Eating healthy when you are busy making merry over the holidays can be accomplished if you dig your heels in and just make it happen! There are many ways that you can eat nutritiously and also encourage others to do so as well.
Do not be afraid to experiment with healthy holiday alternatives. Do not worry about what family members will say. Just put on a happy face and encourage them to open their minds and give your new options a try! If you are the one in charge of making food for a meal then take control and become the health police – well, within reason, don’t want you to lose friends!
Maybe this year you want to do things completely different. You could make a selection of salads instead of preparing heavy foods that are common winter fare such as roasts, casseroles or stews. Or maybe you can find ways to take the emphasis off of food all together and come up with an activity you can enjoy with family or friends that is not all about munching on goodies.
When it comes to vegetables serve as many raw ones as you can. Make up vegetable plates and serve with a healthy low fat dip. This is sure to be a hit amongst your health conscious guests!
Salads are a better choice than are vegetables that are baked in fat. Salads offer another means of eating raw veggies. You might even want to offer both veggie plates as well as a variety of salads. Lemon or lime juice tastes good on salads as does a variety of types of vinegar and fresh herbs such as rosemary or cilantro. Yummy and oh so healthy!
Green salads are an ideal choice and you can mix and match whatever veggies you want. If you want to whip up a potato salad then instead of mixing it with mayonnaise use spices to give it that zing that you are looking for. You will not know how delicious it can be until you try it for yourself.
Speaking of potatoes, if you wish to have baked potatoes instead of topping them with butter try plain yogurt. Or you can try low fat sour cream or low fat cream cheese. Just make sure you only add a tiny amount to the potato. Do not drown it with anything or you will drown out the taste of it entirely!
To flavor your vegetables stay away from fattening butter or creamy sauces. Instead opt for herbs and spices. Experiment with a number of them to find the ones that are most appealing to your taste buds and the taste buds of your loved ones.
If you do want to include some cooked vegetables in your holiday meals then steam them instead of boiling them. Not only is this the healthier option but it also makes for some great tasting vegetables!
More tips can be found in our Healthy Eating Tips for the Holiday Season – Part I here.
Here’s to a healthy eating holiday for you and yours!
Becca
Alternative Health for Today 