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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Mains

How To Have a Healthy Roast Dinner

Updated: Jul 4, 2022 · Published: Feb 27, 2012 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 9 Comments

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A healthy roast dinner with a text title overlay.

When we think of Sundays, we think of a roast dinner. Meat, vegetables, potatoes, stuffing, Yorkshire puddings and covered in gravy. It's what Sundays are made for, but it can leave you feeling sluggish and like you need a 4 hour nap. So, we are sharing some ways to make it healthier and lighter, but still just as tasty.

A whole roasted chicken on a plate next to a striped towel.

Sunday roast

Are you a beef, chicken or lamb person? Perhaps you like a nut roast! Do you prefer your potatoes roasted or mashed? Are brussels sprouts a no-go? How many Yorkshire puddings do you like? There are so many different ways to have a roast dinner, but our version saves on calories where it can and never sacrifices on taste.

Healthy roast dinner

A Sunday Roast is epic, and there is nothing wrong with going all out and having a calorie loaded dinner. But, if you can make some lighter swaps, without sacrificing on taste, and still have the energy to get off your chair at the end of it, then that's a win for me.

How many calories in a roast dinner?

A roast dinner is around 800-1000 calories for an average size portion. However, if you are ordering one in a restaurant, then this can rise to about 1200-1500 calories, and that's before you have even opened the dessert menu. There are lots of little swaps you can make (even in a restaurant), to make it lighter though.

Low calorie roast dinner

A roast dinner is like anything really - you can make it as healthy as you like. If you are having lamb (one of the fattiest meat) that is cooked in loads of oil, with roast potatoes covered in oil and piles of stuffing then that is going to be higher in calories.

But, if you fill your plate up with vegetables, have a lean meat and don't go back for more stuffing and potatoes, then you can reduce the calories significantly.

A whole roast chicken on a plate in front of a bowl of roasted potatoes.

Healthy Sunday Dinner

Here are some changes you can make to a traditional roast dinner to make it a bit lighter.

  • Pick a lean meat like chicken or turkey and roast it without oil. It has juices in it, so it won't dry out. You could also remove the skin and just eat the breast meat to keep it lower in calories. Add lemon to the middle of the bird for extra flavour without a lot of extra calories.
  • With the roast potatoes, use a little spray oil (put oil in a spray bottle rather than buying it already in a spray bottle) to make them crispy rather than loads of sunflower/olive oil. Cooking the potatoes in their skins means they absorb less fat and keep all their nutrients. Even better, use sweet potatoes or butternut squash to make the roast potatoes.
  • Pile your plate high with green veg like cabbage, sprouts and broccoli. We aim to have half our plate filled with vegetables.
  • Go easy on the gravy and sauces and make sure they are homemade so you can limit the salt.
  • Plate up in the kitchen, rather than having everything on the table. That will mean you don't go back for seconds.

What meat to use for a roast dinner?

We have a few meats that you can use in your roast dinner:

Perfect Roast Chicken

5 from 13 votes
Chicken smothered in butter and stuffed with lemon and thyme and baked to crispy perfection.
Here's the recipe for Perfect Roast Chicken
Perfect roast chicekn on a plate surrounded by sprigs of thyme.
A whole roasted chicken on a plate next to a striped towel.

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

4.95 from 18 votes
A Slow Cooker Whole Chicken makes a roast dinner so much easier and leaves your oven free for those crispy roasted veggies. Shred this chicken up and use in meals throughout the week.
Here's the recipe for Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
A whole slow cooker chicken on a white serving plate
A cooked whole chicken on a plate next to a checked towel

Easy Roast Turkey Breast

4.95 from 20 votes
This Roast Turkey Breast is perfect for when you are feeding a smaller number over the festive season, and you don't need to roast a whole turkey.
Here's the recipe for Easy Roast Turkey Breast
Roast turkey breast sliced up on a serving board.
Sliced roast turkey on a serving board next to a bowl of roast potatoes.

Slow Cooker Roast Beef (with Gravy)

4.77 from 56 votes
This Slow Cooker Roast Beef is going to become your go-to for an easy Sunday Roast. Tender, melt in your mouth slices of beef  with a crispy crust in a rich and flavour packed gravy.
Here's the recipe for Slow Cooker Roast Beef (with Gravy)
Slow Cooker Roast Beef on a board with some horseradish sauce.
Slices of roast beef on a wooden serving board with a bowl of horseradish sauce.

Air Fryer Gammon

5 from 11 votes
Crispy air fryer gammon with delicious cranberry glaze - ready in just over an hour. Prepare a perfect festive feast with this air fryer gammon joint!
Here's the recipe for Air Fryer Gammon
Air fryer gammon joint with two slices cut off.
A cooked gammon joint on a wooden board with two slices cut off and folded forward.

