Healthy Holiday Cooking Strategies

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it! And all that festive food can make healthy eating a challenge. 

Most of us gain weight over the holidays, and even if it’s only a pound or two, it adds up year after year. So paying attention to how you prepare your holiday meals can make a big difference for you & your family. 

Here are 13 tips to keep your holiday cooking healthy: 

1. When making dips, use nonfat Greek yogurt or nonfat sour cream for the base. 

2. Instead of whole milk, use almond milk or skim milk. 

3. In place of regualar mayonnaise, use an eggless mayonnaise, such as Vegenaise, that contains healthy, non-hydrogenated oil.

4. Replace the oil in a cake recipe with applesauce! It really works!

5. Instead of cream, try plain nonfat Greek yogurt or evaporated skim milk.

6. Make a toast with mineral water or sparkling cider instead of champagne.

7. Include lots of vegetables, both cooked and raw, with the meal. 

8. Use vegetable spreads made from non-hydrogenated oils instead of butter. 

9. Instead of fat-and-caffeine-laden-chocolate, try making carob brownies, or carob-chip cookies. 

10. In baking recipes that call for eggs, use egg whites to reduce cholesterol and fat.  Replace each whole egg with two egg whites. 

11. Add some wholesomeness to your cookies by using whole-wheat flour in place of bleached white flour.

12. For dessert, try pies without the crust topped with fat-free whipped topping or fat-free sorbet.

13. Include fresh fruit with any dessert offerings. 

For some great healthy Thanksgiving recipes, check out this website. Please share your own tips & recipes by adding a comment below.