Smart Choices for Holiday Eating
photo by ginnerobot
There’s something about the holidays that makes a girl want to scrap healthy eating and live off of popcorn balls and marshmallow Santas. Not saying I’m one of those girls (I like my Santa candies made out of chocolate.) Anyhow, something makes me want to indulge at Christmas time, and it’s not the nonstop holiday food fest going on at the Food Network.
I won’t pooh-pooh holiday treats, but I am going to restrain myself. My eyes are very often bigger than my stomach, especially when there are homemade Christmas cookies involved. Instead of eating the whole tray a bunch, I’ll pick my favorite and fully enjoy it. (Yah, I’ll probably sneak a couple bites of pie, too.) As for other meals, I’ll try to swap less healthy options for those I know are packed with more nutrients and fewer calories.
Need ideas for smart holiday food swaps? Read on for some tips.
At the cocktail party … sip hot cocoa instead of eggnog.
A cup of the latter has close to 350 calories, 19 grams of fat, and 11 grams of saturated fat, which plays a role in heart disease. That’s because the drink is really glorified cream puff filling: It’s made with eggs, sugar, whole milk, and heavy cream. Instead, opt for a hot cocoa, which has 190 calories per cup. You can add sugar-free peppermint syrup
While you mingle … skip the cheese and crackers and opt for nuts and veggies.
A cup of cheddar cheese has 532 calories, 820 milligrams of sodium, and 44 grams of fat. But cheese is really known for its high saturated fat content—28 grams per cup of cheddar. Crackers are also notoriously high in sodium and, depending on your brand, could be loaded with butter. Since you’ll probably be snacking on an empty stomach, there’s a good chance you can hit the 500-calorie mark before dinner even starts. Instead opt for a handful of nuts (bonus points to you if you eat the unsalted variety) or veggies—minus the dip.
During dinner … pick turkey over ham.
A honey-glazed baked ham is a nice departure from the Thanksgiving turkey, but it’s a less healthy meal. Here’s why: A slice of ham will cost you 496 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 5,941 milligrams of sodium. Per slice. Yes, you read that right: 5,941 milligrams of sodium. And, really, who eats just one slice? To put this in perspective, consider that half of an entire turkey only has 1,263 milligrams.
On the side … swap mashed for sweet potatoes.
Some people, like The Man, plan their year around the holidays simply because they so love mashed potatoes. If you can live without them, stick with sweeter spuds. Since mashed potatoes involve a lot of whole milk (sometimes even cream) and butter (and usually more butter) they’re more fattening than a baked sweet potato. Not only that, but sweet potatoes are full of essential nutrients like beta carotene, potassium, and vitamin C. Just stay away from the sweet potato casserole (if you can; it’s like crack to me). Most are loaded with butter and sugar in three forms: brown sugar, syrup, and marshmallows.
For dessert … pick candy canes over pecan pie.
I love pecan pie just as much as the next sugar addict, but I wouldn’t touch a slice with a three-foot fork. That’s because once I start, I can’t stop till the pie tin is licked clean. And that’s bad news since a slice of the holiday favorite has 503 calories, and 27 grams of fat. I find that sucking on a candy cane keeps me away from the pie (and other sinful desserts) and satisfies my craving for sugar, sugar, and more sugar. Plus, you can enjoy a candy cane longer than a piece of pie. So you win there, too.
What are you favorite Christmas treats? Do you stay away from anything—or do you eat whatever and worry about it after New Year’s?
5 comments
You know my motto: I eat whatever I want when I’m hungry and I stop when I’m full. At least that’s what I strive to do. I read an interesting blog post on this subject today. Maybe it will interest you as well:
http://www.fatnutritionist.com/index.php/rules-vs-trust-in-eating/
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Tracey Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Interesting article. I see the benefit of not worrying about calories and nutrition of foods during the holidays, but I find that if I let myself get out of the healthy-eating mindset for a bit then it’s even harder for me to get back into it post-holiday. By being mindful of what I’m eating even during the holidays, I’m less likely to let the binge continue for a week, or two, or three…
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It really is amazing to see what you’re really getting when you eat. I am shocked by the amount of sodium in ham! You told me I read it correctly but I had to look again just to be sure. You might like the Eat This, Not That series of books. They have a few different titles: Best & Worst for weight loss, general eat this not that, for kids, restaurant guide, and supermarket survival.
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Tracey Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 12:16 am
I’ve seen the Eat This, Not That books, but I think they mostly pick the lesser of the two evils. Such as: Eat this fast food item, not that worse one. I understand the concept, but when I think about healthy eating I don’t necessarily think, ‘What can I get away with at McDonald’s?’
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I actually wrote an article just like this a week or so ago. These are helpful tips that everyone can be reminded of. I usually allow myself to indulge in a few of my favorite treats, and then stick to keeping the rest of my plate healthy.
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