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Manlius, New York 13104
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You don't have to give up a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet to enjoy the holidays. Here are a few suggestions to help you prepare healthy holiday meals.
1. Start the Party Light: Many appetizers are loaded with fats and sugars, and having finger foods available before your meal can make it all too easy to overeat. Make it easy for you and your guests to eat healthy by sticking with light appetizers like shrimp cocktails, whole-grain crackers with reduced-fat cheese, vegetables with a low-fat yogurt dip, and fresh-fruit skewers.
2. Pile on the Produce: Stick with simple fruits and vegetables for your sides instead of ladling on creams and sauces that are high in fat and calories. The fiber in your healthy choices will actually help your guests feel more full. If you can't give up casseroles completely, use low-fat soup and extra vegetables and top it with crunchy whole-grain cereal instead of the traditional fried onions.
3. Make Simple Swaps: Shaving a few calories off ingredients here and there can add up to a big difference over the course of a holiday meal. Use low-fat sour cream, fat-free yogurt, light cream cheese, and low-fat milk in place of high-fat counterparts. Your guests won't miss the extra calories or notice a difference in taste.
Serving a healthy holiday meal doesn't have to mean sacrificing taste or going hungry. You can make a few simple changes and still serve a feast your loved ones will be talking about for years to come!
Always go to a party with gas in your tank. Have a shake before you go or eat some protein before you leave. If you are a guest, bring something healthy to serve- like a veggie or fruit tray so you have some options. Even if you are on full meal replacements, you can munch on raw veggies without any problems, so you can park yourself by the veggie tray if needed.
If you are the host or hostess, consider downsizing your plate (remeber visual queues- your brain wants to fill a plate regardless of the size.) Fill half your plate with veggies, 2/3 with protein, and only 1/3 with carbs. You will take in less calories, feel satisfied, and enjoy the socializing much more.
Sunday, December 20th, 2009 06:37 AM | wendy scinta