Eat well
What’s really in a mince pie: Christmas treats unwrapped
Trying to stay healthy over the Christmas period? It's best to know what's really in the foods you're eating. Senior Dietitian Victoria Taylor presents her top tips for staying savvy when indulging.
Christmas is a time of feasting and celebrations, but this can make it tough to stick to healthy eating plans. Enjoying your food is one of the most important parts of healthy eating, and all foods can be incorporated into a healthy diet. The trick is to know what is in the foods you might be offered over the Christmas season so you can enjoy the season healthily.
Mince pies
Mince pies are high in calories, saturated fat and sugar because of the pastry case, as well as the suet and sugar in the mincemeat filling. If you’re baking your own, only use pastry for the base and leave the top open, just add a small star of pastry or use a lower-fat pastry, such as filo.
Did you know - an average 57g mince pie contains:
| Energy 948kJ 226kcal |
Sugars 17.8g High |
| Fat 8.9g Medium |
Saturates 3.9g High |
| Salt 0.2g Low |
Christmas pudding
On its own, Christmas pudding is a calorific choice and usually comes with energy-packed extras, such as brandy butter or cream. Instead, try low-fat custard or, if there’s no substitute for cream, try single cream, which is lower in calories per tablespoon than double cream.
Did you know - each 100g portion of Christmas pudding contains:
| Energy 1243kJ 296kcal |
Sugars 32.6g High |
| Fat 9.7g Medium |
Saturates 4.5g Medium |
| Salt 0.5g Medium |
The cheese board
Cheese boards are popular at Christmas, but many cheeses are high in saturated fat. Stick to plain crackers like water biscuits rather than butter puffs, which will save calories, and serve grapes or sliced apples to add sweetness without the extra sugar and salt in chutney.
Did you know - each 35g portion of stilton contains:
| Energy 592kJ 143kcal |
Sugars 0g Low |
| Fat 12.3g High |
Saturates 8g High |
| Salt 0.7g High |
Chocolates
One chocolate won’t do any harm, but once the box is open, it can be hard to stop. Try to only open the box when you have guests to share them, and keep any leftovers out of sight to avoid temptation.
Did you know - two chocolates contain:
| Energy 359kJ 86kcal |
Sugars 9g High |
| Fat 5g High |
Saturates 2.9g High |
| Salt 0g Low |
The Christmas buffet
The Christmas buffet is a big temptation during the holidays. Enjoy sausage rolls, prawns in pastry, scotch eggs and pork pies, but in moderation. Instead, fill up on healthier options like salads, crudités and sandwiches. Fill your plate and move away so it’s harder to go back for seconds.
Did you know - a 30g sausage roll contains:
| Energy 381kJ 112kcal |
Sugars 0.4g Low |
| Fat 5.7g High |
Saturates 2.3g High |
| Salt 0.3g Medium |
Healthy inspiration
Our recipe finder has a selection of mouth-watering, healthy recipes ideal for the festive season, including spiced butternut squash and red onion filo tartlets, baked potato skins with salmon, and beetroot hummus with crudités.
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