The holiday season is upon us. Whether you’re trying to clear out your candy bowl from Halloween or prepping for the big Thanksgiving feast, everyone knows what the holidays bring. Food! I myself can say that I enjoy indulging in the holiday meals with family and friends. It’s the time of year that I do look forward to. Everyone brings out their fancy dishes and prepares meals that could feed an entire army. My family has always been somewhat health conscious and I thought since the holidays are right around the corner, I would provide a few ideas to help make your holiday meals healthier.
- Substitute dips with low- or fat-free yogurt instead of sour cream or mayonnaise.
- Don’t pile on brown sugar and marshmallows to your sweet potatoes. Instead sprinkle cinnamon before you mash them.
- Everyone knows to utilize whole grains instead of white, refined grains. Serve whole grain rolls and use whole grain pastas for dishes.
- To help cut down on the best part of the meal, the dessert, use fruit purees instead of fats (oils or butter) in your cakes, cookies, or pumpkin bread.
These are just some simple and easy ideas that can be used for this holiday season to help with those New Year’s resolutions that everyone always has. This year you’ll be able to stick to the resolution and accomplish it by saving you some time and a few extra pounds with some healthier substitutes.
Jon Clay started with Aureus Medical Group in February 2013. He works as a Physician Search Consultant for the Physicians Division, actively recruiting and maintaining relationships with physicians in order to place them in locum tenens or permanent placement. In his free time, Jon enjoys singing, working out/running, and spending time with friends.