Tag: healthy holidays

How to Celebrate Healthy Holidays: Tips and Recipes

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This time of year can be challenging for those of us who maintain a healthful, whole foods diet throughout the year. It’s not that we are necessarily tempted by chocolates pumped full of refined sugar, but sometimes it can be difficult to find something to eat at holiday gatherings or politely refuse the fruitcake pressed upon us by well-intentioned relatives. With a few tips and tricks at the ready, it’s doable to celebrate healthy holidays and feel vibrant throughout.

Here in Canada (where you’ll find the HQ of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition), we kick the holiday season off the second week of October during Canadian Thanksgiving – and the intensity only increases after Halloween.

Unless you decide to forgo the holidays altogether, the reality is you might be confronted with some awkward or less than ideal food situations. Here are some of our best suggestions about how to celebrate healthy holidays this year.

how to celebrate healthy holidays

Host Gatherings at Your Home for Healthy Holidays

The obvious way to avoid foods that you know don’t support your health is to offer to host the meal at your home. Of course, we realize this is not always the easiest option, especially since whole food cooking involves making many things from scratch. However, if you’re accustomed to healthy cooking and love doing so, hosting the meal on your own turf is a beautiful way to share delicious, nourishing food with the people you care about.

If you’re cooking for those who are wary of healthy food, no fear – their taste buds won’t be able to tell the difference if you:

More Holiday Themed Recipes

20 Best Healthy Mocktails

25 Best Holiday Sides and Appetizers

30 Best Healthy Holiday Recipes

20 Amazing Healthy Holiday Desserts

Offer An Honest, but Diplomatic Explanation for Your Food Choices at Gatherings

Photo: Gabriel Gurrola via Unsplash

Sharing food is one of the ways we all like to express love and appreciation. When others perceive that you are rejecting their food, or judging the way that they eat, it can feel difficult or hurtful.

It’s helpful to explain that you are working on your health and that means there are certain foods that disagree with you. If you’re attending a meal with close family and friends, it’s likely that they already know a lot about you and the way that you eat, so this news won’t come as a surprise.

When you’re with people you don’t know very well, explain your situation clearly and diplomatically, but never criticize or preach to them. Just as you’d like people to respect your eating style, you can’t force kale on people unless they are ready to receive it.

If you are with family or friends who refuse to accept your lifestyle and criticize you for your ‘health nut’ ways, remember that their behaviour isn’t about you – it’s about them so try not to take their judgement or teasing personally. Don’t eat anything you don’t want to in order to diffuse a situation or make someone else feel better. If you feel awful or have to run to the toilet with diarrhea, that’s not actually helping anyone at all!

Call Ahead

Don’t show up at an aunt’s house and demand special treatment without warning. Call ahead and explain any dietary restrictions you have to your host and propose solutions you have to handle them. For example, you could offer to bring an entrée or dessert, or ask if elements such as dressings or sauces could be left on the side for guests to add to their own plates.

Bring a Delicious Dish to Share

Don’t isolate yourself with a specially prepared meal. Bring a huge casserole dish to share the healthy goodness with everyone else. For example, this shepherd’s pie is always a crowd-pleaser, and it’s hearty enough to serve as your entrée and a side for everyone else. It’s also difficult to turn down mashed sweet potatoes, or a plate of cookies.

Discover more about how to create a healthy potluck dish here.

Nourish Yourself Well During Non-Holiday Meals

Image: iStock/Kuvona

While it may seem like the holiday season is rolling 24/7, there are plenty of opportunities aside from festivities where you can focus on fueling yourself with foods you know support your health.

When we’re not celebrating, we like to focus on anti-inflammatory, immune-supportive and digestive-friendly items such as:

It may help to do some meal prep and menu planning so you have nutritious foods at the ready during those non-holiday meals.

Get your FREE Anti-Inflammatory Shopping List plus 35 more free resource guides!

Fill out the form below for instant access.

Free Resource Library

Enjoy more than 40 downloadable guides, recipes, and resources.

