Tips on How to achieve a healthy affordable food trolley this Christmas!
1. Check the cupboards before you leave to do your food shop to see what
foods you have already a good supply of. And most importantly don’t go
through the supermarket’s Christmas aisles on an empty stomach!
2. Make a list! Plan ahead for meals, desserts and treats you and your family will
have over the Christmas period – make a list ahead of your food shop to save
time, money and food being wasted
3. To ensure your fruit and vegetables stay fresh and to cut down on cost buy
them frozen or tinned – these can be used to fill up both your dinner plate and
dessert bowls to keep the your overall calorie intake per meal down.
Remember always buy tinned fruit in its natural juice not in syrup!
4. Remember own brand products can be just as good as branded products –
have a look at the labelling for sugar, fat and salt per 100g and decide which
is the lowest, always choose “light”, ”reduced fat”,”sugar free”,”no added
sugar” or ”diet” labelled foods and drinks.
5. If you fancy savoury nibbles over the Christmas period why not buy corn
based crisps e.g. Quavers, Skips or Tayto velvets or flavoured popcorn like
cheese and onion (Avoid butter or toffee popcorn). Try to limit your intake to
100 calories of treats per day.
6. If it’s more of the sweet treats you would prefer keep an eye out for those
with fewer calories e.g. maltesers or Aero and try to limit portion size to “treat
size” amounts. Avoid buying these foods in bulk amounts to reduce cost and
amounts eaten – Remember if it’s not in the house there is less likelihood you
will over indulge! Try to limit your intake to 100 calories of treats per day.
7. With alcohol making a regular appearance during the festive season why not
try to reduce the amount of alcohol bought to keep a reign on your calorie
intake. For example – choose 330ml bottle instead of 500ml can of lagers,
ales, stouts and cider. Or as they say do a “DIY” on it, make a wine spritzer
or lager shandy using diet lemonade, slimline tonic or soda water!
Healthy Pudding Dessert Recipe - Serves 4
Berry Toasted Oat Pots
What you will need:





200g Raspberries
200g Strawberries, sliced
150g Blueberries
300g 0% fat Greek Yogurt
80g porridge oats
What to do:
1. Crush half the raspberries with a fork. Mix the rest with the
strawberries and blueberries.
2. Spoon the mixed berries into 4 serving pots, have pots with
lids if possible.
3. Stir the crushed raspberries into the yogurt and spoon on
top of the fruit.
4. Lightly toast the oats by spreading them onto a baking
sheet and grill them for 3-4 minutes.
5. Cool and share the toasted oats between the pots. Then
seal with lids or cover tightly with cling film.
6. Keep chilled before serving
Useful tip! Use frozen berries when fresh ones are out of season
and to help reduce cost.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland advises consumers to continue to boil all
imported frozen berries for at least one minute prior to consumption.