I 've always found it slightly strange that we willingly put ourselves through a dry turkey dinner every Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I do love the trimmings, but there's something about spending hours cooking a giant bird only to spend the meal desperately reaching for more gravy that doesn't quite add up.
So when I spotted M&S's new Festive Feast Lasagne at the brand's Christmas showcase, I was immediately intrigued. And after trying it, I'm confident that I can call it: this might just be the Christmas dinner alternative we've been waiting for.
The new lasagne takes all those comforting festive flavours and layers them into one gloriously indulgent dish, topped with an irresistible layer of bubbling, melty cheddar. It's rich and creamy without being overwhelmingly heavy, with plenty of savoury flavour running through every bite.
There's a subtle sweet and tangy cranberry note running through the dish that cuts through all that creamy richness, giving it just enough freshness to make you go back for another forkful. And another...
This such a brilliant alternative to the traditional Christmas dinner. You still get those familiar festive flavours, but in a completely different format that's much more relaxed and, crucially, doesn't require you to spend hours carving a turkey.
M&S has been leaning into festive twists and fuss-free Christmas food this year, and this feels like one of its most successful. It's indulgent, comforting and genuinely delicious, while also feeling like something a little different for the big day.
Mel is the Senior Food & Drink Writer for Good Housekeeping UK, covering all the delicious new product launches that come her way, writing about food and drink topics, and curating gift guides for the best foodie products to buy. Alongside that, she can be found developing and creating cocktails for GH and holds her WSET Level 2 in Wine and Spirits. She was part of the Good Housekeeping Institute food testing team for over four years before moving over to the digital side, so knows a thing or two about great food products. You'll find her scouring the supermarket shelves in her spare time for new and exciting ingredients to experiment with in her kitchen.