Food for the
Holidays
The holidays are here again-time to
celebrate with family and friends and to enjoy lots of delicious, delectable
delights. But wouldn't it be great if traditional holiday fare could be both
good for your health and pleasing to your palate? Here are some tips and ideas
to help you plan and prepare healthy, crowd-pleasing food for this holiday
season. |
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What's
Cookin'?
When you are thinking about which foods
to make for your family and friends, take into consideration any
special needs they may have. If possible, try to adjust some recipes
to accommodate them. For example, you could leave the salt out of
some dishes and let diners add their own. You could cook a small
meatless version of a casserole.
For tips on preparing low-sodium foods
check out:
For vegetarian recipes visit:
Another important group to keep in
mind when planning your holiday feast is your children. Be sure
to include fun foods kids can help prepare. Some good resources
for kid-friendly recipes are:
With any type of food you offer, be
sure to prepare and serve it safely. For example, if you are hosting
an open-house buffet, be aware of how long things sit out. You may
not want to put the chicken salad out at noon if it won't be eaten
until later that evening - the salad may become warm, putting it
in the danger zone for bacteria growth. Foods should not sit at
room temperature for more than two hours. Keep track of how long
they have been sitting on the table and discard anything that has
been sitting longer than that period of time.
Hot food should be held at 140°
F or warmer. Keep hot foods hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers,
or warming trays. Cold food should be held at 40° F or colder.
Nest dishes in bowls of ice or use small serving trays and refill
them often with food from the fridge. For more tips on serving food
safely, and food storage, see "Cooking
for Groups" and "Preventing
Food-Borne Illness." |
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Other Resources
For more information on food and weight
management check out these resources from FCIC and on the World Wide
Web: Publications
Available from FCIC:
Web Sites*:
*If
you click on these links, you are leaving FCIC's web site. Please bookmark us
before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible for the
content of these web sites.
November 2001
Revised: December 2005
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Let's Talk Turkey
One of the most popular foods during
the holidays is turkey. Many people enjoy turkey for at least one
of their holiday dinners--and the leftovers for many days after
that. Luckily, you can find a variety of delicious ways to prepare
your turkey and your leftovers on the web. Some sites to explore
include:
No matter how you serve it, there are
a few things to keep in mind while preparing your turkey. Most important
is to remember to cook turkey to the correct temperature. Raw or
undercooked turkey can contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning
and other serious health problems.
So how do you know when your turkey
is done? Use a food thermometer to insure the thigh and the center
of your bird reaches a minimum of 180 degrees-the correct internal
temperature for turkey. The United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) recommends cooking the stuffing outside your turkey. If you
decide to go the traditional route and cook it inside the bird,
make sure its center reaches at least 165 degrees.
Other turkey tidbits can be found in
USDA's "
Food Safety of Turkey." Or call USDA's Meat and Poultry hotline
at 1-800-535-4555 for answers to your food safety questions. Get
more facts on safe food handling with "Use
a Food Thermometer." |
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Hampering Holiday Weight Gain
It's tradition: most Americans gain
some weight during the holiday season-typically between one and
five pounds. How can you not? It may seem impossible with all the
dinners, parties and treats. Luckily, there are some strategies
to help keep some of the extra pounds at bay.
- Substitute low fat and low calorie
ingredients, or reduce the amount used of high fat/calorie substances.
For example: use yogurt instead of sour cream; use raisins instead
of chocolate chips; use 1/3 less oil/shortening and 1/3 less sugar
in recipes; use non-stick cooking spray on pans; use skim milk
instead of whole milk; etc.
- Eat moderate portions of food -
don't stuff yourself.
- Make good food choices. Fill up
on low-calorie and low-fat items. For example, instead of fruitcake,
eat dried fruit. Instead of ham, choose turkey. Instead of stuffing,
eat cornbread or dinner rolls.
- If you can't resist those rich,
delicious, fattening foods that you love but know you shouldn't
eat, try exercising your self-control by taking only a few bites.
- Before you head out to a party,
fill up with a healthy snack. This will make you feel full and
less likely to munch on high calorie, high fat holiday treats.
- Watch your consumption of alcohol.
The empty calories of alcoholic beverages can be quite fattening.
In addition, the effects of alcohol consumption might cause you
to loosen your resolve to limit your food intake. Try sparkling
water or juice instead.
- When you're not out on the party
circuit, try and stick with your exercise routine. If you don't
already have one, try to start a new routine or fit some extra
physical activity into your day. Take the stairs instead of the
elevator. Park a little further away at the shopping mall. Walk
to the corner store instead of driving.
Here are some examples of healthy lower-fat/calorie
holiday food choices:
- Pumpkin is loaded with Vitamin
A and when it's pureed can be a substitute to replace fat in baked
goods (used in a similar fashion to applesauce).
- Sweet potatoes have Vitamin A,
Vitamin C, lots of fiber, and potassium.
- White potatoes contain Vitamin
C, B vitamins, potassium, and some minerals such as iron and copper.
- Figs (as in fig pudding) have potassium,
calcium, magnesium, and niacin.
- Roast turkey (skinless) has about
20 grams of protein per 3 ounces, Vitamin B6, and niacin, with
almost no fat.
For additional information on weight
control and diet see the following publications available from FCIC:
Weight Loss: Finding a Weight Loss Program that Works for You,
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2000. |
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We will not retain or use this information for any
other purpose. |
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For more information on
other popular consumer issues check out FCIC's Consumer Focus Archive. |
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