Nutrition During the Holidays
WRITTEN BY HANNAH BAKOWSKI
Now that the holiday season is upon us, you may be indulging in delicious food that you might not normally eat throughout the year. Typically, holiday dishes are higher in fat, higher in sugar, and we usually eat larger portion sizes, too! Today’s blog post centers on making healthy food choices during the holiday season.
There are many different ways to think about this. Personally, I believe the healthiest way to navigate the holidays is to remember that all foods fit into a healthy diet. You might be shocked to hear this, especially coming from a future dietitian, but the truth is, you can be healthy, and enjoy the fat-filled appetizers, the sugar-packed desserts, and everything else in between! When you go into the holiday eating festivities, keep that in mind, as well as the following tips to help you enjoy your favorite foods while also being mindful of your body and when it’s full!
Tip #1: Eat a nutritious breakfast1. While this might seem like a silly tip, it’s a really important one. If you have a holiday party to attend later in the day, start with a nutritious breakfast, filled with fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains packed with fiber! This way, you know you are getting some good nutrients into your body, especially if there aren’t many vegetables at the party! This will also help you feel full longer and will help prevent you from overeating!
Tip #2: Bring fruits and vegetables to the table1. It’s not too common to see a fruit and vegetable platter as appetizers, so why not bring one! Making a fruit salad or vegetable tray is a great way to add nutritious options to your selection! Pro tip: put these appetizers out first so people start to fill up on these instead of going straight for the other options that may be higher in saturated fats and refined sugars!
Tip #3: Make a healthier alternative1. Now, it’s nice to indulge in all of these foods, but it’s also great to have a healthier version of foods as well. For example, my family’s all-time favorite holiday side dish is a broccoli and carrot casserole that is packed with Velveeta cheese and has buttery croutons on top. While we are getting vegetables, this is not the healthiest way to cook them. So, instead of this being your only vegetable side dish, make an additional side dish of steamed or roasted vegetables! Or, try to make healthier substitutions within a recipe! For example, if a recipe calls for sour cream, cream cheese, or even mayonnaise, try swapping it with plain Greek yogurt!
Tip #4: How to tackle the appetizers. If you’re like me and you love food, especially trying new foods, then the buffet of appetizers at a party or family dinner is surely going to be a feast! One thing I’ve been doing that helps me try everything that looks delicious as well as keeps me from overeating, is to take a step back (literally and figuratively!) So first, if you normally hang out around the table of foods, then you’re more likely to find yourself mindlessly eating. So, try hanging out somewhere else! Next, when you do go to eat the appetizers, don’t just grab food as you walk around the table. Instead, scope out the selection first, and then fill your plate! This way you know what is available and you can plan how much of each you want! I always try to grab just a little bit of everything I want, while only filling one plate. That way I get to taste it all, but I don’t get overly full.
Tip #5: Wait before getting seconds2. This rule applies to the appetizers, as well as dinner and dessert! It takes about 10-20 minutes for our bodies to recognize that we are full. So, after you finish your first plate, wait 10-20 minutes to see if we are full. And if you can't decide, ask yourself: am I eating more because I am hungry or, because the food tastes good. This tip will help keep you from overeating and then going into a food coma!
Tip #6: Don’t go overboard on the desserts! Don’t worry, I’m not saying you can’t have dessert. I often try multiple desserts during the holidays. My mom is an excellent baker and everything she makes is the best dessert ever, so it’s always hard to just choose one! Instead of picking, I try to ask for a tiny piece of whatever dessert I want. I’ll take a couple of bites of each and listen to my body to know when I’m full and have had enough. Don’t be afraid to not finish your dessert! Instead, take leftovers home to eat another day!
The important thing to note from all of these tips is to listen to your body’s hunger cues; that you don’t have to eliminate any food choices presented on the table. Remember that all foods fit! So instead of taking away your favorite holiday dishes, try adding in some healthier options as well! I’ve added in an appetizer and dinner recipe in case you’re looking for new dishes to try! Feel free to post your favorite holiday dish below so others in the Fast Feet Community can try it!
Greek Yogurt Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip3
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (sub with a can of chickpeas to make it vegetarian! I like to mash about ½ of the chickpeas and leave the rest whole)
½ cup Frank’s Red Hot or your favorite hot sauce (add more to make it spicier, and less to decrease the heat!)
1 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
½ cup small curd cottage cheese
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese (sub with ½ cup crumbled blue cheese)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 ℉
In a bowl, mix all ingredients except ½ cup of cheddar cheese until thoroughly combined.
Pour dip into a glass 8 x 8-inch pan. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheese and bake at 350 for 25 minutes
Serve with chips or veggies of choice (I like to eat it with crunchy celery!)
Easy Baked Lemon Chicken4
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons butter. Sub with olive oil to add more omega-3 fatty acids to the meal
⅓ cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey (use less if you don’t like a little sweetness)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste - (use ~ 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper)
Optional: fresh rosemary and lemon slices for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 ℉ and grease a baking sheet or large casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side just until browned. Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet.
In a small bowl whisk together chicken broth, lemon juice, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
Pour sauce over chicken. Bake 20-30 minutes (closer to 20 for smaller chicken breasts, closer to 30 for larger) until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 ℉. Every 5-10 minutes spoon the sauce from the pan over the chicken.
Garnish with fresh rosemary and lemon slices if desired and serve.
Note: If you like your chicken very lemony, marinate it for 2-24 hours in the lemon sauce you make in step 3. Be sure to seal it in an airtight container or bag and keep it in the fridge!
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