As hard as it is to believe, the holidays are creeping right back up on us! Not only is Thanksgiving right around the corner, but so are the temptations of delicious and savory holiday comfort foods. The festivities involved in the holiday season are usually centered around eating a ton of delicious food—the latter of which can ultimately pose a big problem for everyone looking to stay fit and maintain a healthy weight.That is why I have put together a list of healthy tips that will help you combat the excess calories, temptations, and weight gain that typically come along with the holiday season!6 Simple Tips to Practice Healthy Holiday Cooking1. Skim the Fat – Once your delicious homemade gravy has been made, refrigerate it to harden the fat. This will make it easy to skim the fat right off the top and save you a whopping 55 grams of fat. That’s almost 500 calories per cup of gravy!2. Enjoy Skinless Turkey – Enjoy delicious turkey breast by omitting the skin of the turkey, which can save up to 11 grams of saturated fat per 3 oz. serving – that translates into almost 100 calories per serving!3. Use Skim Milk in Mashed Potatoes – Using skim milk instead of whole milk and butter will save dramatically on the amount of fat present which in turn will save you calories! The addition of garlic powder, low-sodium seasoning, and Parmesan cheese will help provide a tastier bowl of mashed potatoes while leaving you guilt-free!4. Homemade Holiday Nog – Because the holidays are just not the same without some delicious nog! Make your own holiday egg nog using 1.5 cups of skim or soy milk, four bananas, 1.5 cups plain nonfat yogurt, 1/4 teaspoon rum extract, and ground nutmeg. Blend all ingredients together except the nutmeg. Puree until smooth, and top with nutmeg.5. Low-Calorie Vegetable Casserole – Bake fresh or frozen green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots. Top with low-sodium and reduced fat cream of mushroom soup and sprinkle with slivered almonds instead of fried onion rings.6. Make a Crustless Pie – Use crushed gram crackers rather than a whole pie crust. Additionally, substitute 2 egg whites for a whole egg in your pie recipe and replace the heavy cream for low-fat milk in order to cut on fat, carbs, and total calories.
