The holiday season is personally one of my favorite times of the year. From the parties to the decorations to all of the good food, you can’t help but be in a happy and good mood all of the time. Now as soon as Halloween hits, Fall and Christmas decorations hit the shelves and are visible at any store imaginable. With all of these decorations, though, comes the delicious recipes and traditional foods that are expected at each holiday meal. Being able to see the bottom of that never-ending bowl of Halloween candy only means one thing, turkey time!
Thanksgiving comes with juicy turkey topped with thick gravy, and delicious stuffing. Of course you can’t forget the sides of whipped mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie, and cranberry sauce. Not to mention all of the amazing pies and desserts to follow. Seriously, what is Thanksgiving without a delicious apple, pecan, or pumpkin pie? And obviously these meals have to follow a delicious round of appetizers to kick off the day.
While one of the best aspects of the holidays is all of the delicious food available, it can definitely be hard to find a perfect balance between eating absolutely everything in sight and not feeling stuffed and icky the next day. Trying to maintain a healthy diet during the holiday season might seem impossible, but honestly, it’s the holidays! You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself! You should definitely be allowed to splurge and eat until you’re fast asleep in a food coma! It is nice to have a few options available to indulge in that taste just as good and won’t make you feel as guilty the next day, though.
Finding healthy substitutes usually comes with the assumption that you have to sacrifice flavor for nutrition, but with the following recipes the dish comes with the same great taste, just a few healthier ingredients to substitute! Included below are some dishes that can be eaten as a side, main dish or dessert for your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. By switching out one typical side or meal for a healthier one, or even just adding it as another option, you can totally balance out your holiday meals!
Another aspect of the holidays that makes food difficult to balance is all of the leftovers that follow. I personally can’t help myself when it comes to eating leftover desserts throughout the days after my Thanksgiving or Christmas meals. With healthier leftover desserts, it definitely makes feel less guilty about indulging my cravings. As mentioned before, trying to find a healthy balance during the holiday season can be very difficult. If you’re looking for one, hopefully these recipes can help you achieve that while still enjoying your holiday food!
Healthy Alternatives to Try: