How Many Syns in Camembert?

Camembert is one of those cheeses that feels indulgent even before you've unwrapped the little wooden box, and on Slimming World it sits firmly in the syns column rather than the free list. A soft, bloomy-rinded cow's milk cheese from Normandy, camembert delivers around 290 calories per 100g and roughly 24g of fat, which works out at about 3 syns per 30g wedge. That makes it slightly leaner per portion than brie, but the difference is small enough that you should weigh rather than eyeball if you're keeping a tight tally.

The trick with camembert on plan is to treat it as a flavour event rather than a sandwich filler. A 30g portion is enough to top a jacket potato with rocket and balsamic, melt over roasted tomatoes, or pair with a pear and a few walnuts (remembering nuts are syns too). Baked camembert is a brilliant centrepiece for a sharing night, especially when you stud the top with garlic and rosemary and serve it with Slimming World chips and crudités for dipping — the whole 250g wheel comes in around 25 syns, so split between four people it becomes a very manageable 6 syns each.

If you're using camembert as a Healthy Extra A swap, sadly it doesn't qualify; only specific harder, lower-fat cheeses are listed there. But syns spent on real, ripe camembert tend to feel well used because a little goes a remarkably long way. Buy it slightly underripe and let it come up to room temperature before serving — the texture turns from chalky to oozing, and you'll find a small wedge satisfies far more than a larger portion of something blander. Always weigh after letting it soften, as the rind can hide a generous interior.