Smarter seasonal eating

When it’s cold outside, it can be tempting to curl up and indulge in comfort food. And with Christmas coming, treats can be more tempting than ever. But winter is a long season and regular snacking on foods high in fat, salt and sugar can take its toll.

Here, we’ve come up with some great bites to warm up your winter and make your Christmas sparkle.

Seasonal snacks

Christmas is a time of giving, celebrating and indulging in festivities. And when we’re surrounded by big tins of chocolates, sausage rolls and mince pies, it can be easy to overdo it. This year, why not try to swap the sugary, fatty or salty treats for a few healthier seasonal favourites.

• Roast chestnuts for 20–30 minutes in a medium oven – they have the lowest fat of all nuts. Remember you’ll need to pierce them first though.
• For a sweet treat, opt for some grapes or a juicy satsuma.
• And if you need warming up, try warm apple juice spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

5 tips for smarter snacking

1. When you distract yourself from food, the temptation to nibble will pass. Give yourself time after your meal to do something you enjoy – why not call a friend, wrap some presents or read a magazine.
2. Nibbling high fat snacks at Christmas parties can boost your calories without you realising. To reduce temptation, try having a healthy snack or a light meal before getting to the party to ‘take the edge’ off your hunger.
3. Eat regularly throughout the day so you’ll be less likely to snack in between meals. Base your meals on wholegrain starchy foods, with plenty of fruit and veg and you‘ll find you don’t have room for sweets.
4. Try to become aware of when you snack most, for example in front of the TV. When your attention’s on what you’re watching and not what you’re eating, you can find you’re eating more than you need.
5. Instead of trying to cut out your winter and Christmas snacks altogether, it‘s better to add more foods that make you feel good, not guilty, to your shopping list.

Seasonal swap shop

We’ll all eat a little too much over the holiday period. So we’ve come up with some great seasonal swaps to help you shop and make healthier choices this Christmas.

Plan your festive food shopping by making a list and sticking to it. It's tempting to throw unnecessary extras into the trolley with all the attractive offers on show so make sure your list has loads of tasty snacks like these:

• vegetables for dipping
• bread sticks or mini pitta breads
• low fat dips (less than 3g fat per 100g)
• pineapple chunks canned in natural juice
• lower fat/salt crisps – compare labels so you can choose healthier varieties
• a range of easy-to-eat fruits such as satsumas, apples and grapes

And once you're home

Instead of this...	Have this...
sour cream and chive dip	tomato salsa dip
roast potatoes cooked in oil	dry roast potatoes – or spray with a little oil
roast turkey with skin	roast turkey without skin
parsnips roasted in fat	boiled parsnips seasoned with herbs and black pepper
mince pie with double cream	mince pie with single cream

Jolly just desserts

Hot Christmas puddings are tempting at this time of year and, with a few tweaks you can make them healthier and just as tasty. To begin, base your pudding on fruit, try to choose lower fat ingredients such as semi-skimmed, 1% or skimmed milk for custards, and keep an eye on your portion size.

Sample some of our slimmer pudding sensations:

• Ditch the pastry and try a little mincemeat warmed with slices of baked apple and served with custard made with lower fat milk.
• For a naughtier version, try making mini-pancakes, cooked in just a tiny bit of oil, rolled up with mincemeat and a splash of low-fat custard.
• Winter fruit salad. Mix together segments of orange and satsumas and heat through with fruit juice and cinnamon.
• Warm poached pears served with low-fat frozen yoghurt or fromage frais.
• Baked rice pudding made with lower fat milk, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Fruit crumble made with a light, crunchy muesli and dried fruit topping.

Fit for the new year

It may be the bleak mid winter but that’s no reason to avoid getting some activity into your day. Being active is one of the best ways to keep yourself healthy, use the energy your food gives you and be fit for the New Year.

• You can keep warm this winter by just moving around a bit more. Why not put a bit of gusto into putting up your decorations or laying the table?
• If you’re lucky enough to have some seasonal snow, dust down your sledge and get your wellies on for some sledging.
• A brisk walk when you’re running errands, shopping with family and friends will also keep you warm.
• If you’re green fingered why not layer up and get into the garden to pick fresh seasonal foliage for your own Christmas wreath or indoor decorations.
• If you just don’t fancy braving the cold why not try a new indoor activity? Ballroom, salsa or just plain silly dancing are all energising and will get your heart going. Or if you feel braver and fancy something more seasonal why not try ice skating?