Healthy Holiday Eating

Holidays and eating special food seem to go hand-in-hand. If you have healthy eating habits most of the year, extra eating for a few days probably doesn’t make that much difference. But if “holiday eating” starts on Thanksgiving Day and is the beginning of a six-week eating marathon, then strategies to control your caloric intake may be needed.

To prevent uncontrolled eating during the holidays a little planning can keep diets in balance. Before parties or other events, cut back on calories and increase your physical activity. Practice saying “No thank you” to dishes that are high in fat and calories. Decide what is the most desirable choice to you and enjoy eating that item. Give yourself permission to eat one or two favorite holiday foods without feeling guilty. Do not feel obligated to try every food that is available. To avoid offending the cook, try saying, “I’d love just a little taste,” or “That sounds delicious, maybe I’ll try some later.” Focus on people, both old and new friends, instead of the food. With eating as a secondary focus, making healthy food choices will be easier.

Trimming calories from holiday food is possible with a few simple adjustments. Some helpful tips include:

• Purchase an unbasted turkey. Self-basted turkeys are considerably higher in calories due to the fat that is injected into
  the breast.
• Use lemon juice, garlic, onions and herbs to season food.
• Use skim milk instead of whole milk or cream in mashed potatoes, cream sauces and soups.
• When making pumpkin pie filling, use evaporated skim milk, less sugar and a little more spice.
• Mix sparkling water with fruit juices for a bubbly beverage with fewer calories.
• Use a gravy separator to skim fat from meat drippings before making gravy.
• Baste the turkey with fruit juice rather than meat drippings.
• When baking, replace up to three-quarters of the oil called for in a recipe with pureed fruit, such as applesauce, banana or pumpkin.
• A typical sweet potato recipe calls for sugar, butter and marshmallows. Substitute these ingredients with orange juice and spices.

Planning ahead, making healthy choices and incorporating physical activity into your daily routine are the keys to good health anytime of the year, but can be
especially helpful during the holiday
season. For more healthy holiday eating tips, contact your local Cooperative
Extension Center.