Veg out on Christmas goodies

SAINSBURY’S

Plant Pioneers No Pigs Under Blanket (£2.95, 436 calories/ 12g fat/1.96g salt) Mushroom and wheat protein sausage, wheat and pea protein slices, baconaise-style vegan mayo, cranberry chutney and onion on malted bread.

Health verdict: The pea protein is good for boosting your muscles.

Taste rating: Best for banger lovers, but lacking big flavour. Very salty.

2/5

Boxing Day Veggie Curry Wrap (£2.95, 442 calories/15.5g fat/ 1.18g salt) Seasoned and sweetened roasted carrot and parsnip, vegan-spiced mayo, root vegetable patty and spinach in a tortilla wrap.

Health verdict: Lower in salt than many, so better for blood pressure. Taste rating: Nice and spicy. 3/5

ALDI

Vegan Festive Feast Sandwich (£1.79, 457 calories/ 13.4g fat/1.39g salt) Cranberry and poppy seed bread filled with parsnip fritters, red cabbage, fresh apple, cranberry sauce, pumpkin vegan sage and onion mayonnaise and spinach.

Health verdict: High in fibre for good digestion, but also in sugar.

Taste rating: Tangy and stuffed with yuletide flavour. 5/5 BOOTS

Vegan No Turkey Feast (£3, 360 calories/ 7.2g fat/1.86g salt) Seasoned wheat gluten and soya

protein pieces, seasoned carrot strips, cranberry chutney, vegan sage and onion mayo, red cabbage, spinach and fried onions on malted bread.

Health verdict: Lowest in calories, so good for your waistline, but contains a third of your daily salt intake. Taste rating: Rather medicinal. 1/5 MORRISONS

Plant Revolution Very Merry Vegan Sandwich (£2.75, 365 calories/ 6.9g fat/1.11g salt) Vegetable fritter, whitebean parsnip houmous, braised red cabbage, spinach, spiced chutney and red cabbage on malted bread.

Health verdict: Another low calorie, fat and salt option with plenty of vitamins. Taste rating: A bit dry. 2/5

ASDA Plant Based Festive Feast Wrap

(£3.30, 452 calories/16g fat/1.2g salt) Soya protein pieces, sage and onion stuffing, braised red cabbage, vegan sage and onion mayonnaise, cranberry and port sauce and fresh spinach.

Health verdict: Soya protein boosts levels of essential amino acids.

Taste rating: Well-filled with a meaty texture. 4/5

m&S

Plant Kitchen No Turkey Feast (£3.75, 443 calories/15.6g fat/ 1.41g salt) Marinated roasted wheat and vegetable protein, vegan dressing with bacon flavour, cranberry chutney, spinach and fried onions on malted brown bread.

Health verdict: Average calories and fat and spinach is great for energy.

Taste rating: Generously filled and most like having real turkey. 4/5

CO-OP

GRO Turk’y Feast Sandwich (£3.25, 373 calories/ 7.8g fat/1.67g salt) Flame-grilled cooked flavoured soya protein, vegan mayonnaise, steam roasted carrot and parsnip, cranberry chutney and sage and onion stuffing on oatmeal bread.

Health verdict: Packed with protein and plenty of healthy veg.

Taste rating: A nice bit of bite. 3/5

TESCO

Plant Chef Root Vegetable and

Chestnut Wrap

(£2.75, 383 calories/10.8g fat/ 1.07g salt) Roasted root vegetables and chestnuts with braised red cabbage, cranberry sauce, a pea protein sauce, sage and onion stuffing and spinach in a beetroot and chia tortilla wrap.

Health verdict: Great for waistline watching and low in salt.

Taste rating: Really nutty and novel.

4/5 COSTA

Vegan P’gs and Blankets Panini (from £4.75, 571 calories/20g fat/2.7g salt) Plant-based sausage and bacon with sweet cranberry sauce, sage & onion stuffing, vegan mayo and “cheeze” in a stonebaked sourdough panini.

Health verdict: High in calories, fat and nearly half your daily salt allowance.

Taste rating: Bursting with flavour.

5/5

CAFFE NERO Vegan Festive Feast Panini

(497 calories/ 16.4g fat/1.8g salt) Plant-based turkey pieces, apple sage and fennel stuffing and mulled wine pickled red cabbage. Health verdict: Relatively low in calories and fat with antioxidants from the cabbage. Taste rating: A bit cardboardy. 2/5

GREGGS

ready to get festive in your lunch hour but wanting some plant-based grub? James Moore learns some are more virtuous – and tastier – than others

Vegan Festive Bake (from £1.80, 442 calories/28g fat/2.7g sugars/` 1.7g salt) Puff pastry with savoury Quorn, stuffing, vegan bacon crumb and sage and cranberry sauce.

Health verdict: Similar calories and fat to the meat version, but mycoprotein is high in fibre.

Taste rating: Filling and suitably festive. 4/5

Vegan TurkeyFree & Stuffing Baguette (from £3.50, 500 calories/ 11g fat/1.96g salt) Sage and onion plant-based goujons with onion gravy and cranberry and port sauce.

Health verdict: This would take an hour to run off and is high in salt. Taste rating: Sweet and moist. 3/5