During the holiday season, you’re often surrounded by a tempting array of foods – from hearty entrees to indulgent desserts. While some are good choices, others might not be so beneficial, say University of Florida experts.
“While helping your family stay healthy during the holidays might feel like a big task, small changes can make a huge difference in helping prevent disease, reducing complications of existing ones and keeping unwanted pounds off your list of holiday gifts,” said Andrea Nikolai, a registered dietitian and the family and consumer sciences agent for UF/IFAS Extension Polk County. “Fortunately, healthy traditions can become part of what you’re already doing — cooking, eating and spending time with loved ones.”
With that in mind, tweak some of your traditional holiday favorites. Make them heart-healthy without sacrificing flavor, Nikolai said.
“These changes are often subtle enough that your guests won’t even notice, but even if they do, they’ll likely enjoy them just as much — and they’ll appreciate that these changes are better for everyone’s health,” she said. “It’s a win-win.”
Here are a few ideas to try when preparing your holiday meals:
- Swap half the oil in baked goods, such as cookies, cakes, muffins and brownies for a fruit puree such as applesauce. Depending on the dish, pureed pumpkin can also be a delicious option.
- Try an alternative to mayonnaise with these olive oil deviled eggs or try flavorful hummus deviled eggs, or deviled avocado eggs, or all three.
- Use low-fat milk or evaporated fat-free (skim) milk for cream in mashed potatoes, or if you like sour cream, try Greek yogurt for the tangy taste.
- Choose reduced fat (2%) cheese and light cream cheese for casseroles to keep all the flavor but reduce the calories and saturated fat.
- Reduce the sugar in recipes by up to one-third without sacrificing flavor. Adding cinnamon and vanilla can give dishes a sweet flavor without the extra calories, and cinnamon also has health benefits.
