No matter what holidays you celebrate, each one comes with its own delicious celebratory meals. It’s easy to go overboard, so below we offer tips on how to balance eating your favorite dishes while keeping your plate healthy.
Research suggests that people gain approximately 5 lbs. over the holiday season. For example, one piece of pumpkin pie with whipped cream can have approximately 500 calories. As 1 lb of fat has 3500 calories—in theory, if you eat just one extra piece of pie a few days a week over the holiday season, that alone can contribute to small amounts of weight gain over time.
Note that there are no “good” or “bad” foods—you can incorporate all foods into a healthy diet. Below are some tips to bear in mind during the holidays to ensure you’re enjoying festivities while eating healthy.
Be aware of Liquid Calories
Holiday drinks are often high calorie and sugar beverages. Be sure to drink water in between alcoholic beverages. The chart below shows the average calories for popular holiday drinks.
| Beverage | Approximate Calories |
|---|---|
| Lite Beer (12 oz) | 100 |
| Alcohol (1.5 oz) | 110 |
| Apple Cider (8 oz) | 120 |
| Wine (6 oz) | 120 |
| Beer (12 oz) | 150 |
| Sparkling Apple Cider (8 oz) | 150 | Eggnog (8 oz) | 300 |
Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating
Bring a healthy dish to your holiday potlucks. Think veggie salad or fruit salad. Everyone appreciates it!
Don’t eat foods that you don’t like. Don’t feel pressured—a simple “no thank you” should suffice. Do not feel obligated to others, even if they have cooked your favorite dish.
Plan your holiday meal before you go. If you are going to your traditional holiday celebration at your aunt’s house and you know what is typically served, visualize your plate ahead of time. A plan is always helpful.
Eat a healthy and filling snack before you go to your holiday celebration. Rarely are good decisions made on an empty stomach.
Make sure everything you eat is plated. Don’t fall victim to the chip and dip bowl or the tray of cheeses and nuts where you are mindlessly eating. It is way too easy to eat hundreds of extra calories, unknowingly. Plate all your food first. This helps to keep you mindful of everything that goes into your mouth.
Understand your hunger and fullness levels. Give yourself a moment to ask yourself, “how hungry am I?”
Allow yourself one plate of food during the main course. If you feel you want to go back for seconds, give yourself 15 minutes until deciding if you really want that second plate. You may forget about it!
Make your plate a healthy plate. Pile high on the veggies and give yourself small portions of your favorites. Survey all the food choices before you make your decision as to what will go on your plate. Try and limit gravies, butter and breads. Those food items can really add hundreds of calories to your dish.
Make new traditions! Take a family walk after dinner to get everyone active.
Keep in mind food safety when it comes to leftovers!
Refrigerate any leftovers within a two hour time period.
Toss all your refrigerated items by the fourth day (that is by Monday for Thanksgiving Day leftovers).
References:
H3329_2019_BlogHolidayEating Approved 12032019
Last updated October 29, 2019
About the Writer
Allison Tannenbaum has been a Registered Dietitian at CenterLight Teamcare Westchester center for more than a year.
