How to Set a Healthy Holiday Table

Don’t skip out on the joys of the season. By making some simple swaps to what you put on your holiday table, you can serve a much healthier meal to your family and loved ones.

Hold the starch: Replace the usual entrée selections like pasta and potatoes with healthy alternatives like barley, quinoa, couscous, brown rice, and yams.

Bake, don’t fry: Putting certain ingredients in the oven instead of frying them will significantly reduce the amount of fat. And believe it or not, it can even increase the flavour.

Add some green: Pack your dishes with healthy greens that contain vitamin B6, foliate, iron, and magnesium. All of these can be found in foods like avocadoes (a perfect dip ingredient), asparagus (makes a lovely appetizer), broccoli (ideal as a steamed side dish), and spinach (the base of any delicious salad)!

Pick vegetables: Instead of using toast and crackers as a base for appetizers, use vegetables like sliced eggplant, cucumber, tomato, zucchini and mushrooms. Throw the slices on the grill for a crisp finish before topping them.

DIY: Store-bought dips are often loaded with preservatives. Plus, it’s way more fun to make your own. Try making a chickpea puree or a yummy avocado dip.

Opt for brown sugar: Brown sugar is ideal for baking cookies, muffins and pies. You can even take it a step further by using whole wheat flour instead of plain white flour.

Cut down the fat: Switch to low-fat milk products when making things like eggnog and dairy-based sauces. Also, try using olive oil instead of butter when frying and roasting.

Go nuts: Add nuts and dried fruit to dessert dishes (like cookies and bars) or pour some into a snack bowl before and after the main course.

Forget the frozen: Why not use delicious and nutritious yogurt as a substitute for ice cream for after-meal desserts or as a topping for fruit crumbles and pies?

Cut down calories: Although it’s a holiday favourite, alcohol is costly and contains a lot of (empty) calories. So be sure to have your dinner table well-equipped with options like fresh or sparkling water and fun alternatives like fruit juices, ciders and teas.