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The best Christmas picky bits, tried and tested, from polar bear bao buns to sausage roll wreaths
The tastiest ready-made, bitesize treats for your festive drinks party, tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute
Tested by JoJo Anastasiou and Georgia Turnell
Everyone knows the party food is the best bit of Christmas. Whether you’re feeding friends or treating yourself to a picky tea while wrapping the last of the presents (we’ve all been there), the Good Housekeeping Institute has found the very best supermarket picky bits to buy this season.
From polar bear bao buns to Christmas tree-shaped croquettes there’s plenty to tempt your guests this festive season.
Best picky bits to buy for Christmas 2026
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How we test Christmas picky bits
Our panel tried 61 examples of festive picky bits and party food to find their favourite meat, seafood and vegetarian bites – ‘tis the season, after all. Each was prepared according to the pack instructions and presented to testers blind to avoid brand bias.
They judged each on their party-ready appearance, aroma, flavour and texture, to find the tastiest picky bits for 2026 that will have you going back for seconds (... and thirds).
Edenmoor Festive Sausage Roll Wreath
Edenmoor Festive Sausage Roll Wreath
Score: 94/100
We'll be making this impressive sausage roll wreath the centrepiece of our festive buffet. The highest scoring product across the entire Christmas taste test (and we had over 600 entries!), it’s filled with fragrant, beautifully seasoned sausage meat, wrapped in bacon and encased in golden, flaky pastry.
It’s essentially a giant pig in blanket in sausage roll form. Testers raved about the 'amazing texture', with one describing it as 'like a pork pie, but better'.
Waitrose Homemade Polar Bear Bao Buns 360g
Waitrose Homemade Polar Bear Bao Buns 360g
Score: 92/100
Bao buns have become a festive canapé favourite in recent years, and these adorable polar bears are the cutest we've seen. Beneath the playful design are pillowy-soft steamed buns filled with shredded vegetables and sticky hoisin sauce. Fun to serve, delicious to eat and vegan too, they're guaranteed to get guests talking.
Available 11 November 2026
Tesco Finest 12 Arancini Stacks with Chorizo & Cornichon 410g
Tesco Finest 12 Arancini Stacks with Chorizo & Cornichon 410g
Score: 91/100
Tesco's party food line-up is super impressive this year, and these playful arancini stacks are no exception. Inspired by Spanish pintxos, each one combines a crisp arancini ball with spicy chorizo and a sharp cornichon for the perfect balance of rich, savoury and tangy flavours.
Tesco’s Dirty Olive Martinis (£3.50 for 160g) also scored an impressive 86/100 and would be ideal to serve alongside these at your next drinks party.
Available 26 October 2026
Exceptional by ASDA Smoked Salmon & Hollandaise Crumpets 178g
Exceptional by ASDA Smoked Salmon & Hollandaise Crumpets 178g
Score: 90/100
Crumpets, but make them party food. ASDA's fluffy mini crumpets swap the traditional blini for something even more comforting, topped with silky hollandaise and ribbons of smoked salmon. Rich, creamy and packed with flavour, these are guaranteed to disappear fast.
Available TBC
Iceland Luxury Crunchy Chicken Kiev Skewers 8pk
Iceland Luxury Crunchy Chicken Kiev Skewers 8pk
Score: 89/100
For a taste of nostalgia, look to Iceland's Chicken Kiev Skewers. The crispy chicken goujons are super tender and come with a delicious, extra-garlicky butter dip that testers couldn’t get enough of. Just don't expect any kisses under the mistletoe afterwards.
Available 6 November 2026
Exceptional by ASDA Discovery Olive Trio
Exceptional by ASDA Discovery Olive Trio
Score: 88/100
No party is complete without a bowl of olives, and this trio has every base covered. There are smoky grilled olives, gently spiced supersized olives and sweet red pepper-stuffed olives – each bringing something different to the mix. Just add a martini.
Available TBC
Exceptional by ASDA Duck Gyozas with Sour Cherry Hoisin Dip
Exceptional by ASDA Duck Gyozas with Sour Cherry Hoisin Dip
Score: 88/100
Gyoza? Go on then. These crisp little parcels are generously filled with tender duck and chunky vegetables, while the sour cherry hoisin dip adds a festive, mulled wine-inspired sweetness.
