Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

The holidays create numerous opportunities for overindulgence, but you can prevent weight gain by following these guidelines:

Watch Portion Sizes. It’s easy to load up your plate when you are standing in front of a buffet, but keep in mind that a serving size is often smaller than you realize. For instance, a serving size of rice or pasta is roughly the size of a baseball and a serving size of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

Adapt Recipes. Create healthier versions of traditional high-calorie recipes by replacing select ingredients. Use plain yogurt instead of sour cream or mayonnaise. In baking recipes, substitute half of the all-purpose flour with 100 percent whole wheat flour and look for recipes that call for stevia or agave nectar instead of sugar.

Eat Before You Go. When you are planning to attend a social gathering, eat a healthy protein-based snack before leaving home to prevent you from overeating high-calorie foods once you arrive.

Learn more about Bastyr Center for Natural Health's nutrition counseling services or call 206.834.4100 to make an appointment with our nutrition department.

Authors: Sydney Maupin and Martha Lynn, staff writers
Date: November 2007
Sources: Elizabeth Taylor, PsyD, RD