Add Movement to Your Day

Sure, it’s cozy to hunker down wrapped in blankets in front of a fire, yet we still want to keep that circulation flowing. Movement during our healthy holidays doesn’t need to be excessive or rigorous – a short walk, light stretching, or even some seated exercises can be a big help.

Don’t Forget to Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is key to health throughout the year and sometimes we don’t think about this as much during the cooler months or holiday season. Drink water throughout the day, setting a timer on your phone or whatever else you need as a reminder. Other hydrating drinks to help you have healthy holidays include:

Try Not to Stress Too Much

Try not to agonize about healthy holidays – stress inhibits digestion and isn’t helpful to our overall health. Do the best that you can, and maintain a positive attitude throughout your holiday meals. The point of this time of year is to relax with your family so don’t make it all about the food, and focus on other ways to enjoy the company of your loved ones.

Tell us what you think! How do you handle the holidays around your house?

Free Resource Library

Enjoy more than 40 downloadable guides, recipes, and resources.

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Academy of Culinary Nutrition

Source link

December 21, 2023
How to Celebrate Healthy Holidays: Tips and Recipes

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This time of year can be challenging for those of us who maintain a healthful, whole foods diet throughout the year. It’s not that we are necessarily tempted by chocolates pumped full of refined sugar, but sometimes it can be difficult to find something to eat at holiday gatherings or politely refuse the fruitcake pressed upon us by well-intentioned relatives. With a few tips and tricks at the ready, it’s doable to celebrate healthy holidays and feel vibrant throughout.

Here in Canada (where you’ll find the HQ of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition), we kick the holiday season off the second week of October during Canadian Thanksgiving – and the intensity only increases after Halloween.

Unless you decide to forgo the holidays altogether, the reality is you might be confronted with some awkward or less than ideal food situations. Here are some of our best suggestions about how to celebrate healthy holidays this year.

how to celebrate healthy holidays

Host Gatherings at Your Home for Healthy Holidays

The obvious way to avoid foods that you know don’t support your health is to offer to host the meal at your home. Of course, we realize this is not always the easiest option, especially since whole food cooking involves making many things from scratch. However, if you’re accustomed to healthy cooking and love doing so, hosting the meal on your own turf is a beautiful way to share delicious, nourishing food with the people you care about.

If you’re cooking for those who are wary of healthy food, no fear – their taste buds won’t be able to tell the difference if you:

More Holiday Themed Recipes

20 Best Healthy Mocktails

25 Best Holiday Sides and Appetizers

30 Best Healthy Holiday Recipes

20 Amazing Healthy Holiday Desserts

Offer An Honest, but Diplomatic Explanation for Your Food Choices at Gatherings

Photo: Gabriel Gurrola via Unsplash

Sharing food is one of the ways we all like to express love and appreciation. When others perceive that you are rejecting their food, or judging the way that they eat, it can feel difficult or hurtful.

It’s helpful to explain that you are working on your health and that means there are certain foods that disagree with you. If you’re attending a meal with close family and friends, it’s likely that they already know a lot about you and the way that you eat, so this news won’t come as a surprise.

When you’re with people you don’t know very well, explain your situation clearly and diplomatically, but never criticize or preach to them. Just as you’d like people to respect your eating style, you can’t force kale on people unless they are ready to receive it.

If you are with family or friends who refuse to accept your lifestyle and criticize you for your ‘health nut’ ways, remember that their behaviour isn’t about you – it’s about them so try not to take their judgement or teasing personally. Don’t eat anything you don’t want to in order to diffuse a situation or make someone else feel better. If you feel awful or have to run to the toilet with diarrhea, that’s not actually helping anyone at all!

Call Ahead

Don’t show up at an aunt’s house and demand special treatment without warning. Call ahead and explain any dietary restrictions you have to your host and propose solutions you have to handle them. For example, you could offer to bring an entrée or dessert, or ask if elements such as dressings or sauces could be left on the side for guests to add to their own plates.

