Simple Christmas buffet swaps
Emma White - Nutritionist
Foods shouldn't be labelled 'good' or 'bad', but understanding some are more nutritious than others is helpful in balancing out our diet appropriately.
Use our handy buffet traffic light guide to help you get the most nutritious balance from your festive buffet.
Green foods – these foods are lower in calories, saturated fat and salt meaning you can fill up on as much of these as you'd like.
Amber foods – these foods are higher in calories, saturated fat and/or salt than green foods, so are fine to have in moderation, just try not to overdo it on the portions.
Red foods – these are the foods which are high in calories, saturated fat and/or salt so shouldn't be eaten to excess – more as a little add-on treat.
Vegetable crudites
24 kcals per 80g
Mixed leaf salad
10 kcals per 60g
Fruit salad
71 kcals per 140g
Salmon blinis
30 kcals each
Chicken skewers
26 kcals each
Christmas tree meringues
108 kcals each
Pigs in blankets
91 kcals for two
Brie & cranberry parcels
78 kcals each
Profiteroles
237 kcals per portion
food
swaps
Swap
For
Handful of salted peanuts
120 kcals
Handful of salted pretzels
79 kcals
3 mozzarella sticks
111 kcals
Caprese skewers
70 kcals
2 mini salmon tartlets
122 kcals
2 smoked salmon blinis
60 kcals
¼ baked Camembert with a medium crusty bread roll
323 kcals
3 crackers and 3 slices of cheddar cheese
230 kcals
Slice of quiche
256 kcals
2 devilled eggs
182 kcals
Mini pork pie
193 kcals
2 cocktail sausages
58 kcals
3 chicken goujons
215 kcals
3 sweet chilli chicken skewers
98 kcals
food
swaps
Swap
For
Iced Christmas cake slice
167 kcals
Mini mince pie
111 kcals
Slice of yule log
383 kcals
Small bowl of chocolate mousse with strawberries
159 kcals
Gingerbread man
197 kcals
2 ginger snap biscuits
92 kcals
3 tinned chocolates
177 kcals
3 strawberries dipped in chocolate fondue
64 kcals
swaps
Swap
For
Large eggnog latte
364 kcals
Medium chai spiced latte
179 kcals
Large white wine
188 kcals
Glass of prosecco
93 kcals
Mince pie martini
315 kcals
Double Christmas gin and slimline tonic
158 kcals
Irish cream liqueur hot chocolate with cream
333 kcals
Double Irish cream liqueur over ice
164 kcals
Nutritionist Emma White (ANutr), MSc Human Nutrition is passionate about how food science applies to the human body, and how the nutrients in what we eat affect us and ultimately have an impact on our health.
About Nutracheck
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