The holiday season means temptation, galore! Don’t sulk just yet, the key to avoiding weight gain during the holiday season doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite holiday menu items entirely.
Before you trash your entire pantry, consider your options when it comes to the dinner table. Your guilty pleasures don’t have to be guilty after all with these easy swaps:
1. Replace Green Bean Casserole for Fresh Green Beans
Swap that iconic Green Bean Casserole for fresh green beans at your dinner table. While traditional Green Bean Casserole does feature the vegetable as a main ingredient, the dish does include additives such as sodium-filled cream of mushroom soup and fried onions that do more harm than good. Fresh green beans will add color to your plate as well as vivacity to your life, as they are a natural source of calcium, potassium, and various vitamins.
2. Avoid Eggnog and Enjoy RM3®-Approved Cider Instead
Every winter, eggnog re-debuts its self on grocery store shelves across the country, tempting everyone it comes into contact with. Its inherent mysteriousness never fails to convince people to stock their refrigerators with it, as it is seemingly only offered for a limited time (either that, or there is limited interest). For those who don’t know, eggnog typically consists of whipped egg, milk, cream, sugar, and spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg – a recipe with ingredients difficult to factor into a calorie budget. Apple Cider, on the other hand, is much lighter, both in consistency and in calories. In fact, RedMountain Weight Loss offers an RM3®-approved recipe for Hot Apple Cider on its app which contains only 110 calories as opposed to eggnog’s 223. Toast to the holidays in a healthier way by making this simple swap.
3. Replace Store-Bought Dips for Homemade Ones
Homemade goods are almost always better than store-bought ones, as you know precisely what goes into them. Dips are no exception, especially creamy ones chocked full with calories and preservatives. If you must dip or dress your foods with something, try an RM3®-approved homemade recipe like Barbecue Sauce, Mustard, Ketchup, our Spicy Orange Sauce, or even salsa, all of which are available on the RedMountain Weight Loss app.
4. Replace Mashed Potatoes for Mashed Cauliflower
Mashed potatoes are a simple, yet elegant dish difficult to surrender, especially when you’re cooking for a large group of people. Although a vegetable, potatoes have the ability to do more harm than good, as they are filled with starch and crawling with carbohydrates.
Cauliflower, in contrast, has high nutritional value. Cauliflower can be prepared in a way that mimics mashed potatoes, consistency and all, for a tasty, healthy alternative some may not even realize is any different.
5. Eat Fresh Fruit Instead of Cranberry Sauce (or RM3®-Approved Fruit Spreads)
Cranberry sauce is another deceiving dish, as it features healthy foods but hides caloric secrets, usually in the form of added sugar. Get your fruit fix by adorning your table with a plate of fresh berries, which can act as a healthy, easily attainable substitute for devious fruit sauces.
If you’re still unwilling to give up fruit spreads and sauces as a whole, consider Walden Farms fruit spreads, or, even more similar – their 0-calorie, 0-carb, 0-sugar cranberry sauce.
6. Avoid Chips and Go For Marinated Veggies
Chips, especially potato chips, combine carbohydrates, fat, sodium, and more into one collective, wicked place. Much of the temptation of chips comes from their easy accessibility, flavorful nature, large variety, and ability to be dipped. Because of these factors, chip bowls around the globe have become party staples and virtually unavoidable.
If you’re craving the crunchy satisfaction of a chip, try swapping it for a bowl of marinated veggies. Marinated vegetables have all of the same components of chips – easy accessibility, flavorful nature, flavor variety, and dipping ability – except they are low on sodium, carbs, and calories in general. Plus, they give that same satisfying crunching sensation we all love.
7. Skip Alcohol for Flavored Waters or Mock-Drinks Instead
It’s easy to “drink your calories” with alcohol, especially once your ability to make proper judgements becomes inhibited. Alcohol, especially mixed drinks, are swarming with empty calories. Consider swapping your favorite drink for a flavored sparkling beverage or mock-drink (Like our mocktail, available on the app) to minimize caloric intake without compromising flavor.
8. (If You Must) Substitute Pumpkin Pie instead of Pecan Pie
Though not approved on our weight loss programs, pies are commonly consumed as a cheat food, especially during the holiday season. If the decision to cheat must be made, we promote cheating the smart way. Not all pies are made equal, so take this into consideration when cutting yourself a slice. Of all pies, pumpkin (not fruit, as one may believe) is actually the healthier option, as it only has a bottom crust and pumpkin is high in nutrients, such as Vitamin A.
