Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Food

How Many Calories Are In Your Favorite Holiday Treats?


By

Jen Carlson

Published Dec 20, 2012

Modified Dec 20, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Jen Carlson

Published Dec 20, 2012

Modified Dec 20, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Something named FITist (no relation) recently emailed Gothamist HQ with a red alert stating that research shows some people gain up to 10 lbs during the holidays, adding that "one goat cheese canapé is 300 calories." But the holidays aren't about goat cheese canapés! They're about those things that have been on your table every December since birth: cookies, egg nog, and at my German household: stollen. But not that rock-hard, raisin-filled faux-stollen you find at stores—my grandmother made it with just three ingredients: sugar, butter, and magic. Scroll down if you want your holiday nostalgia cravings ruined forever... but it's not like you were actually going eat that fruitcake anyway, right?

newxmasfoods.jpeg

EGG NOG: For a 1/2 cup of standard store-bought Egg Nog, you'll be taking in: 170 calories; 8g fat; 22g carbohydrates; 90mg sodium; 4g sugar.

PANETTONE BREAD: For one slice of store-bought Bellino Panettone bread, you'll be taking in: 180 calories; 7g of fat; 27g carbohydrates; 95mg sodium; 12g sugar.

FRUIT CAKE: We're going with the Hostess Fruit Cake on this one, because who knew this food abomination even existed? 1/4 of this cake will have you taking in: 420 calories; 12g fat; 72 carbohydrates; 100mg sodium; 36g sugar.

STOLLEN: This is really hard because there are so many ways to make stollen, and you really have to have the homemade stollen if you are going to have stollen at all. These loaves have sticks of butter, bags of sugar, and sometimes there's a slab of marzipan stuffed in there! My grandmother would even melt butter to pour over the top of the loaf before serving... we're talking heart-stopping amounts of fat and calories. If you do go store-bought, for a 1" slice from Wegmans you'll get: 368 calories; 16g fat; 50g carbohydrates; 144mg sodium; 25g sugar.

CANDY CANES: Stick to the candy cane! They aren't too bad for you—one cane contains: 40 calories; 0g fat; 14 carbohydrates; 0mg sodium; 11g sugar.

GINGERBREAD: According to this, one gingerbread man cookie contains: 207 calories; 6g fat; 35g carbohydrates; 130mg sodium; 26g sugar.

COOKIES & MILK FOR SANTA: We're going with Pillsbury Sugar Cookies with this one, we hear Santa loves those. One 1/2 inch slice packs a whopping 130 calories; 6g fat; 18g carbohydrates; 80mg sodium; 10g sugar. Depending on how thick you slice them before going into the oven, those numbers can change—here's what one 21g cookie would weigh in at. And don't forget the milk to dunk these in—one cup of whole milk is 150 calories; 8g fat; 12g carbohydrates; 130mg sodium; 12g sugar.

Tagged

christmas

health

holidays

nutritional info

weight gain


Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE food

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.

By

Robert Sietsema

Published Sep 12, 2026


Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.

By

Sonia Rao

Food

Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.

By

Sonia Rao


5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's

By

Hannah Frishberg

Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian

By

Robert Sietsema

Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?

By

Caroline Shin


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .