Healthy Holiday Swaps
While you don’t need to make EVERYTHING healthy at your holiday gatherings, trying one or two of these healthier alternatives could save you a lot of calories, salt, and fat. Enjoy your favorites and pick a few healthy swaps to stay on track with your nutrition goals this holiday season!
| Instead of this... | Try these better bites! | |
| ❌ Cheese, Crackers, Nuts as appetizers- normally can be healthy, but you probably want to save your calories for other foods this time of year! (easily a 300 calorie “snack”) | 👍 Veggies with low fat dip- offer to bring a veggie tray to your next holiday gathering to make sure you have something healthy and low calorie to snack on. | |
| ❌ Sweet potatoes made with brown sugar and marshmallows- This dish can add up to 189 calories and 26g sugar in just 1/2c! | 👍 Save your sugar for the desserts- dice and roast sweet potatoes with kale or Brussels sprouts- season with cinnamon, a small amount of maple syrup and olive oil (add cayenne for a kick!) | |
| ❌ Green Bean casserole made with cream of mushroom soup (220 calories and 624mg of sodium in about ¾ cup) | 👍 Sautéed green beans with fresh garlic, slivered almonds, and a dash of fresh lemon juice. Just as flavorful for less than half the calories! | |
| ❌ Snacking on sweets- cookies, pie, fudge- these will leave you hungry an hour later! These could contribute 200-300 extra calories to your day without providing much nutrition. | 👍 Choose a snack with protein that will fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth, like an apple with peanut butter. If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, skip the snack. | |
| ❌ Mashed potatoes with gravy and butter (235 calories in about ¾cup) | 👍 Try mashed cauliflower, or mix mashed cauliflower with mashed potatoes. Choose a better butter alternative if that’s your favorite topping. | |
| ❌ Boxed stuffing (390mg sodium per 1/2c) | 👍 Make stuffing from scratch with 100% whole wheat bread, half the salt- add flavorful herbs and spices instead (garlic, sage, marjoram, rosemary), and add lots of veggies like celery and onions. | |
| ❌ Mac and Cheese (317 calories and 20g of fat per 1/2c) | 👍 Use whole wheat noodles, low fat cheese, and whole wheat breadcrumbs. Add broccoli to offset some of the calories and add more filling fiber! | |
Stay tuned for a list of healthier holiday beverages!
Like these tips? Have your own to share? Let me know in the comments below!
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