Health warning over supermarket calorie-loaded Christmas sandwiches

04 November 2023 , 16:41

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Nutrition experts warn ­shoppers to be cautious of the calorie-packed Christmas sandwiches (Image: Getty Images)

This year’s seasonal supermarket sandwiches may leave folk reaching for roomier Christmas jumpers.

Nutrition experts warn ­shoppers to be cautious of the calorie-packed Yuletide snacks, which are bursting with fat and sugar as well as flavour. Many of the sarnies take a big bite out of an adult’s daily ­recommended allowance of 2,000 calories, 70g of total fat and 20g of saturates, 90g of sugar and 6g of salt.

One of the most indulgent offerings is Asda ’s £3.30 Festive Feast, a tortilla wrap filled with turkey, sausage, stuffing and gravy. It has 34g of fat, which is nearly half of the recommended daily amount, and 774 calories – more than three Mars Bars or 16 Quality Street chocolates. By further comparison, a McDonald’s Big Mac has 493 calories and 24g of fat.

Asda's indulgent Christmas wrap has a whopping 34g of fat

Elsewhere, Waitrose offers a 558-calorie Christmas Brie & Cranberry ­sandwich with 12.8g of saturated fat – 64% of the recommended daily intake. Sainsbury’s Pigs Under Blankets, with cranberry chutney, has 460 calories and its 1.65g of salt is almost a third of the suggested daily intake. Even saltier is Tesco ’s Turkey & Trimmings sandwich, with 1.91g and 467 calories. But this is topped by the supermarket’s Finest Pigs Under Blankets sarnie, at 592 ­calories – equal to almost three Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnuts – and 2.71g of salt. And Tesco’s 446-calorie Brie & Cranberry sarnie has 11.2g of ­saturated fat – more than four KFC fillet burgers.

Waitrose Brie and Cranberry sandwich

The National Obesity Forum’s Tam Fry said: “Understanding food labels is particularly important in the festive season. Manufacturers kid themselves they are giving you treats but ingredients are frequently unhealthily excessive.” Nutritionist Hannah Hope added: “As with all processed foods, be careful of intake. Christmas sandwiches are high in fat, salt and sugar. Approach these as the treat they are marketed as.”

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Asda said: “All our sandwiches are clearly labelled and we offer a range of healthier choices.” Waitrose said: “Our sandwich has only good ingredients.” Sainsbury’s said: “We clearly label products with nutritional information to help customers make informed decisions.” Tesco declined to comment.

John Siddle