Holidays

Healthy Holiday Substitutions

Simple Substitutions Make Your Holiday Favorites More Nutritious

By Rima Kleiner, MS, RD

A recent study found that overweight Americans -- which is almost 70% of all Americans -- typically gain at least 5 lb. during the holiday season. While this may not sound like a lot of weight, most Americans do not lose those holiday pounds during the year. This means that a 5 lb. weight gain over 10 years adds up to a 50 lb. weight gain in one decade -- without changing anything else! That’s like going from 150 lb. at 30 years old to 200 lb. by age 40.

You can fight the holiday weight gain by slightly modifying your favorite holiday recipes. Use some of the substitutions below to make your tasty holiday favorites lower in fat, sugar and calories and higher in nutrients.

Eggs/Meat

For each whole egg, use 2 egg whites or ¼ cup egg substitute. If a recipe calls for bacon, try using ⅔ the amount of lean Canadian bacon or turkey bacon, both of which contain less saturated fat than pork bacon.

Fats and Oils

For muffins, quick breads and cakes, replace oil, butter or margarine with equal amount of applesauce or other fruit puree. For chocolate brownies, cakes or cookies, substitute pureed prunes in a 1:1 ratio.

Dairy/Cream

Skim or low-fat milks make perfect substitutes for whole milk. If a recipe calls for heavy cream, try using evaporated skim milk instead. Replace whole-fat sour cream or mayonnaise with nonfat sour cream or fat-free mayonnaise. Or, try using nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt, which is thicker than other plain yogurts and provides greater nutritional benefits than sour cream or mayonnaise.

Baking Chocolate

Replace baking chocolate with unsweetened cocoa powder, which tends to contain more antioxidants and less fat. Substitute 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder per 1 oz. baking chocolate.

Other ways to modify a high-fat favorite include reducing or eliminating high-fat or high-calorie ingredients. Try using ⅓ less the amount of sugar and salt than the recipe calls for.

And, last but not least, recipe modifications may include healthy additions, such as adding more fruit or vegetables and sneaking in whole grains, all of which contain more nutrients than their refined counterparts.

Make this the year you toast to starting the New Year healthy!

Healthy Holidays Tips

Baking

Use 2 egg whites or ¼ cup egg substitute for every whole egg.
Substitute applesauce for oil, butter or margarine in muffins, quick breads or cakes
Substitute prune puree for oil, butter or margarine in chocolate baked goods, like brownies, cakes or cookies.
When you do use oils in baking, choose canola or nut-based oils (like almond or walnut) instead of vegetable oil.
Use 3 tablespoons of dark cocoa powder for every ounce of baking chocolate.
Replace half of all-purpose unbleached flour with whole grain flour, like whole wheat, spelt or graham flour.
Sneak more fruit into recipes for extra fiber or use chopped nuts as a topping instead of using in the recipe for more crunch and fewer calories.
Sneak wheat germ or flaxseeds into baked goods for heart-healthy fat.
Experiment with Splenda for reduced calories and sugar in recipes that call for granulated or white sugar. For frostings, candies or angel food cake, replace only ¼ of sugar with sugar substitute. (Splenda should not be used as a substitution for brown sugar.)