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Christmas Party Tips

The festive season doesn’t need to mean the end of healthy eating – you can still enjoy all the celebrations and parties without having to count calories.

From family gatherings to work parties there’s usually a plentiful supply of drinks, nibbles, food and entertainment. So whether it’s mulled wine or hot chocolate, roast turkey or sausage rolls check out the handy tips below to help you enjoy the festive season:

• Heading to a party straight from work? To avoid drinking on an empty stomach or diving straight into the nibbles, have a healthy snack beforehand such as handful of unsalted nuts, oat cakes with houmous or a handful of popcorn.
• If it’s a buffet, take just the one trip to the buffet table and include some vegetables, salad and even a fruity dessert (walk along the buffet table first to see what’s available before you start loading up your plate!)
• Go easy on the creamy dips as these are usually higher in fat and total calories.
• Eat from your plate – it can be easy to lose track of how many tasty nibbles you’ve picked up, so put them on your plate first to help you.
• Have a glass of water in between alcoholic drinks. This can help to keep you hydrated and water doesn’t contain any calories.
• Choose a small glass of wine rather than a large – this can save around 95 kcal a glass! You can always top up a small glass of wine with soda water or ice cubes. For more information about responsible drinking, please click.
• Swap your standard hot chocolate for one made with semi-skimmed instead of wholemilk and add a dusting of cinnamon on top instead of chocolate to give a festive twist with fewer calories.
• Dancing is a great way to burn some extra calories – around 200kcal for half an hour!