The holiday season will be upon us before we know it. It’s a great time of year where family and friends are able to come together and reflect on all they can be grateful for. It is also typically a time where gatherings include lots of yummy, but often unhealthy, food. Even the strongest willed people often give into that tasty sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Let’s face it – it’s all food that tastes so good and typically only shows up at those special gatherings. But don’t get too worried about all the work you’ve done prior to the holiday season to get into shape. There is a lot you can do this holiday season to ensure you are still eating healthy!
There are lots of great plant based substitutes to the typical high fat, butter, and cholesterol dishes. Substituting glazed sweet potatoes instead of the candied yams, mashed butternut squash casserole for traditional mashed potatoes, and homemade vegetarian cornbread stuffing for the store bought can be a great place to start. Georgetown Market has all the wonderful and organic produce you will need to give your unhealthy side dish a healthy twist.
Experts also say that watching portion control and putting the “right” food on your plate can make a world of difference. Because turkey is already fairly low in calories, experts say that skinless turkey is a great choice for meat lovers at holiday dinners. They suggest eating about three ounces, which is roughly the size of a playing deck of cards.
Dieticians also suggest loading fifty percent of your plate with non-starchy vegetables such as brussel sprouts and green beans and steering away from starchy vegetables like corn, white potatoes, green peas, and winter squash. They suggest staying clear of side dishes that you would see on a more regular basis throughout the year. For instance, skip the white dinner roll that is served fairly regularly throughout the year, and put something like cranberry sauce and homemade stuffing on your plate instead. Casseroles are also a dish to avoid if possible. While it may be called “broccoli casserole,” dieticians say that casseroles often wind up being more starchy due to all of the other ingredients used to make them.
And while there’s only so much you can do if you are invited to another family or friend’s dinner, you can do your part by bringing a healthy dish instead of a butter and cholesterol ridden dish. Try using a few of these tips to help avoid the holiday weight gain. Be sure to stop by Georgetown Market to stock up on all of your holiday dinner needs!
