Porridge Oats

40g = 143 calories, 3g fat

When made up with 260ml of water the final portion weighs in at 170g.When made up with 260ml of skimmed milk the final portion weighs in at 226 calories and 4g of fat.When made up with 260ml of semi skimmed milk the final portions weighs in with 263 calories and 7g of fat.

Muesli

40g = 143 calories, 3g fat
50g = 183 calories, 4g fat

This is an average size portion of sugar free muesli before adding milk.

A small serving of 30g = 110 calories, 2g fat

A large serving of 80g = 293 calories, 3g fat

Crunchy style 'muselis' which contain added oils and sugar or honey have higher calorie and fat intakes, with some providing more than 250 calories and 25g of fat per 50g bowl before you add milk.

Allow around 150ml of milk per serving.

150ml skimmed milk = 48 calories, 0.3g fat
150ml semi skimmed milk = 69 calories, 3g fat
150ml whole milk = 99 calories, 6g fat

Fruit and Fibre

40g = 143 calories, 2.5g fat

Most 40g portions of bran flake style breakfast cereals contain around this number of calories.

A small 30g bowl has 71 calories and 1g of fat while a larger 50g bowl provides 177 calories and 3g of fat.

Allow around 150ml of milk per serving.

Allow around 150ml of milk per serving.

150ml skimmed milk = 48 calories, 0.3g fat
150ml semi skimmed milk = 69 calories, 3g fat
150ml whole milk = 99 calories, 6g fat

Sliced white bread

A slice of bread is no longer a slice of bread. They vary in size greatly ranging from 27g per slice from a small white loaf to 35g for a slice from a medium sized loaf to 50g for a slice from a large loaf.

40g = 97 calories; 1g fat

White bread is high GI. This means that it is digested quickly and rapidly raises blood sugar after eating. Having it with protein like ham for instance in a sandwich, helps to lower the GI. White bread is a good food for calcium because white bread making flour is fortified with this bone strengthening nutrient.

Multigrain Bread

Like sliced white bread, the size of slices of multigrain bread also vary widely in size from around 30g - 50g if weight.

40g = 95 calories, 1g fat

Multigrain bread has a medium GI which means that it is digested more slowly than white bread. It is a good choice if you want to feel fuller for longer. It is also good for fibre and antioxidant minerals like selenium and zinc plus vitamin E.

Sourdough Bread

Sourdough bread is made from dough which is slowly fermented by yeasts which build up organic acids. These give it a characteristic slightly 'tart' taste and also makes it low GI which means that it is digested slowly and keeps you feeling full for a good few hours after eating.

50g = 72 calories, 2g fat

Pitta bread white

56g = 142 calories, 1g fat

This is an example of an individual pitta bread from a high street supermarket.

Pitta breads actually vary in size however quite dramatically depending on which particular store you buy them from.

Other sizes you are likely to be confronted with are:

Mini pitta breads: 35g = 89 calories, 0.5g fat
Average pitta bread: 75g = 191 calories, 1g fat
Large pitta bread: 95g = 242 calories, 1.2g fat

Pitta bread wholemeal

56g = 149 calories, 1g fat

This is a supermarket pitta bread.

The calories in wholemeal pitta are slightly higher than white versions. But they have the advantage of also having more fibre.

As with white pitta breads, the size varies quite dramatically depending on the brand and which shop you happen to buy them in.

Other sizes you are likely to be confronted with are:

Mini wholemeal pitta breads: 35g = 93 calories, 0.4g fat
Average wholemeal pitta breads: 199 calories, 1g fat
Large wholemeal pitta breads: 251 calories, 1.2g fat

Naan bread

Naan breads from a local Indian take away weigh in at 160g and give you 456 calories and 12g of fat. If you choose naan breads with added nuts then the calories and fat obviously are even higher.

This is a naan bread from a supermarket.

