Holiday Eating Strategies Tessa Kleene, RD, LMNT Columbus Community Hospital

Overview Holiday Eating Tips Recipe substitutions Recipe Makeover

Holiday Eating General belief= gain 5-10 lbs during holiday season No clinical research supports this Studies suggest that Americans gain 1 lbs during holidays Can really add up over the years The general belief is that Americans gain 5-10 lbs over the holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. There is currently no clinical research that supports this information. The New England Journal of Medicine suggested that Americans gain about 1 lbs during the winter holidays/ Fewer than 10% of participants in the study gained more than 5 lbs over the holidays. Most of those who gained over 5 lbs were overweight or obese. Often times it is not just one day (Thanksgiving/Christmas) where we are eating holiday meals/goodies. There may be days in between with Holiday parties, Holiday treats, etc. http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(13)01415-9/pdf What’s the latest on Holiday Weight Gain?

Holiday Eating Be realistic Can be tough to stick to healthful eating during the Holidays Enjoy the day! All things in moderation Focus on weight maintenance instead of losing weight during the holidays Portion size and substitution Be realistic Focus on weight maintenance and not trying to lose weight. You do not want to set yourself up for something that may not happen if you are making unrealistic goals during the holidays.

Holiday Eating During the Holiday season continue to… Choose healthy food options Monitor portion sizes and eat slowly Eat regular meals Enjoy holiday treats in moderation

Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating: Preparing When hosting… include fruits, veggies, and lean meats on the menu As a guest… Offer to bring a healthier side dish or make substitutions If you are looking for easy appetizers: fruit & veggie trays Hummus with whole grain crackers

Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating Can always substitute for healthier ingredients in recipes to reduce fat and calories 2 egg whites in place of one egg Low sodium fat-free chicken broth in mashed potatoes to add flavor Applesauce in place of oil or butter in breads and muffins. Fat free yogurt in place of sour cream and whipped topping for dips and pie toppings. Reduced-fat cheeses in casseroles and salads

Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating: Preparing Eat breakfast Research shows people are more likely to overeat later in the day if skipping meals Start your day with a small meal Low- fat Greek yogurt with fruit Natural peanut butter with whole wheat toast Don’t skip meals as this can lead to overeating at the next meal. Make sure to eat breakfast. Research shows that skipping breakfast may cause a person to overeat later in the day which can lead to weight gain.

Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating: Preparing Fiber- to satisfy hunger Fruits, veggies, whole grains Lower in calories, high in bulk, increases satiety Choosing high fiber foods can help to increase satiety (the feeling of fullness) and also provides fewer calories but have more bulk. Choose these foods to satisfy hunger. Higher fiber options include whole grains such as 100% whole wheat bread, whole grain cereals such as Cheerios, Bran based cereals, oatmeal, and fruits and vegetables. Be adding fruit to yogurt, add veggies to an omelet or breakfast burrito with a whole wheat tortilla, scrambled egg and low fat cheese.

Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating Use a smaller plate Try not to stack foods First fill plate with veggies/ salad, eat these first Choose foods from all food groups While eating buffet style, choose a smaller plate to help control portion sizes. Think balance as well. Choose a serving of protein, grain, and make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Try not to stack foods on your plate to help to control your portions. Fill your plate with the vegetables and salad first as these are lower calorie options. Eat these first to assist in filling you up.

Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating Eat slowly Wait 10 minutes for second helpings Healthier eating Don’t eat the turkey skin Choose white meat over dark meat Put salad dressing on the side Choose only 1 dessert and a small portion Eat your meal slowly. It takes your brain at least 10 minutes to recognize if you are still hungry or not. Ask yourself; are you still hungry or feeling very full?

Total calories: 1,410; Total fat: 68 grams Thanksgiving Menu 3½ ounces roasted turkey with skin ½ cup stuffing ½ cup broccoli with 2 tablespoons hollandaise sauce ½ cup cranberry relish 1 medium crescent roll plus 1 pat butter 1 slice pecan pie Total calories: 1,410; Total fat: 68 grams

Dark Meat with Skin (3 oz) Turkey Dark Meat with Skin (3 oz) Dark Meat No Skin (3 oz) White Meat No Skin (3 oz) Calories 172 140 117 Total Fat 9 g 5 g 2 g Saturated Fat 3 g 0 g Protein 23 g 24 g Try: turkey breast white meat or other white meat without the skin Data from https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/

Stuffing Can be loaded with butter and high fat meats Try: replacing butter with low-sodium chicken broth

Stuffing Makeover 1 tablespoon light butter ½ cup onion, chopped ½ cup celery, diced ½ cup carrots, diced ½ cup mushrooms, diced 3 cloves of garlic 14 ounces day-old wheat bread 1 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning 2 cups chicken broth cooking spray Nutrition Facts: Per ½-cup serving: 106 calories 1.4 g fat; 20 g carbohydrates 3 g protein 4 g fiber 406 mg sodium http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2014/11/111914_recipe-healthy-thanksgiving.php

Mashed Potatoes Instead of mashed potatoes made with whole milk and butter…. Try: mashing potatoes with low fat milk or low sodium fat- free chicken stock

Mashed Potato Makeover 2 pounds (four medium) potatoes, peeled and cubed 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved ¼ cup fat-free sour cream ¼ cup fat-free chicken broth 2 tablespoons skim milk 1 tablespoon light butter salt and pepper ¼ cup fresh herbs (parsley, thyme and tarragon work well) Nutrition Facts: Per ¾-cup serving : 160 calories; 1.7 g fat; 32 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber.

Sweet Potato Casserole Contains marshmallows, butter, and sugar Try: leaving out butter, cut sugar in half, top with mini marshmallows to cut back on calories and fat but not taste.

More Recipe Tips Fat-free Sour Cream or fat-free plain Greek yogurt: Use in place of regular sour cream or mayo. Can be used for dips and spreads. Use a blend of yogurt and sour cream for dips Reduced-fat cheese: Use in side dishes and appetizers Vegetables:  Add in a mix of chopped veggies in your stuffing. Evaporated Milk:  In place of cream, sub canned evaporated milk

Holiday Drinks Watch liquid calories- can really add up Choose calorie free beverages Beverages Calories Alcohol (1.5 oz) 100 Apple Cider (8 oz) 144 Eggnog (8 oz) 188 Beer (12 oz) 155 Try choosing calorie free beverages. Liquid calories do not satisfy hunger and they can really add up– especially with more than one drink.

Leaner Thanksgiving Menu 3½ ounces skinless, roasted turkey ½ cup wild rice pilaf ½ cup broccoli with lemon juice ¼ cup cranberry relish 1 whole-grain roll 1 slice pumpkin pie Total calories: 735; Total fat: 20 grams

Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating Look out for you: Do not feel like you have to say ‘yes’ to all offerings Leave what you do not want and do not feel like you have to clean your plate Do not graze or hang out by the food

Holiday Food Safety Tips Do not thaw meat at room temperature. Defrost in refrigerator or microwave Refrigerate foods within 2 hours due to bacteria starts growing Use a food thermometer to check doneness- whole turkey should be 165 degrees F in the thigh Ground meats 165’F Pork and ham 145’F Always reheat to 165 degrees F

Your Holiday Eating Plan Overeating one day won't make or break your eating plan. Get back on track the next day without guilt No negative self talk!

References What’s the latest on Holiday Weight Gain? http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(13)01415-9/pdf https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/ http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/lifestyle/holidays/holiday-meals- made-healthy