Christmas Day can be about fun, family and festive cheer – and more often than not, lots of indulgent food and drinks!
Media reports suggest we can eat a staggering 6000 kcals (25104 kJ) on Christmas day, that’s 3 times the recommended daily intake for women and over 2 times for men. Surprised?
Here is an example of what this can look like according to British Nutrition Foundation:
Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs on buttered, wholemeal toast with a glass of orange juice and a glass of champagne
Mid morning: 2 satsumas and 6 fancy chocolates
Christmas dinner: Prawn cocktail to start, followed by roast turkey and all the trimmings and 2 glasses of red wine. For dessert, Christmas pudding and cream and a coffee, all finished up with a cheese board, glass of port and a couple of chocolates
Afternoon tea: Mince pie with a dollop of double cream and a glass of sherry
Supper: Turkey sandwich with coleslaw, crisps and a slice of Christmas cake
Evening: 8 fancy chocolates and 2 glasses of wine.
WOW! Stuggering 6000 calories!
How can we keep it lighter and not to overindulge?
Here are some breakfast suggestions:
Add fresh fruit such as grated apple or pear, segments of satsuma or sliced banana to your favourite wholegrain cereal or porridge. To make breakfast a little bit festive, why not sprinkle on some cinnamon, a handful of nuts or dried traditional fruit such as cranberries, dates or figs. Both fresh and dried fruit count towards your 5 A DAY! You could cook scrambled or poached eggs or even an omelette, and for a bit of luxury, add trimmings of smoked salmon with chopped chives and serve on wholemeal toast. Add tomato, avocado and/or mushrooms on the side for a bit of veg! Try a festive mix of fresh orange juice and sparkling water.
We are surrounded by tasty snacks at Christmas that can tempt us to eat when we are not really hungry. To help with making snacking that bit healthier:
Have lots of healthier snacks like fruit, unsalted nuts, vegetable sticks with plain yogurt and herbs, and other dips (try to choose those lower in fat, salt and sugar) to hand. You could choose to keep the chocolates and candy canes off the tree this year – instead have smaller portions of chocolate and sweet treats and serve them only occasionally. As an alternative snack, try small slices of fruity breads (e.g. malt loaf) and some dried fruit (e.g. figs) or seasonal fresh fruits (e.g. pears, clementines).
When it comes to a main meal, try these little tricks to keep you on a track.
Meat:
Opt for a less fatty options, trip the fat off.
The potatoes:
Try cutting your potatoes bigger for roasting - larger pieces absorb less fat during roasting (this also applies to parsnips and carrots). Parboil them first and then finish off in the oven!Traditionally, animal fats like lard or goose fat are used on roast potatoes – for a healthier option you can avoid using any oils. It has worked for me. They still go crispy! Swap half of your regular potatoes for sweet potatoes, as an alternative.If you leave the skins on your potatoes, you can up your fibre intake for the day.
The veg:
Serve a variety of vegetables, as different types provide different essential nutrients! Vegetables are what we call low-energy density foods – so you can eat lots for relatively few calories (provided they are not covered in fats like butter). Use chopped fresh herbs or lemon zest instead to add flavour. Try caraway with your carrots, or nutmeg with your Brussels sprouts for a deliciously Christmassy taste! Try steaming vegetables rather than boiling, as steaming retains more of the vitamins.
The gravy and sauces:
To make low fat gravy, pour the turkey juices in to a jug, wait for the fat to rise to the surface and carefully pour or spoon off the fat. You can then use the remaining juices to make gravy!Use low salt stock cubes for gravy and try to limit salt added at the table – your food will still taste delicious without it! Make bread sauce with skimmed milk, and add garlic, nutmeg, cloves and a bay leaf to the milk for extra flavour – you don’t need any salt to make it tasty!
The dessert:
Christmas pudding and other festive desserts can be delicious, but also very rich – why not opt for a small portion and add additional fruit for a 5 A DAY contribution.
After dinner: Do go for a walk afterwards for a breath of fresh air and some exercise! Celebration isn't only around the table! You can have a nice time by taking a little walk round the block, stretch your legs and get some fresh air too!
Love your leftovers: On Christmas day we tend to prepare and cook a lot more food than we actually eat! Instead of wasting all of your leftovers, why not use them to make some delicious next day meals or snacks?
Leftover turkey can be used for your sandwiches but I personally prefer cold meat and fresh salads. Vegetables can be used in traditional 'bubble and squeak'.
WATER
Don't forget your water intake. Drink plenty of water between meals. not only does it keep your fuller for longer but also flushes the toxins out of your body. Can't stress enough importance of water intake.
Hope the suggestions help and keep you on track.
Have a nice Christmas!
Cheers!
Love that