How to Beat the Credit Crunch and Still Have Fun!

By Rachael Anne Hill (R.P.H.Nutr)

As the credit crunch bites, more and more of us are ditching expensive meals out in favour of the good old fashioned dinner party. 

According to recent news reports dining in can be four times cheaper than dining out and by cooking the food yourself you’ll not only gain far greater control over the purse strings but over the calories too ensuring you avoid both spending and gaining pounds!

The only daunting bit can be deciding what to cook that will blow your guests away without blowing your diet out of the water.  That’s why I’ve delved into the hundreds of recipes on the WLR database and create three truly impressive dinner party menus that will do just that ….. 

Dinner Party Menu Ideas

Follow these meal plans to make sure you’re still on track for your diet whilst conjuring up fabulous dinner party food for your guests that aren’t’...

Dinner Party Menu One

Total calories for the meal: 612

Starter:

Sesame Crab Cakes with Ginger Dipping Sauce

(calories: 171)

Main:

Sticky Ginger Chicken with Noodles and Pak Choi

(calories: 38)

Dessert:

Lime and Passion Fruit Souffle

(calories: 103)

 

Dinner Party Menu Two

Total calories for the meal: 787

Starter

Sweet Pear and Stilton Melt

(calories: 226)

Main:

Beef Bourguignon

(calories: 196)

with Basmati Rice

(calories:134 - 100g cooked rice per person)

and Lightly Steamed Broccoli

(calories: 19 calories – 80g per person)

Total: 350 calories

Dessert:

Chocolate Pudding

(calories: 181)

with Raspberry Coulis

blend 100g of fresh raspberries with 2g of icing sugar per person.  (calories 30)

and Fresh Mint Sprigs

Serve the chocolate pudding on a white plate, dust lightly with icing sugar, drizzle the coulis around the edge of the pudding and finish by placing a sprig of fresh mint on top.

Total: 211 calories

 

Dinner Party Menu Three (Vegetarian)

Total calories for the meal: 756

Starter:

‘My Watercress Soup’ 

(calories: 52)

Main:

Pumpkin and Sage Risotto

Served with a mixed green salad of wild rocket and watercress leaves drizzled in a little good quality balsamic vinegar. (calories: 509)

Dessert:

Tia Maria Gateau

(calories: 195)

 

Keep Additional Calories to a Minimum

• Swap a large glass of wine (205 calories) for a spritzer (98 calories) instead.
• Serve olives (75 calories per 50g) instead of crisps (242 per 50g) or nuts (294 per 50g)
• Serve pre dinner drinks of champagne (88 calories) or gin and low calorie tonic (75 calories) instead of cocktails that can add up to over 600 calories per glass. 
• Finally, swap the post dinner cappuccino (approximately 120 calories) or latte (223 calories) for an espresso (11 calories) or peppermint tea (3 calories)

and leave the after dinner chocolates to the guests!

Enjoy!