Avoid January Scale Shock with Healthy Holiday Recipes
Merry Christmas from Osky News
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – December 2, 2011 – The holiday season seems to go hand-in-hand with tempting treats that can cause scale shock on January 1, but that doesn’t have to be the case this year.
“There are several ways to make your favorite holiday dishes healthier, and Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative team has developed a series of tip sheets that offer simple ideas for lighter but still great-tasting holiday foods,” says Rochelle Gilman, a dietitian for Hy-Vee, Inc. “And, we even have a few ideas on how to enjoy a couple of treats without going overboard – it is the holidays, after all.”
For example, Gilman suggests several ways to reduce calories with holiday desserts, including making smaller cookies and cutting desserts into smaller portions. “Simply having fewer desserts also will reduce calorie consumption for the ‘one-of-everything’ eaters,” she says.
“In addition, consider what beverage you serve with dessert. Offering a low-calorie beverage such as a hot herbal tea with dessert will reduce calories for you and your guests.”
For more information on reducing calories, preparing festive dips such as “Bloody Mary Cocktail Dip” and “Greek Party Dip,” and suggestions on how to make traditional holiday dinner fare delicious and healthy, visit www.iowahealthieststate.com/resources. Just click on the Healthy for the Holidays category. Additional recipes can be found there as well.
“With these tips and recipes, it’s easy to say ‘yes’ to traditional holiday favorites,” says Gilman. “Just remember that portion size is truly the key to healthy eating.”
The Healthiest State Initiative is a privately led, public effort that engages Iowans and their communities throughout the state. Its goal is to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation by 2016 as measured by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index®. The Healthiest State Initiative involves individuals, families, businesses, faith‐based organizations, not‐for‐profits and the public sector in a broad‐based community‐focused effort. For more information, visit www.iowahealthieststate.com.
