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Date Posted: 15:30:16 11/03/01 Sat
Author: Sylvia
Subject:

Healthy Holiday Eating Hints (m)

From Better Homes and Gardens:

Season's eatings to all.(healthy eating during the holidays)
Author/s: Jeanne Ambrose
Issue: Nov, 1997

Ahh . . . the golden turkey with buttery mashed potatoes and gravy. Ohh ... the vegetables drizzled with cheese sauce. Mmm ... the pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Argh ... the calories, cholesterol, and fat.

Contrary to public opinion, the annual foray into season's eatings can bring pleasure without adding pounds. Our favorite yuletide treats can indeed stay on the holiday menu, say nutrition experts. Moderation is the key.

"All foods can fit into a healthy-eating plan. There really are no bad foods, whether it's holiday time or the rest of the year," says Edith Howard Hogan, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). But before you head for the fridge to forage for that leftover roast duck to nibble while you're sipping a mug of hot buttered rum, heed some advice from the ADA. Here are some of the association's best tips to get you through the holiday season without discarding those good eating habits you've cultivated all year.

Keep on Eye on Your Food bank

Just as you balance your checkbook, you need to balance your nutritional account. If you know you're going to a dinner or party where extra calories cry out for attention, plan to eat low-fat or fat-free foods the rest of the day or week. The day of the event, eat a light breakfast and lunch. Or, fix yourself a bowl of oatmeal to quell your appetite before a party. One cup of oatmeal cooked with water contains only 2 grams of fat and 146 calories. It just might fill you up enough to prevent you from reaching for a second piece of pumpkin pie with whipped cream, which has 16 grams of fat and 315 calories per slice.

Focus on Flavor

There are plenty of flavors that add flair to your holiday festivities without adding fat and calories. Here are some options:

* Offer gingerbread cookies or sugar cookies instead of pies or cakes for dessert. One 5- or 6-inch gingerbread boy has 157 calories and 6 grams of fat compared to a piece of pecan pie at 541 calories and 30 grams of fat.

* Fix a lighter version of traditional eggnog by combining purchased low-fat eggnog with skim milk. Or, serve hot spiced cider instead of eggnog.

* Substitute refrigerated or frozen cholesterol-free egg products and low-fat turkey sausage when you're fixing a holiday breakfast that calls for eggs and sausage.

* Satisfy cravings for rich food by searching out more healthful recipes such as low-fat cheesecake with reduced-fat cream cheese and refrigerated or frozen egg product. (Watch for petite Cheesecake Treasures in the December 1997 issue of Better Homes and Gardens[R]) magazine.)

* Bake or poach whole pears till tender and drizzle with a little chocolate-flavored syrup (most syrups are fat free). Serve warm for an elegant dessert.

* Go ahead and splurge occasionally on whipped cream, but use a teaspoon of whipped cream to top off each dessert instead of a tablespoon. One teaspoon of whipped cream contains 9 calories; a tablespoon has 27.

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