Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Easter Sunday, Diwali, Eid, Hanukkah or Christmas, we all celebrate something during the year.
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Easter Sunday, Diwali, Eid, Hanukkah or Christmas, we all celebrate something during the year.
The holiday season is a great time to feast with family or friends. That can also mean overindulging in foods that tend to be on the unhealthy side.
Enjoying everything in moderation is one way to ensure you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet (and still treating yourself every now and then). Even so, there are some simple changes you can make to keep your healthy eating habits on track.
Try some of these holiday food swaps...
Christmas stuffing made with sausage meat and a packet mix is usually high in salt. You can reduce your salt intake by trying a vegetarian version made from tasty chestnuts, onion, fresh herbs and rice instead.
No Hanukkah celebration is complete without sweet and eggy Challah bread. Using wholewheat flour instead of white flour in your recipe will still allow you to enjoy its light, soft texture, whilst also boosting your intake of healthy fibre.
Sweet potatoes are high in nutrients, but the Thanksgiving tradition of baking them with butter, sugar and marshmallows adds a lot of processed sugar to the dish. Try keeping the sweet potatoes simple by baking or roasting them in just a little olive oil. You can always add herbs like rosemary or some cracked black pepper for extra zing.
Or, for a change, try butternut squash as an alternative. It’s high in vitamin A and low in calories.
Lots of delicious Diwali foods like samosas and laddoos are cooked with saturated fats like ghee and butter. Using small amounts of unsaturated fats – like rapeseed oil, olive oil, sunflower oil or corn oil – will still create a tasty treat, and may help lower your cholesterol and reduce inflammation in the body at the same time.
It’s so tempting to make mashed potato creamier by adding butter, cheese and cream. Instantly lower the fat content by making it with just a dash of milk and butter. You could also add some extra flavour with shredded spring onions, peas, black pepper or lightly fried crushed garlic cloves.
Biryani is one of the tastiest courses when it comes to Eid celebrations. Want to make this dish a little healthier? Opt for whole grain brown rice instead of white. It has a nuttier flavour and provides fibre, as well as several vitamins and minerals, which may help keep you fuller for longer.
Lots of people choose slow-cooked lamb as the centrepiece for their Easter Sunday lunch. To make things lighter, try roasting a chicken with fresh lemon slices and lots of garlic instead, which may help you eat 15g less of saturated fat. Cutting off any visible fat from your cooked meat can also help.
Pecan pie, gulab jamun, baklava, Christmas pudding, kaju katli and apple crumble are all traditional desserts when it comes to the holiday season, but they’re also high in processed sugar.
To cut back, go for something like baked fruit with warm spices and yoghurt, dried fruits and nuts, seasonal sliced fruit platters – for example sliced oranges dusted with cinnamon – or replace processed sugars in your recipes with natural honey. It is always worth asking friends and family for their healthier versions of holiday favourites, too.
Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.