Stay in shape with champagne and sausages! Ten ways to trim your Christmas calorie intake

Let’s face it, we all love to feast at Christmas.

But no one wants to emerge the other side looking like Santa’s bigger cousin.

So how do you tuck into festive treats without trimming the taste? York health and wellbeing mutual Benenden asked nutritionist Angela Dowden for some ideas.

And the answer, it seems, is often a simple swap…

Swap 1: Cheesy does it

Swap a 40g slice of stilton (164 calories)

For 40g Camembert (116 calories)

SAVE 48 calories

As a rule of thumb, softer, whiter cheeses are less fattening than harder, yellower ones. Camembert is also very rich in folic acid – a B vitamin that plays a role in fighting fatigue.

Swap 2: Get mashed

Swap 150g (3) roast potatoes (216 calories)

For 150g swede, carrot and potato mash with a knob of butter (83 calories)

SAVE 133 calories

Mash is generally a lower-calorie choice compared with roast potatoes, especially when you add swede and carrot. The mash is higher in vitamin C too.

Swap 3: A nut cracking idea

Swap a handful of roasted, salted peanuts (151 calories)

For a handful of roasted chestnuts (61 calories)

SAVE 90 calories

All nuts are nutritious but Christmassy roasted chestnuts are the best option to choose to keep calories down as they’re low fat. You cut down on salt by going for this option too.

Swap 4: Magic marzipan

Swap a slice of Christmas cake (268 calories)

For a marzipan fruit (60 calories)

SAVE 208 calories

For the same sweetness hit, but far fewer calories, swap a slice of Christmas cake for a marzipan fruit. Made with almonds, marzipan supplies the cell-protective antioxidant vitamin E.

Swap 5: Stuff it!

Swap 50g (2 balls) sausagemeat-based stuffing (148 calories)

For 50g dry mix stuffing made up according to packet instructions (66 calories)

SAVE 82 calories

Opt for packet stuffing to save calories – it’s not as rich, but just as tasty with gravy.

Read lots more tips to boost you and your family’s health and wellbeing at the Benenden website

Swap 6: Stick to this

Swap 2 cocktail sausage rolls (70 calories)

For 2 cocktail sausages on sticks (42 calories)

SAVE 28 calories

Ditching the pastry means you also reduce calories and saturated fat. And those cocktail sticks on your plate are a visible reminder of how much you’ve eaten, which can act as a brake on your consumption.

Swap 7: Lift the lid

Swap a mince pie (240 calories)

For a mince tartlet (160 calories)

SAVE 80 calories

By flicking the pasty top off a mince pie you save 80 calories – a sacrifice well worth making as you’re still left with a sweet and succulent treat.

Swap 8: Ham it up

Photograph © Nikodem Nijaki on Wikipedia

Swap a starter serving (80g) of duck and orange paté (304 calories)

For 2 slices of Parma ham with melon (106 calories)

SAVE 198 calories

Choose the second of these traditional starters and you’ll save nearly 200 calories. The melon also counts as one of your five a day.

Swap 9: Top topping

Swap 2 level dessertspoons (20g) brandy butter (122 calories)

For 20g crème fraîche (77 calories)

SAVE 45 calories

Tangy crème fraîche goes well with rich Christmas pud, and you save 45 calories compared with brandy butter. That saving increases to 88 calories if you go for half-fat crème fraîche.