The Great Christmas Stuffing

This year Britons will on average be wolfing down around 6,000 calories on Christmas day alone, experts say.

On top of this, the average person may consume an extra 500 calories per day during the festive season, which equates to a weight gain of around five pounds come January first.

The British Dietetic Association has put together some handy tips to make sure the only thing that gets stuffed this Christmas is the turkey.

Plan ahead

If you are going to eat out, eat smaller meals beforehand and cut out any other treats. Open one box of chocolates at a time rather than having five on the go and put unopened boxes away.

Buffet table surfing

Don’t hover by the buffet table but if you do indulge, try to visit only once using a smaller dessert sized plate. Avoid high saturated fat offerings such as sausage rolls and quiche. Instead choose fruit, skinless chicken and vegetable crudités.

Office politics

To avoid the office communal chocolate/mince pies etc. take festive fruit like satsumas into work.

Supermarket sweep.

When going to the supermarket, make a list and stick to it. Avoid those aisles of temptation. If you want some festive snacks, try plain popcorn, pretzels, and vegetable crudités with a yummy low fat dip.

Big bird

Turkey is a great source of protein and a low fat meat. Most of the fat that is present in a cooked turkey will be found in the skin. Why not take the skin off before you tuck in?

Perfect portions

About a third of your dinner plate should be vegetables, such as unbuttered Brussels sprouts, peas and carrots. Cook for the shortest length of time possible in the smallest amount of water necessary to keep all the nutrients in. Use the veg water for gravy and any leftover veg for a delicious soup. These make a great contribution to your 5-a-day and they also help fill you up to stop the urge to snack between meals.

Healthy options

If you want to go that extra step, try dry roasting potatoes on a non-stick baking sheet or use an oil spray instead of smothering them in goose fat. You can also make your gravy using vegetable stock instead of meat juices, accompanied by a fruit-based stuffing with bread sauce made with low fat milk.

Bottoms down

Those who like to indulge in a drink or two tend to drink more over the Christmas period. Alcohol is very energy dense (7kcal/g versus 4kcal/g for protein or carbs and 9kcal/g for fat). Avoid sweet cocktails and creamy liqueurs. Try alternating your drink with a glass of water or other calorie free drinks and if you do enjoy a short with a mixer, stock up on low calorie mixers and unsweetened fruit juices and beware the home measures!

Pie-eyed

The average mince pie contains about 250 calories and that’s before it’s covered in cream or brandy butter. Remove the lid to cut calories.

Christmas is also the time of year when most houses have boxes and boxes of chocolates and biscuits to hand. While we all like to enjoy the odd treat now and then, balance this with some healthy options, such as satsumas piled high in a bowl, dried fruit, figs and nuts.

Sian Porter, consultant dietitian and spokesperson for the BDA said: "Christmas should be a time for festive fun and special food. You shouldn’t feel guilty about treats now and then, you just need to make sure that they are treats and not the whole sum of your food intake. Stock up on some healthy alternatives too for some balance."

"This time of year, it is so easy to unwittingly consume a lot more calories than normal. Make plans to get yourself and the family active – dancing, shopping and post-meal walks all will help to burn off some calories."

This article was published on Thu 23 December 2010