Bring a Delicious Dish to Share

Don’t isolate yourself with a specially prepared meal. Bring a huge casserole dish to share the healthy goodness with everyone else. For example, this shepherd’s pie is always a crowd-pleaser, and it’s hearty enough to serve as your entrée and a side for everyone else. It’s also difficult to turn down mashed sweet potatoes, or a plate of cookies.

Discover more about how to create a healthy potluck dish here.

Nourish Yourself Well During Non-Holiday Meals

Image: iStock/Kuvona

While it may seem like the holiday season is rolling 24/7, there are plenty of opportunities aside from festivities where you can focus on fueling yourself with foods you know support your health.

When we’re not celebrating, we like to focus on anti-inflammatory, immune-supportive and digestive-friendly items such as:

It may help to do some meal prep and menu planning so you have nutritious foods at the ready during those non-holiday meals.

Get your FREE Anti-Inflammatory Shopping List plus 35 more free resource guides!

Fill out the form below for instant access.

Free Resource Library

Enjoy more than 40 downloadable guides, recipes, and resources.

Add Movement to Your Day

Sure, it’s cozy to hunker down wrapped in blankets in front of a fire, yet we still want to keep that circulation flowing. Movement during our healthy holidays doesn’t need to be excessive or rigorous – a short walk, light stretching, or even some seated exercises can be a big help.

Don’t Forget to Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is key to health throughout the year and sometimes we don’t think about this as much during the cooler months or holiday season. Drink water throughout the day, setting a timer on your phone or whatever else you need as a reminder. Other hydrating drinks to help you have healthy holidays include:

Try Not to Stress Too Much

Try not to agonize about healthy holidays – stress inhibits digestion and isn’t helpful to our overall health. Do the best that you can, and maintain a positive attitude throughout your holiday meals. The point of this time of year is to relax with your family so don’t make it all about the food, and focus on other ways to enjoy the company of your loved ones.

Tell us what you think! How do you handle the holidays around your house?

Free Resource Library

Enjoy more than 40 downloadable guides, recipes, and resources.

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Academy of Culinary Nutrition

Source link

December 21, 2023
Healthy Holiday Food and Diet Tips
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As much as we look forward to holiday parties and dinners, many of us suspect we’ll overindulge and gain weight.

Indeed, the average American eats and drinks 4,500 calories and 229 grams fat (as much as in 3 sticks of butter) on a traditional Thanksgiving day? Studies show that the average American gains 1 pound during the winter holiday season. Year after year, they can add up, and contribute to overweight or obesity later in life.

Although we may not all gain weight over the holidays, there is no question we tend to eat and drink more — and exercise less. With the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, parties and festive traditions, healthy eating and exercise are usually the first things to go.

No one wants to be on a strict diet during the holidays. We want to enjoy the bounty of traditional favorite foods. How can you enjoy the holidays without gaining weight? Dietitians say it’s not so hard, with a little planning.

First, change your mindset. If you’ve been trying to lose weight, when mid-November rolls around, shift your focus from weight loss to weight maintenance. “The holiday season is tough enough to just maintain your weight let alone try to lose weight. So do yourself a favor,” says Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, Boston University clinical assistant professor. “Allow yourself a few treats and set your goal on weight maintenance so you can enjoy the holiday foods and wait until the New Year to get back on your weight loss plan.”

Second, get strategic with calories. If you are the host of dinners and parties, trim calories wherever you can without compromising tradition or flavor. You’ll help everyone enjoy the bountiful food without unneeded calories. Keep in mind that it is much harder to lose weight than it is not to gain it in the first place.

Here are 10 tips to lighten up your holiday meals.

1. Shop Smart for Healthy Holidays

Plan your menu to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, whole grains, and low-fat dairy.
Consult the nutrition label to choose foods rich in nutrients but lower in fat, calories, and sugar.

To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter, and whipped cream.

2. Start the Party Light

Most appetizers tend to be loaded with calories. And it is so easy to overeat them before the meal.

