Best place to buy turkey, trimmings and more

Cooking Christmas dinner can be daunting, but you can avoid a last-minute turkey terror with our inside guide to the best place to buy your bird.

We surveyed 9,211 members in January 2021 to find out which places they rated best for Christmas dinner essentials, including party canapés, turkey, sausages, stuffing, vegetables and desserts.

Our research, based on the real experiences of customers, reveals the top places to buy your festive fare, with members rating each retailer for taste, quality, value for money and overall satisfaction.

Get your shopping sorted with our guide to the best places to stock up on Christmas food.

Best place to buy 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.

Best place to buy fresh whole turkey

As in previous years, independent farms, markets and butchers have been rated the best place to buy a fresh Christmas turkey. 

Members told us they were impressed with both the taste and quality, scoring a full five stars.

But the next best bet was a low-cost retailer that offers outstanding value for money, while still delivering on quality and taste.

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 but cheerful turkey.

Best place to buy frozen turkey

This year, we also asked members to rate frozen whole turkeys they'd bought. Again, one budget supermarket came out trumps for quality and value. 

There were several close runners-up though, so if you're struggling to track a turkey down, you've got plenty of good options.

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're not keen to commit to a mega turkey, or have fewer mouths to feed, a smaller cut could be the answer. 

Independent butchers, farms and markets topped our survey, but when it came to supermarkets, some different ones excelled versus the whole turkeys, with one retailer coming head and shoulders above the rest.

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 sausages

Whether swaddling them in bacon for pigs in blankets or frying them up for a Boxing Day breakfast, our members loved the bangers they got from their butcher, farm or market. 

The winning supermarket for sausages achieved the full five stars for taste and quality, while a cheaper rival came a close second.

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 stuffing

Butchers, farms and markets impressed members with their high-quality, delicious stuffing. 

The top two supermarkets were neck and neck for taste, but one came out trumps for 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 fresh vegetables

Our survey results show that those who were the most satisfied with their Christmas veg bought them from a greengrocers, veg box scheme, farm or market. 

If you’re heading to the supermarket, there’s a clear winner at the top of the table offering excellent 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.

Other meaty mains

If you're not fussed about turkey this year (or can't track one down), we also asked Which? members to rate other meat joints they'd had at Christmas. 

Beef and chicken were some of the more popular alternative options, with a high number of survey respondents opting for these meats. Here's where's best to buy if you're keen on a nice roast beef joint - or a more dainty roast chicken - this year:

Best place to buy beef

If you're buying meat, independent butchers and farms or markets consistently get high ratings from our members, including for beef. 

But once again, a favourite discount retailer isn't 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 place to buy chicken

A chicken can be a good compact alternative to turkey, while still delivering the 'full roast bird' experience. 

Which? members preferred the farm, market and butchers versions over everything else. The top supermarket managed 85%, narrowly beating out the others, but the next-best supermarket option achieved the full five stars for 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 canapés

When it comes to party food, two supermarkets were joint-first with 77%, but some languished far behind, with just three stars for taste.

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 Christmas desserts

Our members gave one supermarket five stars across the board for their delicious Christmas desserts, making it a great choice for a last-minute festive sweet treat. 

Plenty of others put in a strong performance, but some lower scorers were both less tasty and not as good value for money, according to Which? members.

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 2021 – 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 9,211 Which? members conducted in January 2021, shortly after Christmas. Data correct as of 19 November 2021.