Free From Christmas Awards 2025
Let us help you discover some medal winning gems for your tastiest ever Free From Christmas.
The Free From Christmas Awards recognise and celebrate festive free from food and drink products. Christmas is one of the biggest celebrations of the year and seasonal ranges, along with seasonally relevant products, have evolved tremendously. We believe they are worthy of celebration and by doing so we play our part in encouraging further exciting festive developments.
Congratulations to all medallists and a big thank you to all entrants, sponsors and judges for your continued support.
- Please remember that many medal winning products are seasonal and may not be available until nearer Christmas and/or only available for a limited time.
- Entry criteria state that products must be free of one or more of the top 14 UK-listed major allergens with no PAL for the allergen/s specified in the free from claim/s. As a result the free from credentials of our medallists will vary.
- Each listing includes on pack free from claims, which top 14 allergens the product contains and any precautionary allergen labelling applied.
- Information shown is supplied by the entrant: please double check the packaging, the brand’s website, or if in doubt contact the manufacturer.
Thank you to our Sponsors and Partners!
Just Love Spiced Fruit Cupcakes are THE BEST Christmas product, with runners up close behind, and our judges believe they justify travelling that extra mile for or spending that little bit more on …… after all it is Christmas.
This is a really delicious product. The icing eats incredibly well for milk free. The cinnamon sugar sprinkle on the top is very pretty. The sponge is moist, with a very good bouncy texture for gluten free. It doesn't eat too heavy. You've got the spice mix just right.
Just Love is a family-run bakery specialising in allergy management. Our mission is to make delicious treats that allow people with allergies to be included in occasions big or small! Having grown up with allergies in our family, we know the very real impact they can have whether it's being left out, not feeling safe or quite literally just not eating. No one should have to feel like that if it can be avoided. We are here to prove that amazing cakes can be enjoyed by everyone!
Looks very homemade and love the added detail of the festive gluten free stamp on top of the buttery rich pastry. Upon cutting, it releases a comforting meaty aroma, which is matched by a rich flavour upon eating, where the venison and port are notable. Love the added touch of the silverskin onions which makes it feel more gourmet. Definitely a great inclusive option for hosting or a treat over the festive season.
Baked to Taste is taking a stand against gluten, providing a haven for gluten-free and coeliac eaters with zero compromise on flavour and texture! Our 100% gluten-free and wheat-free kitchen in Devon is our home, where we're making the best food we can create to satisfy your cravings.
The product quality is excellent. These are really great matches to x3 very recognisable main stream products. Really inclusive being both milk and gluten free.
I can't fault it! Fantastic product. So inclusive - but no compromises on flavour/texture. Good price point. Love that it's palm oil free. Love the familiar flavours, too.
We're BUTTERM!LK, made for life’s little indulgences. We believe that everyone should be able to enjoy exceptional tasting chocolate, regardless of lifestyle choice or dietary needs. Our award-winning chocolate treats are bursting with texture and flavour, because we know it's ALL about the taste.
A really innovative snack and work well in an advent calendar. I really appreciate how they have additional flavours that I have not seen in store before either. It feels special in that way. Allergens are clearly outlined on the packaging. Well done! Like the facts and the engaging nature of the calendar with multiple flavours. Overall - this is an excellent product, we all enjoyed opening one and having the experience.
Welcome to Doughlicious! From whipping up treats in her kitchen to becoming London’s cookie queen, Kathryn Bricken turned her American baking magic into a sweet success story. Combining the finest ethically sourced ingredients with her entrepreneurial spirit, this dough-obsessed mum launched Doughlicious The London Dough Co in 2017, transforming her passion for bringing people together through wholesome, indulgent treats into a delicious reality.
Great tasting pig in blanket - you can't fault the effort made in ensuring this is gluten free.
A nice flavour and texture. Smells lovely. These are the nicest pigs in blankets I've had in a while. The mustard works so well that it makes me never want to have one without mustard again. I got the sweetness from the honey.
Feast your eyes on a 'More to Value' Christmas at Lidl! The aisles are full of Christmas goodies to make you a host with the most. From turkeys to ‘wow’ at the table to puddings that everyone will want to make room for. And don’t forget all of the tipples and nibbles for more of those expected (and unexpected) visits from friends and family, plus lots more at great value. Christmas at Lidl is nearly here – and everyone is invited!
