Cooking Healthy for the Holidays

Ashely Svaty, Nutrition, Food Safety and Health Agent

“Healthy” and “holiday” don’t usually find themselves in the same sentence, especially when it comes to food.  But that definitely doesn’t have to be the case!  Just by making simple changes to your go-to recipes, you can keep the same delicious taste but get rid of the added sugars, fat, and calories.  To do this, we recommend that you focus on the “star” ingredient- the fruits and vegetables.

Many favorite holiday dishes-such as candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie begin with a healthy main ingredient. Foods such as apples, sweet potatoes, and green beans have great flavors on their own and are a part of a healthy diet. The large amounts of fats and sugars added to those fruits and vegetables cause the dishes to become less healthful.

The dietary guidelines encourage consumers to cut back on foods that are high in solid fats, added sugar, and salt. By focusing on fruits and vegetables and making simple changes, it is possible to create more healthful dishes while still maintaining the flavor you expect.

Watch this video for a quick and delicious slow cooker apple recipe that is sure to be a hit at your next gathering! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNnInb71m5Q

 

I encourage you to make the slow cooker apples from the video, but here are a couple more recipes for healthier versions of traditional holiday dishes. (Found on page 4-6) https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3088.pdf