2020 has been different in so many ways, why not keep it going through the Holidays – in a positive way? This year, make a pledge to be different. Move more and cook low-calorie versions of your favorite holiday dishes. Be different and make the effort to get plenty of sleep and manage holiday stress without binge eating? Make it easier on yourself by not putting off until January 1st what you can do today! Rather than starting the New Year with a resolution, this year resolve to be different. Be choosy, think small and plan to make some different substitutions and always work in some fun activity.
Being choosy means indulging only in those few foods that have special meaning and taste fabulous. If it is not totally awesome, there’s no good reason to eat that indulgent food. If you love a certain holiday pie, enjoy a little, but skip the brownies, cheesecake and other treats that are not a really delicious holiday treat for you. If you have always had holiday cookies or candies sitting out, start a different tradition this year and find other ways to add to a festive atmosphere.
Thinking small means using portion control and may be your absolute most important strategy. Nearly any food can fit into a healthy eating plan if your portions are small enough. Use small plates. Avoid second helpings. Prepare mini muffins and small cookies, and bake starchy casseroles in muffin tins or individual ramekins.
Making substitutions means using the control you have over your food choices when you are in charge of the cooking. For example, by swapping out part of the sugar in pumpkin bread for sucralose or another sugar substitute and trading cream for milk in pies, you save lots of calories, added sugars and saturated fats. Below are other ideas for healthy swaps. With a little thought, you can find many ways to keep the taste and the feel of the holiday without hurting your health and regretting it in January.
For instance, instead of butter in stuffing, use canola oil or low sodium chicken broth. Instead of butter in baked goods, use canola or olive oil (4 Tbsp butter = 3 Tbsp oil). Instead of pork sausage, use lean turkey sausage or homemade lean ground pork with sage and red pepper. In cranberry sauce, use a low calorie sweetener or a combination of sugar and a low calorie sweetener. For gravy, use pan drippings that have cooled and had solid (saturated) fat skimmed. When making pie, use a single crust or make a cobble style crust with oats & nuts.
| If your recipe calls for:
Whole milk |
Try this instead:
Fat-free/skim milk or 1% low-fat milk |
| Heavy cream | Evaporated skim milk, whole milk or light cream |
| Whole eggs | 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute |
| Sour cream | Nonfat cottage cheese with lemon juice, fat-free / light sour cream or nonfat plain yogurt |
| Cream cheese | Fat-free / light cream cheese |
| Mayonnaise | Nonfat plain yogurt or fat-free / light mayonnaise |
| Whipped topping | Sugar-free whipped topping mix, nonfat vanilla yogurt, or light or fat-free nondairy whipped topping |
| White flour | 1/2 white flour + 1/2 whole wheat flour or oat bran |
| Salt | Fresh herbs and spices, lemon juice or hot pepper sauce |
| Sugar | Reduce amount used or use a non-nutritive sweeteners |
| Shortening | Canola oil (3/4 cup oil = 1 cup shortening) |
| Meat, fish, poultry | Use limited quantities of meat and higher amounts of fish and vegetables; remove poultry skin and visible fat |
Rather than starting the New Year with another resolution, this year resolve to be different. End 2020 with a dose of different, but healthier options. Be choosy with your food selections, think small when it comes to portion sizes, plan to make some healthy and different food substitutions and always work in some fun activity. Eat, move and choose healthfully throughout the holidays to start the New Year feeling great and without any extra pounds.