142g = 405 calories, 10g fat

Tortilla wrap

55g = 144 calories, 0.6g fat

Tortilla wraps are a low GI which means that they are digested slowly and keep you feeling full for hours after eating.

Scones

40g = 116 calories, 9g fat

An average sized scone 20 years ago would have weighed in at 48g. These days it is hard to find one this small.

72g = 227 calories, 6g fat

This size scone is typical of those found in a bakery. It has 227 calories before you start to add butter, cream and jam!

190g = 600 calories, 17g fat

This monster sized scone is from a high street coffee shop. I have to admit, it was tasty and I could easily have wolfed down the whole thing. But then again, you could have a large banana, an apple, an orange, a peach, a pear, a large portion of grapes and a fruit yoghurt and still save 25 calories!

Danish Pastries

100g = 342 calories, 14g fat

This Danish is actually slightly under the average weight of 110g. Never the less, it packs in almost 350 calories. You could have a breakfast of porridge and two slices of toast for this.

168g = 575 calories, 24g fat

A Danish this size is typical of those you find in bakeries and coffee shops. The calories are extraordinary. You could have a fry up in your local café for the equivalent.

Croissants

As I have found out, croissants come in many shapes and sizes.

Small Croissant

30g = 112 calories, 6g of fat

This may look like a micro mini croissant, but the truth is, just 20 years ago, this was around the average size of a croissant

64g = 239 calories, 13g

This is now the standard size of a croissant you will find in a multipack from a supermarket. Just one croissant minus any butter or jam is more calories than a poached egg on toast.

86g = 321 calories, 17g

It is not unsual to find croissants this size and even larger in coffee shops, in bakeries and in cafes on train platforms.

Clam Croissants

48g = 179 calories, 10g of fat

The clam shape croissant appears to be smaller in size than the standard shaped croissant. But be warned, they are often heavier!

88g = 328 calories, 17g of fat

Banana Cake

80g = 254 calories, 13g fat

Carrot Cake

Carrot cakes is one of those healthy looking foods, which, because it contains carrots, you automatically think, must be good for you. Check out the information below:

34g = 122 calories, 8g of fat

This is the size of a slice you will find in a supermarket pack with the slices ready cut. These are tiny in comparison with portions you find in coffee shops

112g = 402 calories, 25g of fat

Next time you pick up a slice of carrot cake from a coffee shop, you may decide that you want to cut it into half or even thirds and share it. One slice on its own gives you more calories than a portion of fries (which have 289 calories and 16g of fat).

Chocolate Cake

72g = 346 calories, 21g of fat

This is now a fairly average size serving of cake which you will find in a coffee shop.

143g = 688 calories and 43g of fat

This socking great slice of cake came from a well known, high street coffee shop. As you can see, it provides 688 calories which is over a third of a woman's daily needs and well over half her daily fat intake (which is 70g maximum).

Iced Buns

46g = 177 calories, 7g of fat

This is an ice bun from a multipack which you can buy in supermarkets . As cakes and buns go, this may look like one of the worst of the bunch with its icing topping, but it is relatively low in fat. That said, it is high glycaemic index and so may make you feel hungry again soon after eating.

104g = 400 calories, 16g of fat

This is an individual iced bun from the bakery section of a supermarket. You will also find them in high street bakeries. One bun which you may have with morning coffee or mid afternoon is equivalent to five slices of toast.

Flapjack

34g = 169 calories, 9g of fat

This little slice of flapjack came from a supermarket in a multipack. It is the kind of size portion which would have been considered 'normal' just 20 years ago.

98g = 483 calories, 27g of fat

This size flapjack is now the 'norm'. You will find them in coffee shops and sold in coffee kiosks in train stations as well as in corner shops. If you grab one on the way to work thinking it is a healthy alternative to breakfast, think again. It may contain oats, but it is also rich in sugar and fat. You may as well have a filling bacon sandwich.

145g = 705 calories, 39g of fat

I found this flapjack in an independent corner shop. It has a staggering number of calories. Although I wouldn't recommend anyone chomping through loads of Mars bars, you could actually have two standard 68g bars and still end up with fewer calories.