Product has a lovely golden colour. Batter is light and crisp. £3 for 10 feels like great value for money. Lovely to have a GF prawn with a nice crusty crumb. The prawn is meaty and juicy. Amazing crunch! Amazing flavour! I love everything about this product! These have a nice smell, great mouthfeel, and are a very unique product. I would say anything battered and fried to this quality meets a genuine gluten free need.
Tempura Prawns are a Christmas staple; working with Sainsbury's, Ocean House have developed a product free from gluten so that nobody needs to miss out on this lightly seasoned, deliciously crunchy party food favourite!
Attractively presented, these bubble tempuras look inviting and unusual. Innovative approach creating plant-based tempura. The flavour was great - reminiscent of actual prawns without being overly or artificially fishy, and the coating was crisp and crunchy which is exactly how I pictured them.
Ours were air fried (thank you, Chef...) and I need to find out who makes these. They're brilliant party food, you can throw them in the air fryer and forget about them while you entertain and socialise with your friends and family.
Our crisp and succulent No-Prawn Bubble Tempuras are sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your party this year. Jackfruit and king oyster mushrooms coated in a crisp, golden, gluten-free bubbly tempura batter.
100% Plant-based, 100% delicious!
Nice thin crisps. Good snap. Chocolate melts well. Nice crunch to the mint sugar nibs with good balance of mint.
For a dairy free chocolate, I'm impressed. The chocolate isn't greasy and melts as it should. Up there with many standard dairy-based chocolates. If I wasn't told it was free from, I wouldn't know. This is very positive.
Expertly made by an award winning chocolate maker to a gluten, egg, milk, and wheat free recipe.
Pretty little units, with plenty of toppings. Blondies are usually very sweet but these hit the spot without being sickly. Tasted delicious, another very 'grown up' treat.
As someone who can eat dairy and egg, I'm really grateful for products like these that haven't been stripped bare of natural flavour and feel more homemade. They smell divine. The fruit really shines with no chemical aroma to the blondie! Good thick layer of white chocolate. The blondie has a nice density and squidginess to it.
Free From eating is not confined to just gluten free foods, as many products are also made without dairy, nuts, and eggs. Earlier this year, Waitrose updated its packaging to make the Free From range more visible and easier to shop.
Products use colour-coded labels on the front of the pack to clearly show which allergens, such as gluten, milk, soya, egg, or lactose, are absent.
Perfect bite size with a lovely appearance, cute biscotti shape, nice colour and plenty of visible nuts. They smell divine (almost creamy sweet).
Great crunch and nice and light with a good nutty flavour. They taste very good... just as biscotti should be! Perfect with a cup of coffee or a fresh glass of white. Reasonable price. Perfect for Christmas celebrations.
White Rabbit was founded on the belief that no one should have to compromise on good food. With an Italian chef as co-founder, we’ve used traditional family recipes and the very best ingredients to create gluten free dishes inspired by Italian classics. We’ve even built our own bespoke gluten free bakery to deliver on our promise to you. Our food is made without gluten, but always with love.
Joint winners are NOMO and White Rabbit!The independent sector is incredibly important in the free from community, inspiring innovation and adding quality to the menu. This award is for the highest number of medal wins across brands or companies entered.
NOMO Chocolate is the UK’s No.1 plant-powered and free from chocolate brand. Our mission is to create products that all chocolate lovers can enjoy regardless of your dietary requirements! Our name stands for No Missing Out – and that’s our promise. Every NOMO product is completely plant-powered and free from dairy, gluten, egg and nuts, without compromising on taste.
White Rabbit was founded on the belief that no one should have to compromise on good food. With an Italian chef as co-founder, we’ve used traditional family recipes and the very best ingredients to create gluten free dishes inspired by Italian classics. We’ve even built our own bespoke gluten free bakery to deliver on our promise to you. Our food is made without gluten, but always with love.
Baked to Taste is taking a stand against gluten, providing a haven for gluten-free and coeliac eaters with zero compromise on flavour and texture! Our 100% gluten-free and wheat-free kitchen in Devon is our home, where we're making the best food we can create to satisfy your cravings.
At Booja-Booja we’ve been making delicious vegan and organic treats, right here in Norfolk for over 25 years. We’ve always been pioneers in the world of vegan, dairy free confectionery.
Every chocolate truffle and tub of ice cream we make is vegan, organic, and dairy-free, as well as gluten-free and soya-free too. Welcome to Booja-Booja.
We are one of the UK's leading free-from chocolate suppliers and although best known for being dairy free and vegan, our entire range of chocolate is additionally free from wheat, gluten, and soya. Our dairy dodging chocolate is loved by vegans and vegetarians alike.
