh vegetables

From roasted parsnips to Brussels sprouts, no Christmas dinner is complete without several helpings of seasonal veg. 

According to our survey results, those who were the most satisfied with their Christmas vegetables bought them from a greengrocer's, veg box scheme, farm or market.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Other meaty mains

If you’re not fussed about turkey this year, there are plenty of alternative meat joints that make a delicious Christmas dinner centrepiece. 

Whether you’re after a roast beef joint, juicy gammon or flavoursome roast chicken, these are the best places to buy your meat as rated by Which? members.

Best beef

Our survey results show that it pays to be picky if you want the best quality beef joint. 

The top retailers received five out of five stars for quality, taste and value for money, while others were rated considerably lower. 

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Best gammon

Butchers, farms and markets were rated highly for gammon, but there were also three standout supermarkets.

The top rated supermarket scored 88% overall, with a full five stars for taste, quality and value for money.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Best chicken

While it may be a less traditional choice, if you’re after a smaller alternative to turkey, roast chicken can make a delicious Christmas centrepiece. 

Farms and markets came top overall, but one supermarket was rated on par with butchers, achieving an impressive five out of five stars for value.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Best canapés

If you’re after some top-notch Christmas canapés to wow your guests, there are three standout supermarkets worth considering, including one offering outstanding value for money.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Best alternative Christmas desserts

Thinking about swapping your traditional Christmas pudding for something a little different this year? There are plenty of alternative festive desserts on offer.

Two supermarkets tied in first place, both scoring five out of five stars on taste, quality and value for money.

Only logged in Which? members can view the results of our survey below. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Ultimate supermarket Christmas food guide 2023 – we reveal the festive specials on sale at major supermarkets this year, including starters, mains, vegan mains and desserts

All table ratings and results based on an independent survey of 9,800 Which? members conducted in January 2023, shortly after Christmas. Customer score is based on satisfaction and likelihood to recommend. Numbers in brackets indicate sample sizes. Data correct as of 15 November 2023.