Apple Pie

110g = 296 calories, 15g fat

This is an average portion. If you add ice cream or custard it could easily top 500 calories. A baked apple with just 82 calories would be a much less calorific option.

Fruit Crumble

170g = 352 calories, 12g fat

Fruit crumble often seems like a healthy option but an average serving like this minus ice cream, custard or cream has as many calories as three and a half poached pears.

Haddock

All white fish is naturally low in fat and rich in protein which is great for making you feel full as well as building and repairing all cells in our bodies. Cod, plaice and coley are other examples of white fish which have a similar calorie and fat content to haddock.

100g = 104 calories, 1g fat

Salmon

100g = 215 calories, 13g fat

An average portion of baked salmon is actually just 83g and provides 136 calories and 5g of fat. It seems unlikely however that you will be served anything this small in a restaurant these days.

A serving of salmon en croute (salmon wrapped in pastry) comes in with 576 calories and 38g of fat.

Smoked salmon

An average serving of smoked salmon is said to be 56g providing 142 calories and 5g of fat. This is the amount you will find in a sandwich for instance. The main problem with smoked salmon is that it is high in salt. 100g has almost a teaspoons worth of salt.

100g = 142 calories, 5g fat

Tuna Steak

Tuna is a lean meaty fish which is low in fat.

100g = 136 calories, 1g fat

As well as fresh tuna which contains a small quantity of brain boosting omega 3 fats, canned tuna is also popular. Tuna canned in spring water has 99 calories and 0.6g of fat per 100g compared to tuna canned in oil with 189 calories and 9g of fat.

Ham

100g = 107 calories, 3g fat

A thin slice of ham weighs around 11g while an average slice is around 25g in weight.

Chicken Slices

100g = 108 calories, 1.3g fat

A 100g pack of chicken slices gives you around 4 - 5 slices.

Chicken Breast

Chicken slices

100g = 147 calories, 2.5g fat

An average serving of grilled chicken breast minus the skin weighs around 150g and gives you 192 calories and 3g of fat.

If you have 100g of chicken breast in breadcrumbs fried the calories rise to 242 calories and 13g of fat.

Beef Sliced

100g = 120 calories and 2.5g of fat

You get around 4 - 5 slices of beef in a typical packet of sliced roast beef, depending on the thickness.

Pork Chop

This figure is just for the lean meat of the chop.

100g lean meat = 123 calories, 4g fat

An average size chop including the fat and bone as well as the lean meat weights 150g and provides 344 calories and 22g of fat

Paté

120g = 330 calories

This is the serving of pate you can expect to find in a ploughman's lunch.

The exact number of calories and grams of fat vary between brands and types. Below is a selection. The key is to check the number on the pack you are buying:

Per 100g

Brussels pate: 330 - 350 calories
Ardennes pate: 286 - 311 calories
Farmhouse pate: 252 - 295 calories
Smoked salmon pate: 217 calories
Reduced fat pate: 191 calories
Vegetable pate: 208 calories

Minced Beef

100g = 225 calories, 16g fat

You can buy extra lean versions of minced beef these days with just 10g of fat per 1

Beef Pasty

260g = 694 calories, 42g fat

Beef pasties and pies are a really concentrated source of calories and are rich also in both saturated fat which clogs arteries and salt which raises blood pressure. Save them as a treat or have a really small serving

Sausages

Sausages vary quite a bit in size from 12 for a small one to 20g for a medium one to 50g for an average sized banger.

100g (2 sausages) = 294 calories, 22g of fat in total

Camembert

40g = 116 calories, 9g fat

This may seem like a tiny portion, but it is the average serving size.

Other soft cheeses such as Brie have similar calorie and fat counts. Brie itself comes in with 137 calories and 12g of fat per 40g portion.

