What to Eat Before a Holiday Party
With the holiday party season just around the corner you may already be thinking about how to avoid putting on extra pounds. What to eat and when to eat it should be an important part of that strategy. Thinking things through ahead of time helps you proactively meet and overcome this challenge, without having to sacrifice any of the holiday fun. Here are a few helpful hints to ensure you get through this holiday party season with calories to spare.
Eat before you go. Make sure you allow time before the party to eat a full meal rich in fiber, but low in calories and fat. A leafy green salad with lots of fresh vegetables is a good choice, and so is a bowl of whole grain cereal. These types of foods will fill you up and stay with you so that you feel fuller longer. That way, when you're at the party, it will be easier to avoid a lot of the traditional holiday fare that is likely to be loaded with fat and sugar.
Be discriminating once you're there. Take a pass on the cookies and eggnog and look around for wiser choices. Cucumber sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, salsa fresca and fresh fruits and veggies are always good options. Try to stay away from pizza and fried items in favor of lighter offerings. For instance, a Vietnamese spring roll made with rice paper has 60 calories and 1 gram of fat. That would be a much better choice than a fried Chinese egg roll with 166 calories and 5 grams of fat.
Make smart drink choices. Choosing wisely when you drink can also make a big difference in your total calories consumed. Skip creamy drinks made with milk or ice cream and go with something light and refreshing like Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo. For instance, a popular drink at holiday gatherings is the grasshopper, which is made from vanilla ice cream, green crème de menthe and white Crème de Cacao. One grasshopper has 395 calories and 16 grams of fat. Ouch! Opt for Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo instead-it has only 100 calories per 4 ounce serving!
Taking the time in advance to plan what you will eat and when can make the difference between a happy holiday season and one that leaves you with the post holiday blues.
Content by Cherri Megasko.