Low-Syn Fish & Chips: Syn Values & Alternatives for Slimming World

Everyone loves a good chip shop fish and chips, but they can be high in calories and fat, for you to be able to eat your chippy without any guilt you must ensure you track their syns.

Chip shop fish and chips have on average around 14 syns for a 220g serving, making them very high in syns, so they should only be eaten as the occasional treat. 

We've gone into some further detail below about why your chippy takeaway is high in syns, the individual syn values of fish and chips in detail as well as a slimming world friendly fish and chip recipe.

Why Are Fish & Chips So High In Syns?

We all know fish and chips aren't the healthiest of meals, but it can be shocking to learn they near use your whole syn allowance for just one small plate.

Fish and chips get most of their syns from the oil used to cook them in, for example, the chips are deep-fried as well as the fish to achieve the crispy batter. Some fish and chips are even higher in syns if they are fried in beer batter.

Chippy sides such as saveloy and ketchup or mayo can also add extra syns and calories with a saveloy having up to 7 syns in total, half of your daily syn allowance!

Fish & Chip Syn Values

There are many kinds of chip shop fish & chips you can get, we've listed the syn values of the individual parts down below so you can have a rough idea of how many syns you will need to enjoy your takeaway.

Chippy Mains

• Fish and chips regular (220G serving) - 14 syns.
• Chips 100g - 6.5 syns.
• Cod without batter - SYN FREE.
• Average chippy meat pie - 20 syns.
• Haddock fish with no batter - SYN FREE.
• Scampi in breaded crumbs - 16 syns.
• Saveloy - 7 syns.
• Fish battered - 18 syns.
• Fish with batter medium - 14 syns.
• Fish cake - 7 syns.
• Plaice fish without batter - SYN FREE.

Chippy Sides

• Mushy peas - No syns.
• Pickles such as eggs and onions - SYN FREE.
• Curry sauce - 7 syns.
• Gravy - 7.5 syns a serving.

How To Choose SW Friendly Fish & Chips

It can be hard to feel as if you can enjoy a chippy takeaway on the SW plan without going over your syns, but there are some simple choices you can make to enjoy your chippy and not go over your syns.

• Choose mushy peas - Mushy peas are syn free on the slimming world plan and make a great side, plus your get some veg in with your meal!
• Avoid the batter - Batter on your fish adds the calories as it has to be deep-fried, instead choose fish with no coating.
• Consider portion size - Chippy fish and chips often give a huge portions size, opt for small portions when you can as these typically equal regular.
• Leave the sides - Avoid curry and gravy sauce, they can add a lot of additional calories to your meal which you don't need, instead make your gravy!

Our SW Friendly Fish & Chips

If you've got a craving for some fish shop fish and chips, you could always try making your own at home to save some syns and have a healthier meal.

Down below we've put together a recipe which serves up to four people, making it great for a family dinner and is only 4 syns a serving!

Ingredients

• One can of mushy peas.
• Some lemon wedges.
• Two eggs.
• Two spoons of beer.
• Three small slices of some stale white bread torn up.
• 750g of potatoes cut up into chips of your desired size.
• Low cal cooking spray.
• Seasoning.
• Four 150g cod fillets.

Method

1. Begin by heating your oven to gas mark 7, blend up your bread in a food blender then grease two baking trays and place some baking paper on top.
2. Next partially boil your chips for about 5 minutes, rough the edges up in a sieve and bake for 30 minutes turning once.
3. Beat your eggs and beer together while seasoning your cod fillets, then dips them into your egg and beer, then turn once in the breadcrumbs and place them on your other lined baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes until cooked through and serve with your mushy peas plus lemon wedges and chips.

Last Words

Overall, chip shop fish and chips are very high in syns, coming in at around 14 syns for your average small serving with chips. We would suggest making some healthy swaps in your takeaway to reduce syns such as choosing non-battered fish or saving even a higher amount of syns by making yours on SW fish 

Frequently Asked Questions

How are syn values calculated?

Syn values are calculated using a formula based on calories, saturated fat and sugar content per serving. They’re not the same as calories — a product can be low in calories but higher in syns if it’s high in sugar or fat. Always check the official Slimming World app for the most accurate and up-to-date syn values.

Do syn values change?

Yes. When manufacturers reformulate their products, the syn value can go up or down. This is why we recommend double-checking with the Slimming World app or your consultant, especially if a product’s packaging has changed recently.

How many syns should I have per day?

Most Slimming World members work with 5 to 15 syns per day. Your consultant will advise on the right amount for you. The key is to use your syns on the things you enjoy most — whether that’s a chocolate bar, a glass of wine, or a packet of crisps.