Available TBC
Score: 86/100
Skip the takeaway and serve these instead. Iceland has transformed crispy duck pancakes into a clever canapé, with rich meat, hoisin sauce and crunchy shredded pastry in every bite.
Available 6 November 2026
Morrisons The Best Mini Scallops In Shells 134g
Morrisons The Best Mini Scallops In Shells 134g
Score: 84/100
This pretty little scallop-shaped pastry cup is filled with a creamy, white-wine flecked scallop filling, with just a hint of cheese. Like a one-bite fish pie, they’re perfect for party season. Serve with a glass of champagne for maximum hosting points.
Sainsbury’s Crispy Chicken and Maple BBQ Sliders 270g
Sainsbury’s Crispy Chicken and Maple BBQ Sliders 270g
Score: 84/100
In our opinion, the best picky bits are just regular food, miniaturised. These sliders prove the point, pairing crunchy chicken with smoky barbecue sauce inside a soft pretzel-style bun. Small enough to eat in two bites, but satisfying enough to feel like the real deal.
Available 18 November 2026
These also passed...
- Waitrose Pigs in Blankets Pork Pies, £3.75 for 300g, Score: 83/100
- Aldi Specially Selected King Prawn Toast, £3.49 for 280g, Score: 82/100
- Aldi Specially Selected Vegetable Fritters, £3.49 for 280g, Score: 82/100
- Best value: Lidl Deluxe Apricot & Wensleydale Festive Quiche, £4.99 for 500g, Score: 81/100
- Co-op Irresistible King Prawn toast with Ponzu & Lime Dip, Score: 81/100
- COOK Veggie Rolls, £7.95 for 325g, Score: 81/100
- Sainsbury’s Pecorino and Pesto Party Dip, £6 for 170g, Score: 81/100
- Waitrose Ham & Cheese Croissant Stacks, £8.50 for 216g, Score: 80/100
- Picard Scallops and Citrus Crisps, £5 for 177g, Score: 80/100
- Morrisons The Best Mini Hot Honey Chicken Burgers, £6 for 310g, Score: 78/100
- Waitrose Smoky Garlic & Chilli Prawn Bites, £8.50 for 230g, Score: 78/100
- Lidl Deluxe Tempura King Prawns, £3.99 for 190g, Score: 78/100
- Tesco Finest Scallop & Prawn Toast 180g, £5.50 for 180g, Score: 78/100
- Tesco Pigs in Blankets Cracker, £TBC for 380g, Score: 78/100
- Morrisons The Best Cheese & Chutney Scones, £6 for 248g, Score: 77/100
- by Sainsbury's Crispy Bubble Gyoza Selection, £3.50 for 220g, Score: 76/100
- Picard Christmas Mini Tree Croquettes, Tomato and Mozzarella, £5.10 for 130g, Score: 75/100
- Co-op Irresistible Mini Mexican Veggie Cones, £41.50 for 210, Score: 74/100
- Tesco Finest Battered Turkey Tikka Samosa, £5.50 for 200g, Score: 73/100
- Aldi Specially Selected Hoisin Duck Bao Buns, £3.49 for 258g, Score: 72/100
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Joanna Anastasiou is our Food and Drinks Tester, and has completed certifications in Sensory Foundation and WSET Wine Level 2 training. Prior to this she studied geography with conservation biology at the University of Exeter and trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Through this she has developed a passion for sustainability within the food and agricultural sectors. Joanna also volunteers in kitchens with FoodCycle, as well as on multiple wildlife conservation projects, where she formed a particular love for bees!
Georgia has been part of the hospitality industry for the last nine years. Her starting point was the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu culinary school where she gained a Diplôme de Pâtisserie. She has worked at a number of well-known restaurants and bakeries including The Club at the Ivy and Ottolenghi, Notting Hill where she was the head pastry chef. Most recently, Georgia worked at The Clink Bakery inside HMP Brixton, which aims to reduce reoffending through teaching. She is an expert in all things baked goods and holds a WSET level 2 in wine.
