Syn swaps
SWAP Fast-food bacon and egg
breakfast muffin (around 17½ Syns)
FOR A wholemeal roll (approx 60g)
filled with grilled bacon (visible fat
removed) and an egg fried in low-calorie
cooking spray (6 Syns, or Free if using the
wholemeal roll as your Healthy Extra)SWAP Chip-shop large battered
fish with chips and curry sauce
(around 38 Syns)
FOR Home-made crispy cod
& chips (Free), recipe on the Slimming
World members’ websiteSWAP 1 pint of lager
(4-6% ABV; 11½ Syns)
FOR 25ml vodka (3 Syns) with diet colaSWAP Takeaway prawn chow mein
(around 24 Syns)
FOR Home-made prawn noodle
stir-fry, recipe on p22 (Free)SWAP Large glass of white wine
(10.5-12.5% ABV; 10 Syns)
FOR 25ml Pimm’s (2 Syns)
with diet lemonadeSWAP Food-van hot dog in a bun
with fried onions and ketchup
(around 24 Syns)
FOR Jacket potato, without butter,
and baked beans (Free)The long weekend...pub lunch
If you’re eating out at lunchtime (or any
time, for that matter!), think about the
choices you might make before you get
there. Will you want a starter, or maybe
a dessert? Or perhaps half a pint of lager
(4-6% ABV; 6 Syns)? Factoring your meal
into your daily Syns allowance will help you
really savour eating out. ‘A carvery can be
a good choice if you go for the lean meat
and plenty of Speed Food vegetables,’ says
Laraine Smith. ‘Other lower Syn options
include a lean beef or gammon steak with
lots of Speed Food veg or a large mixed
salad (no dressing), a tomato-based pasta
dish, or a vegetable chilli served on a jacket
potato (no butter) or boiled rice.’
Bank holiday bonus
After your delicious lunch, a brisk walk
with your partner, family or friends will
leave you feeling refreshed. It’s a lovely
way to extend your meal out and spend
some quality time together – and it’s
great Body Magic, too!
The long weekend...choc-fest
When you’ve got kids, the house can be
full of chocolate and sweets at the best
of times, and Easter takes it to a whole
new level! Swerve the annual Syns
egg-stravaganza by preparing your own
sweet treats. Serve chopped fresh fruit
and berries mixed with some plain quark
for a Syn free sweet fix, or top with
a 25g scoop of reduced-fat ice cream for
2 Syns. Or make one of our gorgeous low
Syn desserts, like strawberry and Prosecco
trifle, starting on page 83. And planning
some fun Easter-related activities that
you can do as a family – whether it’s
a riotous board game or heading to your
local park for a kickabout – will have the
added benefit of distracting the children
from their seasonal supply of sugar!
Bank holiday bonus
When only chocolate will do, give the
Easter eggs a miss and opt for a lower
Syn option, such as an 18g Cadbury Freddo
(5 Syns) or a Curly Wurly (6 Syns for a 26g
bar). Or try our fun-to-make chocolate
nests topped with mini eggs on page 120
and get a proper Easter fix for just 4½ Syns.The long weekend...day out
If you’re already fielding the ‘Are we nearly
there yet?’ question, even though you’ve
barely left the driveway, then chances are
you’re facing a day of trying to keep the
kids (and yourself ) amused withoutresorting to a family-size bag of sweets.
Whether you’re off to a theme park, the
zoo or exploring the countryside, packing
a Food Optimising picnic means you can
motor on past the petrol-station shop, or
pass on the train-trolley temptations –
saving money as well as Syns. For some
great take-anywhere food ideas, check
out Slimming World’s Free Food on the Go
cookbook, on sale in Slimming World
groups for £4.95/€7.95, which features
more than 60 portable recipes. Or take
a tip from Consultant and mum-of-two
India Faulkner-Wiley, who runs groups
in Lancashire. ‘We fill a cool bag with
home-made Slimming World Scotch
eggs, pasta and potato salads, lean deli
meats, celery and carrot sticks, cherry
tomatoes and fresh fruit. Plus, Healthy
Extra pitta breads with Free fillings and
dips like home-made houmous. We also
pack low Syn bags of crisps, like 15g packs
of Pom-Bear Potato Snacks for 4 Syns,
diet soft drinks and plenty of water.’
Bank holiday bonus
It’s also good to have some activities
in store for keeping little ones in the back
entertained. Put together ‘busy pouches’ –
zip-up bags of mini hand-held games or
finger puppets, sticker books and lists
of things to spot out of the window.
Everyone will be too busy for boredom
snacking, so you won’t be left with an
unwanted souvenir on the scales – just
lots of happy memories. lGoing on a family walk is a lovely
way to spend time together, as well
as get active
“
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SYN SWAPS: SYN VALUES BASED ON SINGLE SERVINGS AS LISTED IN SLIMMING WORLD’S FOOD OPTIMISING BOOK34 SLIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE
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