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Enjoy a leaner (not meaner) Christmas dinner!

‘Tis the season to be jolly and we all love to tuck into some good grub over the festive season. Mind you, there’s often a Grinch in our heads saying ‘Bah humbug’, warning us of the follies of eating too much, and dangling our New Year’s party clothes in front of us like a carrot.

Well, this Christmas, you can still enjoy a good roast with all the trimmings and with a couple of tweaks here and there, it can be healthier too!‘Tis the season to be jolly and we all love to tuck into some good grub over the festive season. Mind you, there’s often a Grinch in our heads saying ‘Bah humbug’, warning us of the follies of eating too much, and dangling our New Year’s party clothes in front of us like a carrot.

Well, this Christmas, you can still enjoy a good roast with all the trimmings and with a couple of tweaks here and there, it can be healthier too!

  • Ask your butcher for lean cuts of meat, or check the nutrition labels on packaging carefully
  • Grill, bake, steam or poach meat (or at least the other vegetable accompaniments) rather than frying or roasting so that you won’t need to add extra
  • Measuring oil with tablespoons rather than pouring it directly from the bottle will help you to use
  • Trim any visible fat off meat before cooking
  • Serve up more vegetables than meat. Ideally, vegetables should make up half your plate, carbohydrates should make up a quarter and protein the last quarter
  • Got some beef for leftovers? Lucky you! If you’re making sandwiches, try leaving out the butter or spread. You might not need it if you use something else to add moisture, such as horseradish or mustard. When you use spread, make sure it’s one that’s soft (not fridge-hard) so that you can spread it more thinly.