Healthy Recipes for Your Holiday Feast

By Brandi Swieter

The holidays are often all about delicious fattening foods that fill up families as they gather around the table. With cookies, cakes, pies, and more desserts to enjoy after the meal, it’s important for those trying to stay healthy to incorporate some healthier recipes into their holiday feast. It will take away some of the added calories and make way for the treats afterward.

Low-Fat Eggnog

Eggnog is a traditional drink for the holidays that many people have at their Christmas get-togethers. Rather than purchasing the high fat content from the store, a homemade version can get created to help combat the problem. Low-fat eggnog is possible using low fat milk.

Scalloped Potatoes

Mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole are two common side dishes found at the Christmas dinner table. These are both unhealthy choices that may taste good, but offer very little in terms of nutritional value. With added butter in mashed potatoes and brown sugar and marshmallows in sweet potatoes, both are poor choices. A healthier option is scalloped potatoes.

Guacamole

Green in color, guacamole is a great addition to a holiday meal. It’s a much healthier dip to enjoy thanks to the main ingredient, avocados, that contain plenty of potassium, fiber, Vitamin K, and many other nutrients. Substitute it for the chip dip for a healthy choice.

Braised Chicken

Ham is a common Christmas offering, often baked with brown sugar or a honey glaze. The meat is already one of the more unhealthy options compared to other choices, making it less than ideal to serve in large portions with the extra ingredients baked into it. Braised chicken provides a healthier alternative that people can enjoy. Remove the skin before cooking for an even healthier version.

Salad

Whether the host wants to serve a traditional lettuce salad with various trimmings, or a vegetable blend of tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers, plenty of options are available when it comes to salad creations. They are healthy no matter which way they’re made, especially if all the extra dressing is left off. Salad also tends to fill people up faster, so they won’t be as inclined to pig out on all the other food offerings that may not be as healthy.

Nutrition matters no matter the time of year, so the holidays are no excuse to binge eat and consume all the calories wanted. While it’s fine to indulge in some of the season’s treats, some healthier options should get added to the menu to make up for the added calories and sugar of the season.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Salem, N.H.