Healthy festive menu

This resource has been created by the complications of excess weight (CEW) team.

Christmas and the festive season is a great time to come together with friends and family to celebrate. For some people that can mean having more foods and drinks than we normally would.

When you are trying to make healthier choices, you can still enjoy many of the foods and drinks you like. Making some simple swaps and changing some easy habits can help you to enjoy yourself whilst keep your health goals intact.

Nibbles

Avoid having chocolate, sweets and nuts in bowls. If you want to offer to visitors, put a small amount out when they arrive and put them away again when they leave. Put them out of reach of little elves.

Even better, why not use some of these healthy snack options:

Festive food art for breakfast, nibbles and lighter meal

Cranberry cookies

Pop your own popcorn

Starters

If you serve a starter with your festive meal, then try to keep it light. Vegetable or fruit-based starters are a good option. For example, a soup that does not contain cream or cheese, a mixed salad with roasted squash and beetroot, or some melon. Avoid bread with your starter if you are having potatoes with your main course.

Florida cocktail

Tomato soup

Winter vegetable soup

Christmas dinner

Relax, and enjoy time with your friends and family. Christmas dinner is not a race. Take your time with the food and savour all the delicious flavours and textures.

Chew food slowly and allow your body to recognise when it has had enough. Turn off the TV and chat or play some games such as a Christmas-themed eye spy.

Top tips for Christmas dinner:

• Fill up half of your plate with vegetables
• Avoid piling your plate high as this encourages you to eat more than you need
• Cut potatoes into larger chunks so they soak up less fat
• Have just one type of potato
• Drain fat from meat juice before making gravy
• Avoid the skin or crackling from meat
• Save leftovers for the next few days rather than trying to eat everything all on one day
• Serve dinner with tap water flavoured with lemon, cucumber or berries. Avoid high calorie drinks such as full sugar pop or coffee with syrups

Christmas dinner and all the trimmings

Christmas pudding

What is Christmas without a dessert? Opt for fruit-based puddings such as crumbles. Serve with plain yoghurt rather than a sweeter custard or brandy sauce. Have just one option for pudding rather than a selection.

Keep selection boxes out of sight and allow one serving of these each day.

Gingerbread and apple muffins

Apple and blackberry crumble

Fast-stewed fruit

Festive party activities

Make sure to keep moving over the festive season. This will help you to burn up the extra calories (energy) you may have eaten. Take a family walk, have a trip to the park, or play active games such as musical chairs or musical bumps.

Aim to be active for at least 1 hour every day.

Websites and games for younger children

Active Arcade

Cosmic kids

Go Noodle

NHS: 10 minute shake up and indoor games

Websites and games for older children and adults

Nike Studio

NHS: fitness studio