These bite-sized babies pack a calorific punch at Christmas parties
WOULD it even be a Christmas party without some mini quiches and sausage rolls?
While there are a range of more gourmet party canapes available, the old school pastry favourites remain on many an entertaining platter. And let’s be honest, calories do not really matter when they are consumed via bite-sized morsels while enjoying a glass of bubbles at Christmas, do they?
Unfortunately they do, big time. Not only is snack food consumed at events generally consumed mindlessly, meaning we are barely even aware of what and how much we have eaten, but overall canapes are pretty poor quality in general.
Made with plenty of highfat ingredients including pastry, cheese and fatty meats, you can eat as few as three fried snack canapes and have consumed more calories than a small meal. So here are the worst options when the platters get passed around. Quiches, sausage rolls, party pies
It does not matter if it is a pie, sausage roll, quiche or vol au vent, any canape made with pastry will be a calorie, and nutritional, disaster.
With at least five grams of fat per serve, and 80 to 100 calories, the issue with commercially-made pastry is it is still likely to contain trans fats, the type of fats particularly bad for the heart.
With just two party pies offering more than 300 calories and 14 grams of fat, or a mini quiche offering upwards of 120 calories and seven to 10 grams of fat, this Christmas you will be best to avoid the pastry entirely.
Risotto balls, calamari, fried wings As a general rule of thumb, anything deep fried is far from a good choice nutritionally.
Increasingly popular on menus, a single large risotto ball contains up to 150 calories and 10 grams of fat and that is without the dipping sauce.
Calamari fares no better with 50 calories and four grams of fat per small piece, whole chicken wings clock in at seven to eight grams of fat per wing and 100 calories.
Remember, just because they contain some protein does not mean they are low in fat, so if you see the word fried, run a mile. Avoid a fried Christmas.
Halloumi anything One of the most popular cheeses to add to a barbecue or platter, the addition of halloumi fries has sent many a cheese lover into a spin. But at almost 35 per cent fat, a fried halloumi chip is anything but a healthy choice.
Also exceptionally high in salt, unlike creamy cheeses which can be enjoyed in relatively small portions, halloumi tends to be served in a large slab translating into plenty of fat and calories.
Keep your halloumi as an addition to a healthy salad rather than a stand-alone snack food.