Holiday eating tips: What to avoid and when to indulge

We’re into the thick of holiday parties, celebrations, get togethers – you name it – it’s non-stop opportunities for eating.  There’s food everywhere we go and of course – it’s the stuff that comes out only once a year.  Hey – let’s face it – the holidays are a reason to eat, we can justify anything because it’s a special occasion.  This year can be different – knowing is half the battle.  We are going to focus on the worst holiday foods when it comes to calories and fat.  I like shortbread and eggnog just like everyone else – it doesn’t mean that we’re not going to enjoy those foods – but we need to be mindful of why, how much and how often we are eating some of these calorie laden foods.  Make it worth your while.  You might think twice about making that a venti egg nog latte if you do a quick check-in with what the calorie breakdown is.

Take a typical cocktail party – these are some of the yummy foods you may encounter:

Remember – the average women eats about 1600-1900 calories a day, ideal fat intake 50-70 grams, saturated fat should be under 20 grams.  This isn’t even dinner – it’s just pre-dinner snacks.  Yikes!

Multiply this by 5 or 6 parties during the holiday season – we’re in trouble.

Calories add up with foods that have a creamy texture – cream cheese, cheese, butter, mayonnaise based sauces/dressings, chocolate – all are high in the calories and fat.  Avoid loading up your plate with mainly these type of foods

Pastry and fried foods either soak up the fat or are made from fat so of course they are going to be high in calories.  1 Tbsp of oil is 130 calories, 1 Tbsp of butter/marg is 90 calories.

Spread the love – load up on less calorie-dense foods like veggies and fruit to balance out the plate.  Not only will it take longer to eat these types of foods, they also fill you up so you are eating smaller portions of the more decadent foods.  Fruits and veggies are the first thing that go when it comes to holidays and vacations.  1 cup of broccoli is only 30 calories!

Make it count! – just because it’s there doesn’t mean you should just eat it – don’t mindless eat.  Be thoughtful about what foods you are choosing to eat.  If you don’t 100% enjoy the food, don’t eat it.  Save the calories for that decadent piece of cake or that extra glass of wine.

Think Small – use smaller side plates to take your food – a brimming smaller plate is much more appealing to the eye then a half filled dinner plate.

Savour and taste your food – slow down and enjoy!

Christmas Dinner Tips

• Roast turkey is festive and delicious, yet low in fat – just watch your portion.  Skim the fat off the drippings when making gravy (using a gravy separator), or if that’s not possible, go easy on the gravy.

• Cranberry sauce is easy to make.  Try a baked cranberry sauce by combining 2 cups of fresh cranberries with ¾ cup of brown sugar and ¼ tsp cloves.   Cover and bake at 350 °for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Tastes super warm or chilled.

• Delicious stuffing can be made outside the bird.  Combine whole grain cubed bread pieces, onion, celery, herbs and seasonings. Add turkey or chicken broth to moisten.  Place in a covered casserole dish and bake beside the turkey for the last hour of cooking.  For more variety, add sautéed mushrooms, chopped apple, dried fruit or frozen cranberries.

• New potatoes are in season.  They are so sweet and moist, who needs any margarine?  Add a sprig of mint to the pot for a refreshing touch.

• Vegetables provide a wonderful array of colour, texture and flavour to enhance the rest of the meal.  Yams are loaded with vitamins and are great baked as they are, or for a change, try cooking with a little apple juice and brown sugar.  Steam whole young carrots, small zucchini or tender green beans.  Offer those dark green vegetables in abundance – brussel sprouts, broccoli, snap peas offer plenty of vitamins and fibre.  Better yet, it’s not too late to barbecue vegetables – brush a little olive oil on sliced vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant and red peppers, and grill until done.

• Be sure to serve a big tossed salad to round out your Christmas dinner.  Use a variety of greens such as red leaf lettuce, spinach leaves, butter lettuce, radicchio, arugula or mustard greens. You can always just buy a bag of pre-mixed gourmet greens and toss with a light dressing.  Use pomegranate, and/or a few toasted nuts for a festive touch.

• Pumpkin pudding is as tasty as pumpkin pie with all the traditional spices of Christmas.  Make pumpkin pie filling as usual, bake it in custard dishes and serve topped with a dab of light Cool WhipÔ or just sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.  If you must have pumpkin pie, use a graham crust or have just a sliver.  Remember 1 cup of whipping cream is 88 grams of fat!!

• If you are hosting, do your guests a favour by including diet non-alcoholic beverages and healthier items such as a variety of veggies, salads and fruit on the menu.  Use low-calorie and fat-free salad dressings.  Also putting these items out before the meats and higher calorie desserts will give everyone a better chance of not overdoing it with the higher fat and calorie choices.

• Look for healthy substitutes for ingredients when you whip up your favourite holiday fare.  If you usually dump in several spoons of butter/margarine to those mashed potatoes, think again.  No one is going to miss those hundreds of calories if you skip the butter/margarine and use chicken broth or 1% buttermilk instead.  In some baked goods, you can swap applesauce for oil.  Use non-fat greek yogurt instead of sour cream for your dips. Switching ingredients can create tasty results without the high calories.

• If you’re lucky enough to be invited for dinner, offer to bring a healthy dish.  You’ll be assured that there is at least one or two items that will help keep you on track with your eating plan.