Don’t want to miss out on fish ‘n’ chip Friday? Give your favourite takeaway a nutritious makeover with these five dietitian-approved tweaks.
Create your own heathier version of this chip-shop classic in your kitchen at home by changing up the cooking method and adding some fresh fruit and salad.
+ GRILLED SEAFOOD
Battered fish is submerged in hot oil during cooking, so it soaks up plenty of cholesterol-raising saturated fat. By comparison, grilled fish needs much less fat and any excess drips away during cooking.
- Swap: your battered fish for snapper, salmon or calamari grilled on the barbecue.
+ TZATZIKI
Condiments such as tartare sauce can push the sat fat and salt boundaries. Tzatziki is a simple Greek dip made from yoghurt and is a delicious accompaniment to fish ‘n’ chips.
- Swap: tartare sauce for tzatziki dip to reduce the sodium, sat fat and kilojoules in your meal.
+ OVEN-BAKED CHIPS
Takeaway shops deep-fry their chips, making them high in kilojoules and saturated fat. Oven-baked chips need much less oil, making them a healthier alternative.
- Swap: deep-fried chips for baked ones, by slicing regular or sweet potatoes, brushing lightly with olive oil and baking in the oven or air-fryer until golden.
+ SALAD
Most of us do not eat the recommended five or six serves of vegetables a day, so adding a salad to your meal can help you reach your target.
- Add: fill half your plate with colourful fresh salad. This will provide around two serves of vegetables and boost your intake of vitamins, fibre and antioxidants.
+ LEMON
Takeaway fish and chips typically have extra salt added which is bad news for heart health.
- Swap: added salt for a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Classic fish ‘n’ chips meal
Medium piece of battered fish, 200g chips and 20g tartare sauce
4016kJ (961cal), 27g protein, 61.8g fat, 10.2g sat fat, 70.1g carbs, 1.4g sugar, 6.7g fibre, 978mg sodium, 2.4mg iron
Upgraded fish ‘n’ chips meal
This upgraded version of fish and chips is a balanced and nutritious meal. We’ve reduced the total fat and kilojoules by a third, removed 85 per cent of the sodium and tripled the calcium. Plus, we’ve added two serves of veg and a serve of fruit to supercharge vitamins A, C and beta carotene.
Medium grilled salmon fillet served with 100g oven-baked potato chips and 2 cups of mixed salad, topped with a grilled nectarine and drizzled with olive oil.
2584kJ (618cal), 33.8g protein, 44.6g fat, 8.3g sat fat, 19.8g carbs, 2.9g sugar, 3.1g fibre, 135mg sodium, 1.9mg iron
Homemade takeaways
For healthier fish and chips, try these recipes:
www.healthyfood.com
