Published on December 08, 2009

Eating Well Throughout the Holiday Season

The holidays are a great time to celebrate with friends, family and co-workers, but all that celebrating can make it difficult to eat healthy. National Jewish Health Dietician Carrie Gleeksman offers the following tips to help keep you from over indulging this holiday season.

Pay attention to portion sizes. Use small plates and bowls, especially at a party or buffet-style meal. Choose smaller portions of high calorie foods like dips, fried foods and desserts, and larger portions of low calorie foods like fresh fruit and vegetables.

Limit intake of high calorie beverages. Choose to drink water instead of sweetened beverages like juice and soda. Limit intake of high fat beverages like eggnog.

Bring a healthy dish to a party. If you are going to a pot-luck or throwing a party yourself, make a healthy dish like fruit salad or fresh vegetables.

Make a pact with your co-workers to keep holiday treats to a minimum at the office. Chances are most people in your office want to avoid weight gain during the holidays. Decide as a group to only bring in healthy treats or not bring in treats at all.

Plan ahead. If you know you are going to a party later in the day, eat light (but don't skip meals!) leading up to the event.

Focus on nutrients. Pack holiday dishes full of whole grains, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Adjust recipes to make them lower in calories.