Cheddar

40g = 166 calories, 14g fat

40 - 45g of cheddar is about the portion you will find in a typical sandwich.

In a ploughman's expect to find a 120g portion of cheddar. This provides 499 calories and 42g of fat and this is before the chunk of French stick and butter.

Using reduced fat cheddar-like cheese significantly reduces the calories in a portion bringing 40g worth down to 109 calories and 6g of fat.

Almonds

30g is equivalent to 24 almonds = 184 calories, 17g fat

When you eat almonds which still are in their brown coat, some of the fat passes through our digestive systems unabsorbed. In effect this means that while in theory they have 184 calories per 30g serving, you actually absorb slightly less than this when eaten this way. They are also especially good for bone building calcium.

Brazil Nuts

40g = 166 calories, 14g fat

30g is equivalent to 8 Brazil nuts = 204 calories, 21g fat

Brazil nuts have the most selenium of any food. This trace mineral is crucial for great looking skin and for helping to beat heart disease and cancer.

Walnuts

Walnuts are good for cholesterol lowering omega 3 oils.

30g is equivalent to 14 walnut halves = 206 calories, 22g fat

Cashew Nuts

Cashew nuts are one of the best nuts for the memory boosting B vitamin called folate. Pumpkin seeds

30g = 171 calories, 14g fat

30g is equivalent to 20 whole cashew nuts = 172 calories, 15g fat

Pumpkin Seeds

30g = 171 caloires, 14g fat

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are especially rich in the antioxidant vitamin E which is great for the heart.

30g = 174 calories, 14g fat

Boiled new potatoes

Small Potato

Medium Potato

Large Potato

Sweet potato

180g = 156 calories, 0.5g fat

The sweet potato is not related to standard potatoes and has a different starchy structure. It is low GI which means that it is broken down gently and slowly and keeps you feeling full for hours after eating.

If you bake a 180g serving it contains 207 calories and 0.7g of fat and provides you with vitamins C, E and beta carotene as well as the energy boosting mineral iron.

Chips

160g = 382 calories, 20g fat

This is considered as an 'average' portion. Yet in a fish and chip shop you are likely to have a much larger portion of 240g with 574 calories and 30g of fat.

An average 90g portion of fries from a typical fast food restaurant has 289 calories and 16g of fat A large 124g portion of fries from a typical fast food restaurant has 386 calories and 30g of fat.

Crinkle cut chips have more calories and fat than straight cut chips of the same weight because they have more surface area on which to absorb the fat. 160g of crinkle cut chips has 464 calories and 27g of fat.

A 160g portion of oven chips has 259 calories and 7g of fat.

Don't be fooled into thinking microwave chips are any more healthy than standard chips - a 160g portion has 354 calories and 15g of fat

Ritz

1 x 4g Ritz biscuit = 17 calories, 0.9g fat

TUC

1 x 6g biscuit = 24 calories, 1.3g fat

Oat cakes

1 x 10g oatcake = 43 calories, 1.7g fat

Water biscuits

1 x 6g water biscuit = 30 calories, 0.2g fat

Pizza

We cut the same size of slice in each of these pizzas. The deep pan weighed 87g while the thin crust weighed 60g.

Deep pan

Deep pan tomato and cheese pizza = 260 calories, 7g of fat.

Thin crust

Thin crust pizza = 143 calories, 5g of fat

Quiche

140g = 501 calories, 36g fat

This is an average portion of quiche. If you were to have a large slice weighing 180g it would give you 644 calories and 46g of fat.

Mayonnaise

30g of mayonnaise = 207 calories and 12g of fat

30g is an average serving that you would dollop on to a salad. To give it a sense of perspective, a tablespoon of mayonnaise is 33g. This is about the amount you would find in an egg or tuna mayonnaise sandwich.

If you opt for reduced fat mayonnaise the calories in a 30g portion fall to 86 and the fat to 8g.

Hummus

100g of hummus =187 calories and 13g of fat

This is the official average number of calories and grams of fat in hummus although this can vary widely between brands.

