5 Ways to Cut Calories From Holiday Meals

The holidays are a high-pressure time to ignore healthy eating habits and  indulge in large portions of fattening foods at family gatheries and parties.

Thanksgiving, in particular, is difficult, since the celebration centers on food – high-calorie foods. Gloria Tsang, a registered dietian and author, offers a common-sense strategy for managing temptations during holiday meals.

Tsang does not advise people to make sacrificies. You don't have to make an appointment with a local weight-loss center – yet. Instead she offers some resourceful strategies for reducing the amount of sugar and fat in meals.

Here are 5 easy steps to cut 400 calories from Thanksgiving and other holiday meals. And, if you're looking for local grocery stores, scan our directory listings:

• Potatoes: Mashed potatoes are usually made with heavy cream and butter. Try using buttermilk instead of cream, and use half the butter you normally use. You'll be surprised how similar they taste. You can pick up produce, including potatoes, at the State College of Florida farmer's market, which is every Wednesday. Calories saved: about 90.
• Cakes and pies: Yes, you can still serve dessert! Try substituting unsweetened applesauce or pureed prunes for half the sugar in your baking recipes. To make your cake even leaner, try substituting egg whites or egg substitute for the eggs in the recipes. If the eggs are used as an emulsifier, it’s best to use egg substitute (1/4 cup = 1 egg). Calories saved per 1/8 cake or pie piece: 96.
• Whipped cream: Cutting whipped cream from a holiday meal seems a bit cruel – but this tasty topping is loaded with fat. Try making your own whipped cream using evaporated milk instead. It offers a similar taste and texture without the fat and guilt. Calories saved per 2 Tbsp serving: 60.
• Turkey: It's not a holiday meal without the turkey. Turkey is actually a healthy item on your holiday menu. It’s an excellent source of protein, and has the least amount of fat per serving among all meats, if you skip the skin. Calories saved per serving: 45–63.
• Celebratory alcohol: You don't need to pass on the celebratory toast. Instead of eggnog, serve champagne or sparkling wine. Calories saved per serving: 100. Here's a link to beverage stores in Bradenton.

In her book Go UnDiet, Tsang advises reader to "un-fat-free" – that is, stay away from fat-free diet products. Fat-free products often bear little resemblance to real food and are filled with additives.

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