Side dishes

Here are some great side dishes to serve with your roast dinner:

Easy Roast Potatoes

4.97 from 26 votes
Our recipe for Easy Roast Potatoes is fool proof, and a must with any roast dinner or a simple side dish for a midweek treat.
Here's the recipe for Easy Roast Potatoes
Easy roast potatoes in a large round serving bowl.
A bowl of crispy roast potatoes next to a spotted towel.

Slow Cooker Red Cabbage

4.63 from 59 votes
Red cabbage is best cooked low and slow, and you just put this Slow Cooker Red Cabbage on low for 5 hours, and it's done.
Here's the recipe for Slow Cooker Red Cabbage
A bowl of slow cooker red cabbage topped with two crossed cinnamon sticks.
Slow Cooker Red Cabbage in a bowl next to some shredded turkey and a plate of roast vegetables

Vegetable Mash

4.94 from 31 votes
Anything goes with this Vegetable Mash and not only does it add lot of extra vitamins, but flavour and colour too. A great addition to any main meal!
Here's the recipe for Vegetable Mash
A bowl of Vegetable Mash on a wooden surface.
Orange coloured Vegetable Mash in a cream dish

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic

4.94 from 66 votes
These sweet and crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts make a tasty side dish any time of the year, or a delicious snack.
Here's the recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
Roasted Brussels sprouts on a large serving spoon.

Easy Cauliflower Cheese

4.84 from 31 votes
Just 3 ingredients go in to making this super Easy Cauliflower Cheese. The perfect fuss-free side dish to go with a roast dinner.
Here's the recipe for Easy Cauliflower Cheese
Easy cauliflower cheese in a round white bowl.
A white bowl full of baked cauliflower cheese

Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli

4.95 from 20 votes
Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli is a delicious and easy side dish that goes with pretty much everything. A tasty way to get some extra greens in your diet.
Here's the recipe for Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli
Roasted tenderstem broccoli and a lemon half on an oval plate.
An oval bowl filled with roasted broccoli and a lemon half.

Honey Roasted Parsnips

4.95 from 34 votes
Roasted vegetables are the best way to eat them and when it comes to these Honey Roasted Parsnips, it changes the texture and makes them nice and crispy.
Here's the recipe for Honey Roasted Parsnips
Honey Roasted Parsnips on a blue plate.
A plate of cooked parsnips sprinkled with herbs.

Easy Garlic Green Beans

5 from 8 votes
Roasted Garlic Green Beans are an easy and delicious side dish that go with anything. Just 5 ingredients and you'll want to eat these straight off the pan.
Here's the recipe for Easy Garlic Green Beans
A plate of Garlic Green Beans topped with flaked almonds.
A plate of cooked green beans with almond flakes on top.

There you go - a much healthier roast dinner.

More roast dinner side dishes

  • Sage and onion stuffing balls on a pink plate.
    Sage and Onion Stuffing
  • Roast swede on a baking tray.
    Roasted Swede (Rutabaga)
  • A plate of broccoli cheese next to roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings.
    Broccoli Cheese
  • Buttered Leeks on a large round plate.
    Buttered Leeks

If you’ve tried any of these roast dinner recipes, then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - we love sharing photos when people make our recipes. You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

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Comments

  1. Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes says

    April 27, 2014 at 10:52 am

    I love a good roast dinner, it has been too long since I've made one. Great tips on how to make it healthy.

    Reply
  2. Amber says

    January 26, 2014 at 1:21 pm

    Thanks for the tips!

    Reply
  3. Paula says

    January 05, 2014 at 1:42 pm

    I am going to follow this advice for my roast dinner tonight.

    Reply
  4. Michelle says

    January 05, 2014 at 1:41 pm

    I could eat that whole chicken right now.

    Reply
  5. Eleanor says

    January 05, 2014 at 1:41 pm

    Great tips! Thanks you.

    Reply
  6. Ruth says

    September 08, 2013 at 3:15 pm

    Half my plate will be filled with vegetables today and just a tiny bit of gravy. Thanks for prompting me to be healthier :)

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth says

    September 08, 2013 at 3:10 pm

    Can't wait to make this. My husband loves a good roast dinner.

    Reply
  8. Lara Tilman says

    September 08, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    My roast is already in the oven. It is not very healthy though. Back on it tomorrow!

    Reply
  9. Katie says

    September 08, 2013 at 2:27 pm

    This looks incredible. Great tips too.

    Reply

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