Fitness Tip: Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

It's November and we have holiday foods on our minds. We know the ones that are loaded with sugar, salt and fat — ham, gravy and pumpkin pie. And just think about what December brings — party foods like cheese platters, bacon-wrapped appetizers, creamy eggnogs, spiked punches, and cookies and rich desserts.

It can be a challenging time of year to make healthy choices. But healthy holiday eating is possible. We thought it would be helpful to share some tips for making favorite recipes healthier. With these tips, you can cut sugar, salt and fat by half:

Cut sugar, add flavor. When making pumpkin pie or eggnog, reduce the amount of sugar by half and enhance "sweetness" by adding a bit more vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon. If recipes call for sugary toppings like frosting, jams and syrup, use fresh fruit instead.

Shake the salt out. You can reduce salt by half in most recipes too. Also go easy on salty condiments, such as pickles, catsup, mustard and soy sauce. Instead offer cucumber slices and fresh tomato or fruit salsas. Or try lower-sodium versions of mustard and soy sauce. The cheese platter-yikes all that salt and fat. Better to skip it. Instead, opt for fresh fruits and veggies. And instead of serving cured ham, try a fresh pork loin roast with herbs.

Trim the fat. In baked goods you can cut the fat by about half and replace it with unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana. Instead of full-fat condensed milk, use condensed skim in pumpkin pie and eggnog. For gravy, heat fat-free, low-sodium broth (or drippings with the fat removed); mix flour into cold skim milk and pour slowly into broth, stir until thickened and season to your liking.

Do you have tips for healthy holiday eating? How about suggesting healthy hors d'oeuvres, sides and entrees? What has you stumped? Let's help each other makeover our traditional holiday recipes into fresher, healthier ones.

Share your healthy recipes and ideas with us at www.facebook.com/MVPSportsplex!