We believe in the power of food to bring people together, not set them apart. When individuals bring their own tastes and needs around the table, they bring their unique flavour that makes each meal richer. In the same way, encouraged by the quality lovers who push us forward and inspire us to keep creating, we put together only the best gluten free cereals and ingredients to make delicious food that is made with the best of us.
With an inspiring array of new Christmas products and ranges across the free from sector ensuring the occasion of Christmas is truly inclusive, which supermarket should consumers look to for the most diverse, inspiring and delicious range this Christmas? This year, we recognise that M&S is catering for all Christmas occasions at the highest level amongst our retailer entrants.
The M&S Made Without range is full of flavour-packed products that just happen to be completely wheat-, or dairy-free, so no one ever has to miss out on the foods they love.
From delicious gluten-free dinners and sandwiches to dairy-free sweet treats, we’ve created a range of foods that don’t compromise on flavour. All M&S Made Without products are created in a controlled environment, so you can trust they’re safe for you to enjoy.
It's officially the perfect time to treat yourself with a trip to the M&S Foodhall.
Their festive offering is perfectly curated, showcasing the innovation & quality of the M&S Made Without range which has been elevated this year with M&S ‘Collection’ Made Without.
Highlights that contributed to the win:
M&S Collection Made Without: This elevated line includes the legendary and deliciously nostalgic Chocolate Yule Log—a rolled gluten-free chocolate sponge finished with indulgent buttercream!
Traditional Favourites: From the iconic Made Without Turkey Feast Sandwich and Mince Pies to exciting new treats like the Turkey Feast Tart and Speculoos Cookies in a Light Up Tin. Beyond Made Without:
The 'Gluten Free' logo extends to the main range, including products like the 'Our Best Ever' Pork, Chestnut & Bacon Stuffing Parcels, a new party food, Pecorino & Chorizo Mini Tortillas and the deliciously sweet Clementine & Cranberry Frangipane.
Advent Calendars are not just for children!
Whilst Christmas Day may be the main event, for many the build up is the best part of the festive season and this often
starts on 1st December with the advent calendar.
There are so many options now available with choices extending way beyond those developed specifically with kids in mind.
And they extend beyond chocolate now …... from candy to cookies!
All those products you’d be proud to give or be happy to receive. Whether small table gifts, or more elaborate offers for that special someone, presentation counts.
This category demonstrates the inclusivity of the seasonal offer now available: until relatively recently the idea of ‘gifting’ a free from product was not really an option.
Presentation counts when gifting, so judges consider taste, texture, quality, innovation & free from credentials and the visual appeal of the product in its giftworthy pack.
Thrilling little parcels jammed into a sock to wake up to on Christmas morning! Here are some perfect stocking fillers for ultimate excitement.
Putting small producers in the spotlight with their festive creations. Typically entries here will have been made in smaller quantities, often hand-made or with an artisanal element.
The party food offer has come a long way over recent years, and the once-dreaded Christmas buffet can now be an inclusive occasion. From canapés and sharing bites (savoury or sweet) to dips, crisps, cheese alternatives and crackers – anything that you could serve at a Christmas party or gathering.
Often the last consideration, drinks are all important at Christmas, allowing guests to feel included and celebrate with a glass of something non-alcoholic.
Festive traditions are important when it comes to Christmas meal occasions and inclusivity is important on both a practical & emotional level.
You can be part of the same festive foodies traditions as those around you and if you're cooking this Christmas you will find lots of main category accompaniments making free from claims, alongside delicious free from products.
Festive traditions are important when it comes to Christmas meal occasions and inclusivity is important on both a practical & emotional level.
You can be part of the same festive foodies traditions as those around you and if you're cooking this Christmas you will find lots of main category accompaniments making free from claims, alongside delicious free from products.
Give in to temptation this Christmas... From the traditional Christmas Pudding to a pile of profiteroles, and free from confections such as mint creams, truffles and chocolate thins.
Find your perfect Christmas biscuits here, with everything from pistachio cookies to almond biscotti and gingerbread creations.
There are an increasing number of seasonal sweet bakery items hitting the shelves each Christmas, highlights include a rolled sponge Yule Log to festively fruity Iced Cupcakes.
Officially Brits scoff their first mince pie of the season before Hallowe'en, although from judges' gossip we reckon you're tucking in well before the summer holidays are over!