Some for instance can be as high as 369 calories and 33g of fat per 100g so it is always worth checking the nutritional label because you can easily make your way through this amount of hummus when using it as a dip.

If you were to use it as a spread on bread instead of using butter you would use around a tablespoon which would give you an average of 56 calories and 4g of fat.

Opting for reduced fat versions of hummus brings the calories down, but down to what depends what they the figures were in the first place because reduced means just that, reduced. It does not mean 'low' fat.

Taramasalata

100g of taramasalata = 504 calories and 53g of fat

The high number of calories in taramasalata comes from olive oil and fish roe with which it is made.

Tzatziki

100g = 66 calories and 5g of fat

Made from yoghurt with cucumber and chopped parsely, this is one of the lower calorie and lower fat dips around

Coleslaw

100g = 258 calories and 26g of fat

It is not surprising that coleslaw is a food rich in calories and fat when you consider that it is made with mayonnaise. Look out for reduced fat versions which have at least 25 per cent less fat. Do be aware however that although they may be reduced fat, this does not necessarily make them low in fat.

Tomato Salsa

100g = 47 calories, 0.3g fat

This is a great alternative to creamy based and cheese dips. Served with crudite like carrot batons, slices of peppers and sticks of cucumber, it is one of the most healthy snacks and party nibbles around.

Peanut Butter

12g = 73 calories, 6g fat

This is equivalent to just one teaspoon which you would spread on a piece of toast. Try to opt for wholegrain versions minus added sugar and use instead of rather than with butter.

Wine

A standard measure of wine is 125ml but there are very few pubs, bars or restaurants who now serve wine in this size of glass. You are much more likely to have a 175ml glass and it takes an astute eye to notice the difference. Yet the larger glass not only gives you an extra 34 calories, perhaps more importantly, it supplies you with an extra ½ a unit of alcohol, often without realising.

More and more frequently bars are now going one step further and serving wine in 250ml glasses. You will probably notice that it seems a bit bigger, but may not realise that it is actually double the standard glass. This means that you not only double your calories, but your units of alcohol as well and may be surprised to find yourself feeling a bit squiffy even though in your own mind, you have only had 'a glass' of wine.

125ml glass of red wine = 85 calories and 1 unit of alcohol
175ml of red wine = 119 calories and 1% units of alcohol
250ml of red wine = 170 calories and 2 units of alcohol

The calories in a glass of white wine are as follows:

Dry white: 83 per 125ml glass; 116 per 175ml glass; 165 per 250ml glass
Medium white: 93 per 125ml glass; 130 per 175ml glass; 185 per 250ml glass
Sweet white: 118 per 125ml glass; 165 per 175ml glass; 235 per 250ml glass

For an extra dry glass of champagne Laurent Perrier Ultra Brut provides the fewest calories with 60 calories per 125ml glass.

Lattes

Regular skimmed milk: 122 calories, 0g fat
Regular whole milk: 200 calories, 10.6g fat

Medium skimmed milk: 163 calories, 0g fat
Medium whole milk: 265 calories, 13.8g fat

Extra large skimmed milk: 208 calories, 0g fat
Extra large whole milk: 341 calories, 17.9g fat

Cappuccinos

Regular skimmed milk: 76 calories, 0g fat
Regular whole milk: 122 calories, 6.4g fat

Medium skimmed milk: 96 calories, 0g fat
Medium whole milk: 153 calories, 7.7g fat

Extra large skimmed milk: 129 calories, 0g fat
Extra large whole milk: 207 calories, 10.7g fat

Hot chocolate

Regular skimmed milk: 289 calories, 9.5g fat
Regular whole milk: 362 calories, 11.8g fat

Medium skimmed milk: 362 calories, 11.8g fat
Medium whole milk: 448 calories, 23.5g fat

Extra large skimmed milk: 441 calories, 12.3g fat
Extra large whole milk: 549 calories, 27g fat