Dietitian Susie Burrell says you can enjoy the best Christmas food by savouring, not splurging

Dietitian Susie Burrell reveals how you can still have all your favourite treats this Christmas – without the calorie overload.

You could be forgiven for thinking a dietitian would be more excited about the salads and roast vegetables on the Christmas table rather than the pork belly and pudding.

Yet despite being a generally health-conscious bunch, dietitians also tend to be food lovers and able to achieve the elusive balance of health and weight control while still enjoying the treats of the season. The secret is surprisingly simple – indulging at Christmas is about savouring the foods that you love the most rather than eating everything on offer just because it is Christmas.

Susie Burrell says the focus should be on smaller portions of good quality “special” foods.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Christmas in my house begins on Christmas Eve, when we all come together to enjoy a traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings. The evening will begin with a glass or two of champagne along with some indulgent nibbles such as pate, oysters or shellfish. The focus is on smaller portions of good quality “special” foods, rather than large volumes of high calorie options such as dips, chips and pastries which are easy to overeat.

An hour or two in and the main meal is served – a roast turkey that has been cooking for several hours. An extremely lean protein, I opt only for the lean white meat and leave the mega sized drumsticks for my 7-year-old twin boys. We do have gravy, but it is made from a mix rather than the higher fat juices from the turkey itself. My plate will then be loaded with roasted vegetables – pumpkin, sweet potato, a roast potato and loads of greens – peas and beans. A meal is not a meal without at least two to three vegetables.

Turkey with all the trimmings is a Christmas staple.

Rather than load up with a heavy dessert, our family then tunes into the carols with a tin of assorted chocolates from which we will graze with a cup of tea. For the night owls, cheese may appear at this time but as a busy mum I rarely make it this late into the night.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Coffee is welcomed early on Christmas Day, along with a bacon and egg roll, on a mini wholemeal or multigrain roll, before the champagne makes an appearance. Weather permitting my sister and I will take the twins for a spin on any new action toys to get our steps in.

Then by late morning we move into a long, relaxed lunch that lasts much of the day.

Fresh Aussie seafood is served first, usually tiger prawns, scallops and oysters, along with a mix of fresh salads – tomato and burrata, roast beetroot with rocket and feta, summer fruits with buffalo – with delicious seasonings. The better you make the salad taste and look, the more you will eat.

For those who want it, there is also ham as well leftover turkey and vegetables. But for me Christmas Day means seafood. And a couple of cheeky margaritas or cranberry cocktails too may be enjoyed.

Tiger prawns and seafood are a must for Christmas Day.

This will take us to 3-4pm and while some family members may take a nap, it is also the perfect time for a Christmas Day stroll. Moving after any large meal, by even cleaning up the kitchen, will help to stop the physical discomfort that can accompany large, heavy meals.

Dessert is then enjoyed much later in the day and I will seek out any fruity meringue options made with fresh Aussie stone fruit followed by a few obligatory chocolates and a little French cheese.

The key with higher fat, more indulgent foods is to taste small portions and eat slowly, as opposed to serving up a massive slab and then eating way past the feeling of satisfaction.

The meal spacing also helps to prevent any discomfort associated with constant feeding and means you can enjoy all the treats Christmas has to offer minus a complete calorie overload.

TOP EATING TIPS FOR CHRISTMAS

● Prioritise movement each day, even a 20-minute walk.

● Space meals and snacks at least 2-3 hours apart.

● Savour indulgent treats by eating slowly and mindfully.

● Try not to waste calories on extra processed snacks such as chips and lollies.

● After overindulging, fast until you are genuinely hungry before eating again.