The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 24, Number 8 | Page 31

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | November 2018
Healthy Living Tips from
HEALTHIER HOLIDAY EATING: Create a Strategy!
This holiday season can be different -- with our help, you’ll enjoy the goodies and the parties, yet you won’t feel bloated and
worried about the toll on your waist and heart. Strategy—not utter denial—is the key to success! So let’s get started:
1.
Look for the stars. Take stock of your traditional holiday foods and highlight what’s naturally healthy. For example: Turkey
topped with gravy -- but minus the skin -- is an American Heart Association-approved entrée. And is fish a part of your holiday
tradition? Indulge!
2. Create NEW favorites. If your table groans under the weight of buttered rolls, creamed onions and rich foods, replace one of
two of those heavy hitters with a new recipe – like a platter of seasoned, roasted winter vegetables or red lentil & brown rice
cakes! Exchange a dozen cookies for low-fat meringues flecked with mini chocolate chips. And look to the season’s harvest of
cranberries, apples, pears, brussel sprouts, pumpkin and squash for creative inspiration.
3. Practice portion control. If you can’t eliminate it or make it more healthful, plan to limit it! Put a dollop of Grandma’s
must-have giblet gravy on the side of the plate and dip your turkey in it for taste. Enjoy half a cup of eggnog -- but just on a
special occasion -- when it means the most to you.
4.
Keep the rest lean and green. Don’t squander precious calories on a stale, store-bought cookies during a Wednesday
coffee
break!
Be mindful of healthier eating amid the festivities and you’ll buy yourself the flexibility for special indulgences.
5. Skinny it down. Transform sweet potato pie into a side dish of freshly baked sweet potatoes with a touch of cinnamon.
Replace the beef in Uncle Joe’s New Year’s Day Chili with ground turkey and red beans. Check out cookbooks, holiday magazines
and online sites which have a health focus and learn some culinary tricks. You’ll be surprised at how much old-fashioned flavor is
retained by making clever substitutions!
6.
Party on. Be a good guest and offer to prepare a dish for the next event. Whip up a low-fat yogurt dip and cut up some
crunchy crudités, or prepare an angel food cake and a simple compote of fruits marinated in juice. And don’t be shy—ask about
the menu ahead of time so you can plan your choices.
7. Eat out with savvy. Favor restaurants that offer whole-grain breads, salads and seafood. Portions are often
gigantic in restaurants, so plan to split an entrée with a friend, bring some home or order an appetizer-size plate of pasta as your
main meal.
For more information about how Deborah Heart and Lung Center’s leading-edge
technologies can improve your quality of life or an appointment with a Deborah
specialist, please visit our website: www.demanddeborah.org
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