Ways to avoid piling on the pounds

A few sensible precautions can help you cut down on the calories lurking in some of those mouthwatering morsels, writes John Brennan.

The children’s Christmas party season is fast approaching, with all the sugar-fuelled fun, and occasional chocolate-stained tears, that entails. For the parents in attendance, these occasions are full of potential wonderful memories and, for the health-conscious, what can be seen as diet-derailing opportunities.

The children’s food found at most parties is unlikely to be vegetable-based, or bought or prepared with an eye to its nutritional benefits. Leaving aside aspects like the saturated-fat content, and the long list of artificial additives likely to feature, the sheer calorie counts of some of the items on show can set BMI alarm bells ringing.

A hundred grams of pizza is likely to harbour between 250 and 300 calories, and the same weight in chips (French fries, if you insist) over 300. A large hot dog will add nearly 200 more to the count, and the fizzy drink this is washed down with, another 100 to 200.

Of course, the more sensible option for parents who are big fans of children’s parties but don’t want to get even bigger, is to stick to the adult fare – if there’s any on offer. Then the maths is a little less scary, though it’s often the dips, condiments and other accompaniments you have to watch out for.

Mini samosas and mini Thai fish cakes both usually contain around 70 calories each, but the sweet chilli sauce that comes with the latter is likely to contain as much sugar as an equivalent quantity of jam.

Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein, but again the 20 or so calories on a mini satay stick can be greatly inflated by too much of the peanut sauce sitting next to it.