Healthy Holiday Eating

As we head into the holidays, visions of chocolate things dance in my head!

With the office holiday party in the works, relatives heading into town, and the season of feasting about to begin, here are some tips to help you make healthier choices. Come New Year’s, you’ll thank me.

Read Labels-As The Everyday Organic, the very first lesson I teach my clients is to read labels. When you grocery shop, take a few seconds to turn the package over and read what’s in it. Are the ingredients hard to pronounce? How long is the list? The more confusing, the less likely you'd want to be putting that in your body. Avoid foods with artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. When it comes to poultry and dairy products, opt for hormone and antibiotic free. As far as beef, ideally, cows are supposed to eat grass. If you can purchase grass fed beef, you’re doing your body a favor. It has less fat and more omega fatty acids than grain fed beef. Well worth the money when healthy eating is concerned.

Better Choices do make a difference- Our foods today are riddled with artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners. However, when at the mercy of someone else’s hosting, you can’t always make a perfect choice and you certainly won’t want to appear rude. Here’s the time you need to remember that better choices do make a difference. Try to pass on the casseroles and dips and instead opt for the simplest foods possible. Do your best to choose “clean” simple foods. This will help you leave that bloated “I ate to much” feeling behind.

BYO (and they think their generation invented the text lingo)-You never know what Aunt Sally might be serving this year and who knows what will show up at the neighborhood New Year’s Party. Save yourself the frustration and bring a dish you know you’ll love and be able to enjoy confidently. How about some chocolate chip muffins with flax seed? They’re actually good for you. On the appetizer side, fresh spinach leaves blended in a food processor with avocadoes and some lime juice makes a fabulously healthy chip or veggie dip. The spinach helps stretch the avocado and adds a bright green hue for the holidays. Crock Pot Chicken Wings are always a crowd favorite and good for game day too.

Drink Water-We’ve heard it before; water helps flush excess fat and toxins out of our body. So in the rush, rush of all the holiday errands and gift wrapping, don’t forget to tote that water bottle with you.