Eating Healthy Over the Holidays

With Halloween treats running out just in time for pantry shelves to be packed with Thanksgiving food, we would like to provide some helpful tips on how to keep a balanced diet for you and your family during the holidays!

•  Use healthy substitutes! Cooking with lemon juice, olive oil, and other natural products when cooking. Instead of loading up on soda at the family get-together, why not bring natural juice? As for sweets- try using whole grain flour and unrefined sugar!

•  Be mindful of portions! For parents, it is important to make sure your children are getting proper portions. Since children need fewer calories than adults, it can be easy for them to over indulge- especially with sweets! Try using smaller plates for children and monitor their portion sizes.

•  Engage your children! While preparing a holiday feast, ask for your child’s input on the menu. This will help make them feel like an important part of the celebration. This is also a perfect opportunity for parents to educate their children on what a balanced meal should consist of, even during the holidays! 

•  Don’t skip meals! Help set a healthy example for your children by eating breakfast and lunch, even if there is a big holiday dinner planned! Skipping meals can be harmful to an individual’s metabolism, and can lead to overeating during the holiday feast. Keep in mind, snacking could help keep off hunger pains!

• Put extra thought into “extras!” Since children already require less calories than adults, adding that whipped cream or extra helping of gravy to an already excessive meal can really do some damage! Be sure to monitor your child’s consumption!

For more information on how to eat over the holidays, click here & here.