Festive feeding
Tis the season to be jolly - and eat well
Some healthy eating suggestions from WeightWatchers leader Fiona Pediani, from King’s Park.
Do you find it hard not to be tempted by bulk buying festive foods in the supermarkets at this time of year?
Big tins of chocolate which are reduced in price, selection boxes buy two get one free and tempting displays of snacks, drinks and sweets.
Before I joined Weight Watchers, I always used to find my weight creeping up at this time of year and then after overindulging at Christmas I felt uncomfortable in January.
I would buy several bargain priced selection boxes way ahead of Christmas and they would be gone by the beginning of December. I would then go out and replace them on Christmas Eve so that my “bargain” wasn’t actually saving me any money at all.
Not any more though, since following the Weight Watchers ProPoints plan, I’ve learned how to have a great Christmas, enjoy festive foods in moderation and manage my weight throughout the season.
Just by knowing some simple tips and tricks, you can avoid the temptations that surround us at this time of year, stay on track and save yourself some money in the process!
1. Writing a shopping list and sticking to it is a good start. Shopping online can be a great way of avoiding the temptations of bulk buy offers and can save you money in the process
2. Look at the sell by date on items such as mince pies and puddings. They are quite often dated a few days before Christmas, if you’ve already bought them you will find yourself eating them ahead of the sell by date and end up buying more for the big day – be careful to check before you buy and plan in advance so you’re stocked up for when you have friends or family round but not left with a huge stack to get through post-Christmas.
3. Check out the nutritional info on the packets of whatever festive foods you fancy. Weight Watchers members often find that working out the ProPoints of chocolate and sweets is a great way of being mindful of the amount you can budget into your eating plan. If they are high in calories then ask yourself if what you are about to buy and ultimately consume is really worth it. What else could you have instead? You could probably have a three course meal for the amount of ProPoints or calories that are in a couple of handfuls of Christmas chocolates or half of that selection box that was calling out to you.
4. Never go shopping when hungry, this is a real danger zone! All the sights and aromas in the supermarket will seem much harder to avoid if you haven’t eaten for a while. Carrying some fruit in your bag or in the car can be a good tactic.
5. If you do buy some Christmas goodies, put them away so that they are well out of sight or wrap them up in Christmas paper if they are for gifts
And finally always remember that a little bit of what you fancy does you good so buy chocolate and tempting high calorie items in small packets so that you can treat yourself without over indulging - with a little bit of forward planning you can look forward to having a great festive season. 11 ProPoints per serving; 10 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes to cook. Serves two.
Ingredients: 2x150g bonless pork loin steaks, fat trimmed; 150g on-the-vine cherry tomatoes; 50g dried black olives (stone in); one tsp olive oil; one teaspoon olive oil; 75g wholewheat giant couscous; zest of 1/2 lemond/ one tsp oil oil; small handfull of watercress.
1. Preheat the over to gas mark six/200 degrees C/fan 180. Put the pork in a roasting tin with the tomatoes and olives. Drizzle the oil over and roast for 12-15 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and sizzling.
2. Meanwhile, put the couscous in a pan of cold water and cook according to the pack instructions until tender. Drain well, then tip back into the pan with the lemon zest and capers.
3. Divid between two plates and top with the pork, tomatoes, olives and watercress. Spoon the pan juices over to serve.