*This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with National Dairy Council Fuel Up To Play 60 en español and Latina Bloggers Connect. As always our opinions are 100% our own.
The holidays are right around the corner and, let’s face it, most of us are more excited about all the delicious foods that we are going to eat than we are about receiving presents. Well, at least that is what I am looking forward to enjoying. You see, food has been at the center of our family celebrations from as far back as I can remember. It’s no secret that Hispanic family gatherings usually involve mountains of yummy foods and our family is no exception.
Along with the glamorous side of eating during the holidays, there are also common issues of overconsumption and overindulgence. This becomes obvious when you hear people at work saying that they plan on wearing pants with elastic waists to make sure they stay comfortable as they stuff themselves into oblivion. While we all love to eat, there are ways that we can improve on family recipes by making some health-minded modifications to them. This way we can continue to enjoy them but still feel good about healthy eating and enjoying those not-so-healthy but “Oh so good!” traditional recipes.
Here are 5 ways that you can avoid holiday binge eating and introduce a little portion control into your festivities:
- Do not skip meals throughout the day to “make space” for all the food you plan on eating later. If you arrive famished, chances are you will overeat and possibly even get sick from eating too much later on.
- Limit your alcohol intake. You would be surprised at the amount of calories in alcoholic beverages. Besides drinking responsibly, you should also enjoy your drinks in moderation.
- Don’t sit to eat your holiday meal in front of the television. Besides the fact that this activity does not require any physical movement, sometimes people get so caught up viewing their favorite shows that they eat snacks mindlessly while they are watching.
- Despite what you have been told since childhood, you don’t have to finish everything on your plate. Eat until your body tells you that it is full and don’t wait until it alerts you that you have eaten too much and that you are sick.
- Make sure that greens and vegetables take up the most space on your plate and limit carbohydrates and sugar.
Along with these tips, making sure to engage in regular physical activity is a very important part of staying healthy all year long. Studies show that physical fitness improves brain health and academic performance, and Fuel Up to Play 60 now offers new Spanish-language resources to encourage healthy living among Hispanic youth and families across the United States.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is the largest in-school health and wellness program that was founded by National Dairy Council and NFL. The program provides families with invaluable bilingual resources to support them in making healthier decisions. While we’re talking about recipes during the holidays, the Dairy Good Cookbook can help everyone enjoy delicious food this holiday season.
The book celebrates the nation’s more than 47,000 dairy farm families and their commitment to their land, animals, and their love of family. Not to mention that it also features over 100 recipes that highlight how you can incorporate dairy into your favorite meals.
Everyone is responsible for supporting the development of a healthy, high-achieving generation of empowered youth. This holiday season, make sure that you are taking advantage of the opportunity to instill healthy values in the young people in your life that will last a lifetime!
Let’s Discuss: How do you balance healthy eating and enjoying those not-so-healthy traditional recipes during the holiday season?
GIVEAWAY:
Our Sponsor is giving away a copy of the Dairy Good Cookbook (ARV $25) to one reader of Tough Cookie Mommy!a Rafflecopter giveaway
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of National Dairy Council Fuel Up To Play 60 and Latina Bloggers Connect. The opinions and text are all mine.
© 2015, Tough Cookie Mommy. All rights reserved.
I want the Dairy Good Cookbook! I try to serve healthier meals to my family.
After being diagnosed with a gall stone, I’ve been serving only healthy meals to my family. I need to get a copy of the Dairy Good Cookbook.
I still try to eat a balanced diet. I let myself eat goodies, but not all the goodies. Everything in moderation!
Holidays and food go hand in hand in our household too. We try to stay balanced by also serving healthy and delicious desserts the whole family would enjoy.
Holidays and food really do go hand in hand. It’s easy to be able to try everything though, if you eat in small amounts. 🙂
Great tips. Definitely don’t wait to eat! My husband always says he’ll wait wait and I have to remind him that it doesn’t work that way and it’s not healthy to do that.
Instead of great bean casserole just make steam green beans seasoned and add almonds slices. Or make sweet potatoes without the brown sugar and butter. Their is many items you can change up from they typical normal food.
For every sweet recipe I have I make sure to make a healthy one. The kids love sweets this time of year, but giving lots of options is a great way to get them to try other things
These are great tips. I usually eat what I want over the holidays, but I make sure I workout each day.
You have to enjoy your goodies. It takes will power not to devour the whole yummy dessert. A balance diet goes a long way.
I love that they’re reaching so many people. I try to make sure things are balanced. I want the kids to carry good eating habits into their futures.
Eating healthy is an every day battle because we are bombarded with so many unhealthy choices. I limit dairy because it doesn’t agree with me but I have tried dairy alternatives and they seem to work better. Dairy is a good choice in moderation for most.
Channuka is all about oily foods-to remind us that way back then the one days worth of lamp oil lasted for 8 days! Potato Latkes (pancakes) are delicious -as are donuts. The Latkes can be baked instead of fried–the donuts-well try to limit the number you eat. As for me I can’t eat anything oily or greasy anymore–
Wonderful tips! I have to keep changing my diet. I’ve had gallstones, and massive attacks for the last 13 years (they refuse to remove it for the silliest reasons) and if I’m pregnant, or feeling sick I have to make sure I eat very bland things – but healthy things to keep the attacks at bay. Skipping meals is the WORST. I find myself doing it at all the time.
These are great tips. As much as I love holiday meals, it’s important to remember not to go too crazy because we often regret it later!
This was a well written and great post – Yep – I usually gain 4 or so pounds during the holidays and sometimes it takes a while to just get 4 pounds back off – so these are wise points. And a great giveaway!
Your family is beautiful!
I’ve made the mistake of saving my calories for later too many times. You’re right that it just means overindulging later.
This sounds like a great cookbook. My kids enjoy helping in the kids, this would be a great way for them to learn more about healthy eating.
Lots of great tips and reminders here! We have loads of cut up vegetables and fruits in the fridge for the holidays. I pull them out and serve them before any food and sweets to make sure the kid (and grown ups) fill up on healthy food before the rich/sweet food. It’s a good balance. Also, lots of water!!!
Those are great suggestions. I can only eat a limited amount now but recall the days years ago when I would go hungry in anticipation of a big meal later.
We try to eat healthy meals and snacks through the Holidays and indulge for dessert once a day. I make sure to give away lots of what we bake so that we only have treats for 3 or 4 days.
I’m afraid I don’t do a very good job at balancing the healthy and not-so-healthy foods at this time of year, but I do try to be mindful of what I’m cooking and eating and try to make reasonably good choices.
I try to eat healthy up until the holiday and after the holiday. For the main event, I just don’t pay attention to what I eat, I let it all go down.
I try to balance my eating with major portion control during the holidays!!
We struggle to eat healthy meals this time of year. I’ve cut back from 12 kinds of cookies to just two. That seems to be helping some.