Holidays are a great time to celebrate popular traditions with our favorite meals and drinks. While you celebrate, think about the small changes you can adopt to enjoy healthier meals, and remain active.
1.- A toast to good health: quench your thirst with low-calorie alternatives. Drink water with juice or sliced lemon. Serve sparkling water with a splash of natural fruit juice.
2.- Healthier sweets: for dessert, try baked apples with cinnamon and glazed sugar on top, instead of apple pie. Offer your guests the chance to prepare their own frozen dessert with fruits of different colors, and low-fat yogurt.
3.- Make sure the proteins are lean: turkey, beef, ham, legumes, and some varieties of fish, like cod or sole, are excellent examples of leaner, healthier alternatives. When preparing meat, trim and remove the fat before cooking. Go easy on the salsa and dressings; they can contain considerable amounts of fat and sodium.
4.- Give your recipes a makeover: breathe some fresh air into your favorite dishes. Look for healthier alternatives to your special recipes.
5.- Healthy baking: follow recipes that include sugar-free apple sauce or banana purée instead of butter. Try cutting the amount of sugar suggested in the recipe in half. Select recipes that will add flavor, like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.
6.- Enjoy foods from every group during celebrations: for starters, serve hummus on top of whole-grain crackers, and add salt-free walnuts, and black beans to your salads. Fix your casseroles with skim milk, not cream. Share your healthy holiday dinner with others!
7.- All lights on you!: dance, laugh, enjoy. Focus on having fun and enjoy the company of friends and family.
8.- Make exercise part of the fun: turn physical exercise into a holiday tradition. After dinner, go for a walk with friends and family. Choose gifts that will encourage others to follow healthy routines, like exercise DVDs, running shoes, and reusable water bottles.
9.- Don’t throw those leftovers away: prepare a meal with last night’s leftovers. Add turkey to soups and salads. Throw veggies into your omelets, sandwiches, and soups. The options are endless!
10.- Share: dedicate time to prepare meals or provide food to those in need. Donate foods to your local food bank and/or volunteer at a soup kitchen over the holidays.
