The Sprightly Spud

Christmas themed sandwiches have become somewhat of a British institution. Whether you’re a veritable carnivore, or full blown raw vegan, year upon year our favourite supermarkets and cafes bless us with a myriad of options to turn our lunchtime meal deal into a festive feast. With more and more of us cutting down on animal products, it has been increasingly important that some of these Christmassy combos are turkey-free. But which of these are worthy of our yuletide consumption? Here’s my two cents on the meatless matter…

1. Waitrose – Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese

Best for a lighter, pescatarian option – 6/7

At the somewhat hefty price of £4.50, I had to take a very deep breath before shelling out on this luxury option instead of my usual Essential Egg Mayo (a steal at £1.90). But I was a brave girl, and proceeded to the checkout with this take on the classic blini starter.

I have to say, I think the extra £2.60 was very nearly justified. Soft oatmeal bread, indulgent cream cheese, and a substantial layer of high quality seafood, a treat indeed. When coupled with delicate hints of lemon, and a pleasing appearance, it seems that Waitrose have well and truly achieved Yuletide success in their pescatarian offering. I’m impressed.

2. Boots Brie and Cranberry

Don’t recommend – 2/7

Trudging my way into work on the 4th of December, I stopped at Boots, in search of a treat to spice up my lunch break. Feeling fairly miserable after being stuck in traffic, and having to walk in the drizzle, a selection of 50p sandwich options was exactly what I needed to brighten up my mood. Swerving my reliable egg mayo once again, I opted for the festive Brie and Cranberry – it certainly looked appealing.

A few hours later, when I was certifiably famished, the time had come for my 30 minute lunch break. I had been bragging to colleagues about my bargain sandwich find all morning, so was keen to see weather my butty lived up to expectations.

I tore open the packaging and dug in…

Disappointing. Although the bread was soft and fresh (always a worry with the reduced section), the filling left a lot to be desired. A few lonely leaves of spinach were scattered over a substantial, yet tasteless, serving of brie. The cranberry sauce did nothing to improve the meal, as the helping was meagre, and had an odd spicy taste that I couldn’t pinpoint. Overall, I was not satisfied, and definitely would not choose it again, even at the steal of 50p.

3. Co-op Gro No Turkey Feast

Best vegan option – 7/7

Before delving into my review of this Christmas cracker, I must first preface that before I consumed it, I had been subjected to a 24 hour fast in preparation for a medical procedure, so would have quite happily tucked into a large bowl of over-boiled sprouts and been content. Regardless, I reckon Coop have smashed it out of the park with this one.

Meat alternatives can either be brilliant, or diabolical. This is definitely a case of the former. The soya protein pieces were succulent and ‘roast seasoned carrot and parsnip, cranberry chutney, vegan mayo, spinach and sage’ with and ‘onion & oat stuffing’, complemented it perfectly. Enveloped by fluffy wheat and oatmeal bread, I would say this would provide a perfect lunch for any dabbler in veganism on the hunt for a turkey dinner substitute. Furthermore, at £3.50, this sexy looking sarnie seemed to be priced appropriately.

I will definitely be demolishing multiple of these this festive season.

4. Waitrose Salt Beet and Emmental

Nothing to write to Santa about – 2/7

I can’t be said I’m not willing to mix things up when it comes to my midday feasting, however the Waitrose Salt Beet and Emmental sandwich (designed, I presume, to emulate their ‘Pastrami and Emmental’ offering) probably wasn’t worth the risk. Admittedly I have never tried the meaty version of this creation, so can’t compare the two, however I would say regardless of similarity, this radical choice isn’t worth its £3.75 price tag.

Having purchased this contender the day prior to its consumption, as another work packed lunch situation, I was hoping it would supply some seasonal spirit to power me through the eight hour shift. Sadly, I was not impressed.

Inoffensive? Yes.

Inspiring? No.

A measly slice of Emmental was layered up with a wedge of fairly tasteless beetroot, and an excessive, according to my taste, amount of mustard. The flavours weren’t unpleasant, but neither did they offer any inclination of Christmas. The one thing that redeemed the butty was the bread. I’m not usually a fan of rye, yet even after a day of waiting to be eaten, and looking slightly on the compressed side of the spectrum, this element was satisfactory.

In conclusion, I will be sticking to my trusty egg mayo on future trips to this upmarket retailer, as although their fishy offering was lovely, it was a little over my preferred budget.

The Round – Up

I do not claim to have tried all of this years vegan festive sandwich options, nor would I say that I possess anything near professional expertise on the matter. This said, I adore supermarket sandwiches, so would like to say I am adequately qualified to make a judgement on these four, from the point of view of the standard flexitarian consumer. For me, the Co-Op takes the paper cracker crown in this showdown. A triumph.