The Ultimate Guide to Healthy Eating at Christmas

With Christmas around the corner and festive feasts on their way, the holiday season can seem challenging. Particularly, when it comes to maintaining all the hard work you have put in during the year. But it needn’t be! We’ve assembled the ultimate guide to eating healthy at Christmas. This will help you prepare your own Christmas feast using healthier choices and provide you with recipes that can make Christmas parties guilt-free. From healthy Christmas swaps to delicious recipes – we want to make sure you’re looking forward to Christmas as much as we are!

 

Healthy Christmas feast swaps

Making little healthy swaps throughout your Christmas cooking is a great way to still enjoy your favourite seasonal dishes whilst still making healthy choices.
Try these swaps out this year for yourself!

ENTREE SWAPS

• SWAP: Cream/Cheese based dips WITH Low-fat yoghurt/ricotta/light Philly base
• Chips/Corn Chips WITH Oven-baked, rice-based snacks, nuts,  fresh veggies
• Lollies/Chocolate WITH Sugar-free lollies, low fat/snack-size chocolate, dried fruit
• Cheese WITH Reduced fat variety, mix soft cheeses with fresh vegies e.g. tomato
• Savoury Biscuits/Pretzels WITH Choose low fat or oven-baked, breadsticks
• Kabana/Salami WITH Lean deli meats e.g. ham, chicken.

MAIN SWAPS

• Gravy made from drippings WITH Gravy made from powder
• Salad Dressing – oil & vinegar WITH No-Oil dressing/ vinegar only
• Coleslaw – full-fat dressing WITH Reduced fat dressing
• Roast vegetables in meat juices/oil  WITH Par-boil then roast with spray oil
• Roast meat cooked in pan WITH Roast meat on the rack, lean cuts
• Poultry with skin/Pork crackling WITH Remove skin and crackling
• Potato salad – creamy dressing  WITH Low-fat sour cream/yoghurt/mayo
• Cold sliced ham WITH Lean thin sliced ham

DESSERT SWAPS

• Cheesecake – make with low-fat Philly/cream, have biscuit base only, not sides
• Custard/Ice cream – use low-fat variety, make with skim milk and sweetener
• Fruit cake & Plum Pudding – have ½ slice or small slice, make own
• Mince Pie & Shortbread – have 1 only, dried fruit, make own
• Fruit salad in syrup – In natural juice or fresh
• Jelly – Diet jelly, make with diet lemon soft drink for ‘fizz’.

 

Platter dip ideas for healthy eating at Christmas

Try some of these quick and healthy dip ideas to add flavour and colour to your platters. Serve with fresh vegetables (e.g. carrot sticks, celery sticks, chopped capsicum) or oven based rice snacks. Using Greek yoghurt as a base for dips is a great way to make dips healthier and tasty. Simply combine the following ingredients in a bowl and enjoy!

QUICK TZATZIKI RECIPE

 

• 1 cup natural Greek yoghurt, reduced-fat
• 2 tbs dill, roughly chopped
• 1 tbs garlic, crushed
• 1 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Juice from one lemon

SPINACH DIP RECIPE

 

• 2 cups spinach wilted and chopped
• 200g light Philadelphia
• 2 tbsp low-fat Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup shredded light cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
  (Serve warm for melted cheese)

ROASTED EGGPLANT & GARLIC DIP

• 4 medium-size eggplant flesh only, roasted
• 1 cup low-fat Greek  yogurt
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more to drizzle at the end
• Salt and Pepper to season

 

Strawberry and Balsamic Festive Salad

Try something refreshing and bold this Christmas with this salad decorated in strawberries, feta, mint leaves and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar!
(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups spinach leaves
• 2 cup rocket leaves
• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 60g salt-reduced feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 4 tbs balsamic vinegar

METHOD:

1. Combine spinach, rocket, strawberries, feta cheese, walnuts and mint leaves
2. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top and serve.

NUTRITION INFO:

(Per Serving)

827kJ Protein: 9.4g    Fat: 14.6g    Sat- fat 2.2g    Carbs: 4.7g    Sodium: 229mg

White Christmas Yoghurt Bark

 

(Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups low-fat Greek yoghurt
• 2 tsps vanilla paste
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

METHOD

1. Add mix together the Greek yoghurt and vanilla.
2. Pour the mixture into a 20cm x 20cm square cake tin lined with baking paper
3. Add strawberries, raspberries and dark chocolate chips.
4. Freeze for at least 4 hours and cut to serve!

NUTRITION INFO:

(Per Serving)
983kJ     Protein : 6.8g    Fat: 10g    Sat- fat 6.2g    Carbs: 24.1g    Sodium: 81mg

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