Make it easier on your guests by offering light and satisfying appetizers. For delicious yet healthy appetizers, serve shrimp cocktails, whole-grain crackers with reduced-fat cheese, vegetables with a low-fat yogurt dip, or fresh fruit skewers.

3. Harness the Diet Power of Produce

Add more simple vegetable and fruit dishes to your menu instead of heavy dishes with sauces. Your guests will fill up on healthy fiber without lots of extra calories.

For example, green bean almandine with a squeeze of lemon is healthier than traditional green bean casserole. Simple peas or corn are healthier than creamed peas or corn. But if you must have casserole, use low-fat soup, increase the veggies, and top it with a crunchy whole-grain cereal instead of fried onions.

4. Go Frozen in Winter

Fresh is usually the best when fruits and vegetables are in season. But when prices are higher in winter, head to the frozen food aisle.

“Frozen fruits and vegetables are usually less expensive and can be more nutritious because they are picked at their peak ripeness and frozen immediately” says Sarah Krieger, RD. Buy frozen produce in bags, use only what you need, and save more by not wasting spoiled produce.

Canned foods can also be a healthy option. Read the nutrition labels to find fruits and vegetables with less added sodium and sugar, Krieger says. Reduce the sodium and sugar solutions even more by rinsing the vegetable or fruit under cold water before you cook.

5. Respect Special Requests

As you plan your holiday menu, ask if guests have any food preferences or intolerances. For example, a dear friend may be lactose intolerant. A favorite cousin may have cut red meat from his diet.

You can’t please everyone. But you can include a wide variety of healthy foods. Then, your guests can pick and choose, filling their plate with a satisfying meal no matter their food issue.

6. Shave Calories With Simple Swaps

Create healthier versions of your holiday favorites by shaving calories wherever you can.

“Simple swaps of lower-fat ingredients are easy ways to save calories — and no one will even notice the difference” says Cheryl Forberg, RD.

Use chicken stock, fat-free yogurt, light cream cheese, and low-fat milk in place of high-fat ingredients. Substitute non-fat yogurt or applesauce for oil in baked goods.

7. Roast or Grill for Rich Flavor With Fewer Calories

Roasting or grilling meat, seafood, vegetables, and potatoes, is a simple, low-calorie cooking style that brings out the natural sweetness and flavor in foods.

Roasted sweet potatoes with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and a spritz of butter spray are delicious substitutes for the traditional calorie-laden casserole.

Grilled pork chops served with a mango salsa are great to replace pork chops slathered in mushroom cream.

8. Serve Healthier Desserts

For dessert, try chocolate-dipped strawberries for a colorful and delicious finale.

If you want to offer pie, choose the healthier pumpkin pie. Make it with non-fat evaporated milk. Top it with fat-free whipped topping.

9. Spritz Your Drinks

Eggnog and other holiday beverages can add a huge number of calories. Offer your guests plenty of low-cal beverages such as diet soda, sparkling water, or a low-calorie punch.

Alcohol releases inhibitions and can increase hunger. That’s a combination that can lead to eating more than you planned. So do yourself and guests a favor: Offer simple alcohol choices such as wine and beer without the heavy cocktail mixers. And make sure you have mocktails or other no-alcohol options for those who don’t drink.

10. Plan and Scan to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

“In anticipation that you will be eating and drinking more than usual, try to trim your calories and make sure you fit in fitness everyday so you can enjoy a ‘controlled’ feast without the guilt” says Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, clinical assistant professor at Boston University.

“Scan the buffet and fill your plate with foods that are simply prepared, without sauces or fried, sit down and take your time to taste and savor every bite,” she says. Resist the urge to go back for more by waiting at least 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are comfortably full. If you are still hungry, eat more vegetables and drink water.

Remember, the holidays are marked with many traditions, but the real meaning is about spending time with family and friends.

If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll get through the holidays without gaining a pound. And if you do splurge, just get right back to normal eating and exercising, and try to do make better choices at the next party.

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October 28, 2022