Eat, Drink & Be Merry!

Holiday foods don’t have to be unhealthy to taste good…

Holiday foods are often “loaded with creamy, fatty, sweet goodness,” says Pauline Hackney, clinical nutrition manager at Westchester Medical Center. But you needn’t deprive yourself during the festivities: Smart but tasty swaps can make a world of difference.

Holiday Foods to Skip

Holiday Foods to Choose

Antipasto: Cured meats, high-fat cheeses, bruschetta, calorie-laden dips

Antipasto: Uncured meats, hard cheeses, crunchy veggies, olives, olive oil

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Glazed Ham: Even before the glaze adds tons of sugar, ham is full of salt, nitrates, and nitrites — bah, humbug! 

Turkey: Leaner than ham, with much less sodium. Opt for white meat, which has half the fat and fewer calories than dark meat. 

Noodle Kugel: A decadent combo of white carbs, eggs, cottage cheese, milk, sour cream, sugar, butter, and cream cheese.

Sweet Potatoes: Baked (or mashed with Smart Balance) sweet potatoes are fiber-rich, filling and loaded with vitamin A.

Pecan Pie: This sticky Southern staple is filled to the brim with corn syrup, sugar, molasses, and heaping helpings of butter.

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Pumpkin Pie: It has 30 percent fewer calories than pecan pie and is full of vitamin A, calcium, and iron. 

Eggnog:  Hundreds of calories and lots of saturated fat

Hot Apple Cider: Still delicious and festive but about half the calories and none of the fat.