Grabbing food on the go doesn’t have to mean diet disaster
Whatever good diet intentions you may have, they tend to go out of the window at this time of year. Between parties, prezzie shopping and Christmas prep, who has time to slave over a healthy meal? We go behind the labels with nutritionist Juliette Kellow to investigate the best speedy food options…
Righteous ready meals
“Salt content is often higher than you’d expect in ready meals,” says Juliette. “And make sure that each meal is for one person. You might find that a 600g lasagne is actually meant for two.”
THE WINNER
Waitrose, Love Life You Count Fisherman’s Pie (£2.29)
- Very low in calories, at just 269 per pack.
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- Low in saturated fat (3.84g per pack).
- Low in salt (1.57g).
- Easily digestible protein from pollock and prawns.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Innocent Mexican Veg Pot (£3.79)
- Low in calories, with a modest 325.
- Low in saturated fat (0.8g per pack).
- Packed with veg.
WATCH OUT FOR
Sainsbury’s Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni (£2.20)
This contains healthy spinach but also 19g of saturated fat – your recommended daily allowance!
The best brekkies
“Pick a cereal with wholegrain as this fills you up for longer and provides fibre. Remember that buying a low-sugar cereal can be a false economy if it tastes so bad you have to add your own sugar to eat it. Also, you might be surprised how small a recommended 45g serving is – only 3tbsp.”
THE WINNER
Nestlé Shredded Wheat (£1.95, 360g)
- Just 153 calories.
- Low in salt and sugar.
- Made with 100 per cent wholegrains.
- Just 134 calories.
- Low in salt and sugar.
- High in fibre.
WATCH OUT FOR
Dorset Cereals Tasty High Fibre Flakes (£2.55)
Although this is high in fibre, it also contains loads of dried fruit, meaning you’re looking at nearly 14g of sugar per 45g – almost as much as a bowl of Coco Pops.
Super sandwiches
“Go for chicken, egg or fish as they’re high
in protein, on wholewheat bread for more fibre,” says Juliette. “Avoid cheese and processed meat as they’re high in fat and salt.”
THE WINNER
Tesco Light Choices Egg & Cress (£1.05) 
- 280 calories.
- Low in saturated fat (2.1g).
- High in protein.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Asda Salmon And Cucumber (£1.10)
- Contains heart-healthy omega-3 oils
- Only 315 calories.
- Low in sugar (2.1g).
WATCH OUT FOR
Pret A Manger Classic Super Club (£2.89)
- With 30.3g fat, that’s almost half your day’s allowance (70g).
Saintly salads
“Steer clear of mayo, sour cream, dressings or pesto – they’re high in fat. Go for beans, lentils, pasta or couscous to fill you up for longer.”
THE WINNER
Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Rainbow Salad (£2.50)
- Soya beans and lentils provide fibre, while the colourful veg contains vital vitamins and minerals.
- Just 178 calories.
- Low in saturated fat (0.8g) and salt (0.8g).
HIGHLY COMMENDED Sainsbury’s Be Good To Yourself Orzo & Sunbaked Tomato Salad (£2.20)
- Low in calories, with just 315 per pack.
- Low in saturated fat (0.8g) and salt (0.26g).
- Full of antioxidants from the tomatoes.
WATCH OUT FOR
Pret A Manger Tapas Salad (£4.25)
*With 3.1g of salt, this salad contains more than a Big Mac (2.1g). Yes, really.
Chocs away
“The higher the percentage of cocoa solids, the more it will satisfy cravings.”
Prestat Dark & Rich, 75g (£2)
- Only 67 calories and 3g fat per 1/3 of a bar.
- A couple of squares of good-quality dark chocolate is full of antioxidants.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Boots Shapers Double Chocolate Bar (50p)
- Just 98 calories, 2.7g fat per bar.
- Low in cals but still chocolatey.
WATCH OUT FOR
Quality Street, (£4.49)
*Eat just three chocs and you’ve had 132 calories – beware of grazing!
Divine dining out
“Most restaurants offer a lighter option, so read the menu carefully,” says Juliette. “And don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions – such as salad instead of fries.”
Subway Veggie Delite Mini Sub on wholewheat bread (109 calories, 1.3g salt, 4g sugar). Ask for loads of salad.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Burger King The Flame-Grilled Chicken Salad (128 calories, 5g sugar, 1g salt) is best.
AND THE REST…
McDonald’s The Grilled Chicken Salad, no bacon (140 calories, 1g saturated fat, 5g sugar, 0.8g salt) is the healthiest option.
Nandos Order the Quarter Chicken Breast and Corn On The Cob (170 calories, 0.83g saturated fat, 0.68g salt, 4g sugar).
KFC Try the Grilled BBQ Rancher Salad
(190 calories, 0.6 sat fat, 0.91g salt, 4g sugar).
Pizza Express Go for the Pollo Pancetta Salad (303 calories).
Clever crisps
“Kiddie pack sizes can really help, as can ‘baked’ or ‘wholegrain’ on the label. Account for the salt by having low-sodium meals for the rest of your day.” 
THE WINNER
Twiglets (£1.50, 6 x 24g bags)
- Just 97 calories per bag and low in saturated fat.
- Twiglets are baked, not fried, and are packed with wholewheat and B vitamins.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Walkers Sunbites (£1.69, 6 x 25g bags)
- 120 calories.
- Low in saturated fat (0.6g).
- 0.24g salt.
- Sunbites are made using wholewheat, corn and oat flour, with very few flavour enhancers.
WATCH OUT FOR Kettle Chips Lightly Salted (£1.85, 150g)
They might have classier packaging than a bag of Monster Munch, but with 3.5g of saturated fat per 100g, these aren’t as good for grown-ups as they look.
How to read the label
Juliette explains what to look out for when choosing your food…
Don’t always go “diet” The “light” range isn’t always the healthiest. Compare the labels to be sure.
Salt or sodium? If the packaging only states sodium, multiply by 2.5 to give the salt content. Choose foods with no more than 1.2g of salt per meal.
Reject red For meals with the traffic light system, cut back on those with red levels of fat and salt.
The 30-second check
A healthy meal should contain about 600 calories (400 if you’re trying to lose weight), less than 12g total fat, less than 4g saturated fat, less than 20g sugar and less than 1.2g salt.
Photography: Tony Kelly/Folio-id.com, Alamy
Filed under: Lifestyle, Magazine Tagged: calories, Diets, ready meal, supermarket
