Pasta

The go-to food for quick weeknight meals but if spaghetti is getting stale, there are lots of interesting and healthier alternatives. Spiralised courgette, also known as zoodles or courgetti are a lighter way to enjoy your carbonara or bolognese. Simply cook in boiling water for a couple of minutes - they can be a little watery so drain well and toss in a little olive oil over a medium heat before adding your sauce. As you are missing out on the carbohydrates from your pasta, ensure you eat these with protein like chicken or minced beef so you feel fuller for longer. If you are trying to get kids to up their veggie intake, simply mix the zoodles in with standard tagliatelle and smother in sauce!

 Noodles

Pining for Pad Thai but trying to cut the carbs? Look to root vegetables instead. Wash and peel a couple of parsnips then either spiralise or julienne them with a potato peeler. Heat a dash of sesame oil in a pan and sauté the parsnip until the vegetables begin to crisp. Add some chopped ginger and garlic and cook for a minute or two before adding a splash of soy sauce. Make a meal of it and mix with beansprouts and stir fried peppers and top with a fried egg and toasted nuts. Sweet potato noodles are delicious drizzled with oil and layered in a baking tray with chicken strips slathered in your favourite Chinese sauce - try black bean or teriyaki - and roasted for 45 minutes. Cover with foil so the chicken doesn’t burn.  

Rice

White rice is a great store cupboard staple but as it converts carbs to sugar relatively quickly, higher intakes have been linked to type 2 diabetes. If you are easing off on the sugar, there are a number of options. Brown rice is essentially the whole grain so is a less processed version of white rice. It has a lower GI and contains more fibre so is a smart swap. Another on-trend alternative is cauliflower rice. Rinse the cauliflower head then either grate it or whizz the florets in a food processor. Squeeze the ‘rice’ in a tea towel or muslin then sauté in a tablespoon of oil over a medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes. Add a lid so that it steams lightly. Season depending on what you are serving it with, for example, soy sauce for Asian dishes.  

Potatoes

Delicious fluffy mash and moreish chips can be difficult to give up but there are tasty, healthier alternatives. Take the humble turnip: chop them into chips, steam to soften then bake in a hot oven until crispy on the outside and hot on the inside. Celeriac makes lower-carb and lower calorie purée, delicious with a stew or casserole, or try steamed cauliflower whipped with sour cream or crème fraîche for a different kind of mash.

Dressings

Home-made dressings and condiments are a cinch to make and are a fraction of the cost and calories of their store-bought counterparts. If the ketchup bottle is always on empty, chuck a tin of tomatoes, one tablespoon of brown sugar, one tablespoon of vinegar - apple cider preferably - salt, pepper and a dash of olive oil into a pot. Bring it to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes before allowing it to cool and then blending. Kids might make a fuss initially as it will ‘not be the same’ as it doesn’t have the same sugar content as the store bought variety. As they become accustomed to it, tweak it to suit your tastes: add a dash of chilli or warming cinnamon or some molasses or treacle for a richer flavour. Salad dressings are easy-peasy too. Just mix equal parts vinegar and oil of your choice (raspberry and rapeseed, perhaps?) to honey and mustard - I always opt for dijon - in a jar and shake.

Mix it up

You can cut the calories and still enjoy the odd fry-up or mixed grill. Pass on the pork and look for turkey and chicken sausages and bacon: they are lower in saturated fat and are another way to cut down on red meat. Choose a poached or scrambled egg - easy on the butter - instead of fried and add grilled portobello mushrooms and tomatoes and sugar-free beans to bulk it up.

Simple swaps

•       Cut the cream and switch to sour cream or greek yoghurt. Add over a lower heat so they don’t curdle or split.           

•       Pass on the salt and look to lemon juice instead, especially when cooking.                      

•       Forget the fruit juice and eat the fruit - there’s only natural sugars and you get all the fibre too.