Choose a Healthy Holiday Plate

Choose a Healthy Holiday Plate

Enjoy the holidays and the delicious foods associated with them, but eat less. Research indicates that the average American gains one pound during the winter holiday season. This amount is less than you might expect and may not seem like a problem, but every pound adds up.

Enjoy your food and eat less. Take time to fully enjoy your food as you eat it. Eating too fast or when your attention is elsewhere may lead to eating too many calories. Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues before, during and after meals. Use them to recognize when to eat and when you’ve had enough.

Plan ahead. If you know that you are attending a holiday gathering where you might indulge in more food than usual, eat a little less earlier in the day or the day before or after.

Avoid oversized portions. When eating out, choose a smaller size option, share a dish, or take home part of your meal.

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Filling your plate with fruits and vegetables leaves less room for higher-calorie foods.

Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars and salt. These include pies, cookies, candies, stuffing, gravy, eggnog and fatty meats like prime rib and bacon. It is okay to eat these foods once in a while as a treat.

Choose foods and drinks low in fat and with little or no added sugar. They include turkey or chicken breast, baked crackers or chips, fruit sherbet or sorbet, and mineral water.

Source: Gayle Coleman, Nutrition Education Specialist, UW-Extension and Donna Peterson, Iowa County UW-Extension Nutrition Education Program