- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- recipes today articles
- recipes today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Oh, That Eggnog!
The Dish on Healthy Holiday Eating from a Nutritionist
By Kelly A. Hammer
For many families, heading into the holiday season signifies a time for parties and celebrations. When you get together with family and friends, chances are that you'll run into all kinds of foods. Whether your taste runs to old favorites or desires something new, it is easy for your family's "normal" eating patterns to fall off course. The holiday season also brings high levels of excitement and anxiety for most. Between shopping for that perfect gift, attending holiday parties and staying up later than usual, it is easy to get sidetracked from our more healthy routines, which include staying active and eating well.
By following a few tips on holiday eating, you and your family can enjoy special foods while keeping a balanced and healthy diet. It is important to remember there are no "good" and "bad" foods, only good and bad food choices. What matters most is the total amount and type of food you eat over several days. A perfect balance of special treats with needed nutrients may not happen each day, but over the course of a week. A diet that is balanced reflects a steady course of energy, repairs and restores the body and helps manage stress and avoid mood swings, which tend to come in high doses during the holidays.
Traditional holiday treats can fit into a healthful eating plan. Some ways to steer clear of holiday overload are to replace fat foods with flavorful ones. Try small indulgences and snacks each day, and drink water with each meal. Fruit purees have many of the same properties of fat in cooking. Add flavor and reduce the amount of fat in a recipe by replacing fat ingredients with fruit purees. Your reward is a moist, flavorful product that is lower in fat calories and higher nutrient value.
